WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William & Mary volleyball team opens up its 2017 campaign at the East Carolina Invitational this weekend. The Tribe's first match of the season is against the host-team Pirates on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by contests against Rutgers (12 p.m.) and Georgia State (4:30 p.m.) the next day.
TribeAthletics.com caught up with head volleyball coach
Melissa Ferris to discuss W&M's season opening tournament. The video feature is available through the above link or by clicking
here.
Scouting the Tribe
In Ferris' second year at the helm, she brings back eight proven returners, which includes two all-conference picks. The Tribe will be led by its seniors
Sydney Biniak and
Sara Zumbach. Biniak experienced a breakout year in 2016 as she earned All-CAA third team honors and VaSID All-State second team distinctions, while Zumbach also received All-State accolades and became the fastest player in program history to surpass 1,000 career digs. W&M deepened its roster with the addition of six newcomers, the programs largest true freshman class since 2012. Among the rookies are pin hitters
Kate Dedrick and
Lauren Moussaid, middle blockers
Julia Brown,
Denisha Shaw and
Taylor Heishman and defensive specialist
Katie Turner.
Scouting the Pirates
East Carolina earned its first non-losing season in a decade with a 15-15 record last year. The Pirates top returners include middle blocker Natalie Montini and defensive specialist Brandee Markwith. Montini posted 2.25 kills and 0.95 blocks per set last season, while Markwith registered 4.15 digs per set.
Scouting the Scarlet Knights
Rutgers heads into 2017 looking to bounce back from a 4-29 campaign last year. The Scarlet Knights will be led by outside hitter Meme Fletcher and setter Megan Sharkey. Fletcher averaged 2.58 kill per set and ranked third on the team with 183 digs. Sharkey dished out 4.83 assist per set during her rookie season, while adding 15 service aces and 130 digs.
Scouting the Panthers
Georgia State concluded 2016 with a 10-18 mark and is predicted to finish fourth in the Sun Belt East Division. On a senior-less roster, the Panthers will look toward its six juniors for leadership. Among the top returners are three-year players Crystal Lee and Sarah Renner. Lee hammered 2.40 kills per set, which ranked second on the team, and Renner paced the squad with 8.89 assists per set.
Noteworthy
- The Tribe is 6-3 in its season-opening match over the past nine years.
- W&M's contest with Big Ten foe Rutgers on Saturday will serve as the first-ever meeting between the programs.
- The Tribe owns a combined 41-17 all-time record against former Colonial Athletic Association programs East Carolina and Georgia State. ECU left the league in 2000, while Georgia State competed in the conference from 2005-12.
- Zumbach's 1,073 career digs rank third in program history in the current scoring format. She needs to finish her final season with at least 347 more digs to replace Celine Alasomuka '13 as the all-time leader.
- Biniak enters the season slotted fourth in W&M's all-time kills list under the present scoring system. The Elkridge, Md., native has collected 682 career kills and need just 27 more to move up to third all-time.
- Junior Katie Primatic's .257 attack percentage from last year placed sixth in the school's 25-point single-season record books. The middle blocker recorded 102 kills in 261 attempts with just 35 errors.
- The Green and Gold will have new sideline help with the hiring of its three assistant coaches.
- Shannon Thompson joins the Tribe following a prolific playing and coaching career at DIII powerhouse UMass Boston.
- Fran Bolletino spent a combined three years as a volunteer coach at Maryland and the University of the Sciences of Philadelphia, before coming to Williamsburg.
- Adam Kuntz, a volunteer assistant, earns his first opportunity in college athletics after compiling a 158-65 career record as a head coach at the Nebraska high school level.
