UTICA,NY - The Utica University volleyball team will begin its 2024 campaign at the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragon Invitational on Friday, August 30 at 4 p.m against Western New England University. The team will then take on SUNY Oneonta on Saturday, August 31 at 11 a.m and Mount Saint Mary College (NY) at 1 p.m. 

Follow Along: SUNY Oneonta will be providing live video and statistics for all matchups.
Utica vs. Western New England
Stats - https://oneontaathletics.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
Video - https://oneontaathletics.com/watch/?Live=360&type=Live
Utica vs. Oneonta
Stats - https://oneontaathletics.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
Video - https://oneontaathletics.com/watch/?Live=362&type=Live
 
Back-to-Back: The 2023 season for the Pioneers marked the first time in program history that the team has recorded back to back winning seasons boasting a 16-13 record, including a 5-1 record in six home matches. The Pioneers also clinched a playoff berth last season, marking the program's first back to back Empire 8 Conference tournament appearance. 
 
Breaking it Down: The Pioneers will be hitting the road this season, with three tournaments included in the team's 24 game slate. To open the season, the Pioneers will travel to SUNY Oneonta for the Red Dragon Invitational on August 30 and 31. At the Invitational, the Pioneers will take on Western New England University for the first time in program history, Mount Saint Mary College (NY) for the first time since 2001, and SUNY Oneonta for the first time since 2013. The Pioneers will then open the home slate against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in its annual First Responders Match on September 7 at 12 p.m. The team will then travel to Union College to take on the Garnet Chargers on September 18 before attending the Oswego State Classic, featuring Hilbert College, Penn State Behrend, SUNY Morrisville, and the host Oswego State on Friday, September 20 and Saturday, September 21. The team returns home on September 24 to take on SUNY Cobleskill before opening Empire 8 Conference play. Utica's conference slate this season includes six home conference matches against conference newcomer SUNY Poly on October 2, Hartwick on October 5, Alfred University on October 11, Houghton on October 12 in the team's annual Fight for the Cure Match, St. John Fisher on October 25 and concludes with Senior Night against Nazareth on October 26. The road conference slate for the Pioneers consists of matches against Russell Sage on October 4, conference newcomers SUNY Brockport and SUNY Geneseo on October 18 and 19, and concludes with matches against Keuka College and Elmira College on November 1 and 2. The Pioneers will continue the road trip with a match against SUNY Delhi on November 4, before concluding the regular season at the Vassar Tri-Match against the United States Merchant Marine Academy and host Vassar College on November 9. 
 
At the Helm: Head Coach Josh Higby is set to return for his fourth season leading the Pioneers. Higby guided the Pioneers into clinching a playoff berth in 2023, marking the program's first back to back Empire 8 tournament appearance. They concluded the season with a loss in the first round of the Empire 8 tournament against third seeded Keuka College, 1-3. Madison Maggiore will assist Higby in her first season coaching the Pioneers after spending four seasons as a player under Higby. Maggiore garnered all-conference honors in her senior season as a setter, racking up 417 assists with 156 digs, 46 service aces, and 44 kills. 
 
Back for More: Graduate setter Lauren Jones (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) is poised for another standout season for the Pioneers. The 2024 Empire 8 Conference volleyball Player to Watch is set to take over this season after racking up 262 assists, 133 kills, 47 service aces and 39 blocks last season.
 
Last Ride: Seniors Caitlyn Esposito (Haddam, CT/Haddam-Killingworth), Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern), and Cassie Wagemann have returned for the Pioneers this season. In 60 sets played last season, Esposito slammed 59 kills and tallied 42 blocks. Middle hitter Peyton Migliaccio (Suffern, NY/Suffern) tallied 72 kills with seven solo blocks and 22 block assists. Defensive specialist Cassandra Wagemann (Diamond Point, NY/Lake George) dominated in the back row last season, tallying 309 digs which put her second on the team leaderboard and a mark good enough for seventh in the conference.  
 
Supporting Cast: Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug), Jada Anthony (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South), and Megan Wright (Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community) have returned for another season with Utica. Brennan and Wright will continue to spark the offense, while Wright will continue to bring her talents to the service line. Anthony is set to continue her dominance at the net after leading the team in blocks last season.
 
New Faces: The Pioneers are set to welcome eight new faces to the team this year. Alexandra Cook (Utica, NY/Whitesboro), Mackenzie O'Brien (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh), Elizabeth Hanba (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy), Sara Canfield (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas), Abby O'Connor (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford), Lindsey Lore (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac), Samara Hunt (Fultonville, NY/Fonda-Fultonville Central), and Alicia Ancewicz (Greenlawn, NY/John Glenn) are all set to make an impact for Utica this season. 
 
Key Losses: Pioneer standout Eleanor Cepiel (West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of Holy Names) earned her third career all-conference honor last season as she was named to the All-Empire 8 First Team for the second year in a row. Cepiel was a force all year on both sides of the ball with 341 kills, 382 points, 35 service aces, 352 digs, and 12 blocks. She ranked third in the Empire 8 in kills and kills per set while also ranking top-five in digs per set and total points. Last season, Cepiel set the program record for kills with 1,030 and finished her career as the all-time leader with 1,113. 
 
Scouting Western New England: Western New England has been selected to finish third in the first ever Conference of New England preseason poll. WNE is coming off a 12-12 season last year with a 5-3 record in conference play. The Golden Bears have returned Alissa Hawes who led the team in kills last season with 255, Isabelle Petty, who tallied 213.5 points last season and Yemayma Molina who tallied 41 blocks last season. This is the first time that the Pioneers will be taking on the Golden Bears in program history. 
 
Looking at Oneonta: The SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons are coming off of a 6-20 season after finishing 2-7 in the competitive SUNYAC conference. The Red Dragons have returned 10 players from last season, and are welcoming nine freshmen to the team this year. Oneonta is tied for sixth with SUNY Oswego in the SUNYAC preseason poll. Leading the way for the Red Dragons this season is junior Katie Spano, who tallied 119 kills last season, and junior Anna Moller, who recorded 190 digs last season. This is the first time that the Pioneers will be taking on the Red Dragons since 2013. Last time out, the Pioneers lost the match 3-1. 
 
Scouting Mount Saint Mary: The Mount Saint Mary College Knights are fresh off a 6-23 campaign last year, finishing the season with a 6-5 record in Skyline conference play. The Knights are returning 10 from last season, and are welcoming six new faces to the team this year. Leading the way for the Knights is junior Jonaiya Williams, who led the team in kills last season with 285. She also led the team in points with 326 and points per set with 3.66. On the defensive side of the ball, Erin Lema is back for another season with the Knights after recording 204 digs last season, and boasted a .855 receiving percentage last year. The last time the Pioneers had a meeting with the Knights was 2001. Utica swept the Knights 3-0 in the contest. 

Up Next: The Pioneers will open their home slate on Saturday, September 7 against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in the team's annual First Responders Match. Game time is set for 12 p.m from Harold T. Clark Athletic Center.