Sparkill, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Volleyball returns to the court for the 2024 season, with big expectations and a new home to show off their talents. A retooled Spartans roster is also set to make a run at the postseason within the East Coast Conference.
The Spartans were selected to finish fifth in the annual ECC preseason coaches poll released in late August.
In 2023, STAC finished with an overall record of 5-15 and a 1-11 mark in ECC play, as the team's inaugural season in Division II was just the beginning of something special in Sparkill.
The Spartans return seven players from the 2023 season, as Kaylin Hamilton (DNP-2024), Lea Venghaus (20 Matches - 34 Kills, .245 Hitting %, 2.46 Digs Per Set, 167 Digs, 0.47 Service Aces Per Set, 7.84 Assists Per Set), Dahiana Garcia Atuesta (19 Matches - 1.63 Digs Per Set, 106 Digs, 0.12 Assists Per Set), Alana Rider (10 Matches - 1.92 Kills Per Set, 48 Kills, .092 Hitting %, 0.16 Kills Per Set), Natassia Romanoff (20 Matches - 1.34 Kills Per Set, 78 Kills, 0.29 Service Aces Per Set), Elizabeth Salmon (20 Matches - 0.27 Kills Per Set) and Lauren Fields (13 Matches - 0.62 Kills Per Set, 0.59 Kills Per Set) will make up the core returning to Sparkill this fall.
Eleven very talented student-athletes from four states (New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and California) and three countries outide of the U.S. (Netherlands, Italy and Puerto Rico). Addison Miller (L/DS - Allentown, Pa.), Alexyss Chartier (OH/RS - Blackstone, Mass.), Evie Paalman (OH - Laren Gelderland, Netherlands), Anna Gazzerro (S - Padova, Italy), Yulis Vidal (MH - Garnerville, N.Y.), Christianna Roberts (MH - Hesperia, Calif.), Isis Barrett (MH - Nyack, N.Y.), Kamila Zoe Rosa (RS - San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico), Chloe Weiting (OH/RS - Bakersfield, Calif.), Greta Santini (OH - Reggio Emilia, Italy) and India Newman (OH - White Plains, N.Y.) will each look to bring their energy, enthusiasm and skill to a Spartans squad on the rise.
Head Coach Robert Pichardo returns for his second season at the helm of the maroon and gold, while assistant coaches Megan Musselman and Jessica Haynes also return for year two, and will look to help Coach Pichardo guide and mentor the 2024 squad.
The biggest change around the St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Volleyball program this season will be team's new facility. The Spartan Athletic Complex, which will be the home of both the Men's and Women's Volleyball squads, is set to open to the public for the first home match of the fall (Sept. 10) and is just a short walk (or drive) from campus on Route 340.
STAC will open their new campaign on the road, with matches at Pace University (Sept. 6/6:00 p.m.) and at Holy Family University (Sept. 7/vs. Kutztown University 1:00 p.m. and Holy Family 3:00 p.m.) St. Thomas Aquinas will christen it's new gymnasium on Tuesday, September 10, when the Spartans host Bloomfield College of Montclair State University in a 7:00 p.m. non-conference match.
2024 ECC Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll
1. Daemen (45 points, 4 first-place votes)
2023 Record – 26-6, 12-0 ECC
2. Mercy (40 points, 2 first-place votes)
2023 Record – 15-9, 7-5 ECC
3. Molloy (36 points, 1 first-place vote)
2023 Record – 14-14, 8-4 ECC
4. Queens (26 points)
2023 Record – 13-11, 7-5 ECC
5. St. Thomas Aquinas (20 points)
2023 Record – 5-15, 1-11 ECC
6. D'Youville (19 points)
2023 Record – 7-18, 3-9 ECC
7. Roberts Wesleyan (10 points)
2023 Record – 8-14, 4-8 ECC