 No. 1 Brockport (31-1, 9-0 SUNYAC)
SUNYAC Championships: 2 (1990, 1991)
SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 24 (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015)
Brockport eyes its third SUNYAC title and its first since 1991 under the direction of third-year head coach Steve Pike. Brockport earned the SUNYAC's regular-season title and handed New Paltz its first conference loss since 2012 when it topped the Hawks, 3-2, on Oct. 24. The Golden Eagles boast the conference's two most efficient hitters, with sophomore middle blocker Brianna Richardson posting a .382 (155-34-317) hitting percentage and senior middle blocker Ashley Capone hitting at a .337 (183-56-377) clip. In addition senior outside hitter Kayla Barber leads the conference in kills per set (3.93), while sophomore setter Noelle Poloncarz ranks first among the SUNYAC leaders in assists per set (10.13). Sophomore libero Kathleen Irwin has been the conference's top server with 0.60 aces per set and its top back-row defensive player with 4.71 digs per set. |
 No. 2 New Paltz (21-10, 8-1 SUNYAC)
SUNYAC Championships: 2 (2009, 2014)
SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 19 (1989, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
New Paltz enters the SUNYAC Tournament as the defending conference champions. The Hawks have qualified for the NCAA Division III Tournament in each of the past three seasons, earning two at-large berths during that span. New Paltz is led by 2014 SUNYAC Player of the Year and senior outside hitter Becca Borquist, who ranks second in the SUNYAC in kills per set (3.67) and is hitting .202 (352-148-1,005) on the season. Borquist is just the second student-athlete in program history to register at least 1,500 kills and 1,500 digs, and she was named the SUNYAC Tournament MVP last season. Sophomore setter Maddie Zwickl ranks third in the SUNYAC in assists per set (9.81) and is the reigning SUNYAC Rookie of the Year, while junior middle hitter Morgan Roessler ranks fifth in the conference in both hitting percentage (.302 – 287-94-639) and blocks per set (0.88). Fourteenth-year head coach Matt Giufre, a five-time SUNYAC Coach of the Year, boasts an overall career record of 379-160. |
 No. 3 Oswego (24-9, 7-2 SUNYAC)
SUNYAC Championships: none
SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 8 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2012, 2014, 2015)
Oswego looks to bring its first-ever SUNYAC title back to campus this weekend, as the Lakers enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed. J.J. O'Connell is in the midst of his fourth season leading the Lakers, as he has made the SUNYAC Tournament in three of his four years at the controls. Oswego is led by a pair of efficient hitters in junior middle blocker Megan Russell and freshman right side/outside hitter Ariel Murawski. Russell currently ranks third in the SUNYAC in hitting percentage (.315 – 306-88-693), while Murawski boasts the conference's fourth-best hitting percentage (.305 – 306-65-790). Junior setter Lauren Edwards is the Lakers' leading setter with 5.50 assists per set, while Murawski cracked the SUNYAC top 10 in kills per set with 2.59. Russell and freshman middle blocker Alison Sullivan shore up Oswego's blocking efforts with 0.75 blocks per set apiece, while senior libero Rachael Ruggaber ranks seventh in the SUNYAC in digs per set (4.29). |
 No. 4 Oneonta (18-13, 6-3 SUNYAC)
SUNYAC Championships: 1 (2002)
SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 20 (1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015)
Oneonta returns to the SUNYAC Tournament after a two-year absence, led by 17th-year head coach Colleen Cashman. The Red Dragons boast one SUNYAC title and NCAA Tournament berth in their history, which came during the 2002 campaign. Strong defensive play at the net has been Oneonta's calling card as of recent, with senior middle hitter Kristen Polan and sophomore right side/middle hitter Melissa Voyer ranking third (1.00) and fourth (0.95) in the SUNYAC, respectively, in blocks per set. Oneonta boasts a strong back-row defense, too, with senior libero Allyson Coniglione leading the way with 4.58 digs per set, which is tied for fourth in the SUNYAC. Senior outside hitter Jill Darpino is the Red Dragons' top offensive option, as she ranks sixth in the conference in kills per set (2.84). |
 No. 5 Cortland (19-16, 5-4 SUNYAC)
SUNYAC Championships: 19 (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012)
SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 32 (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
Cortland, the most decorated women's volleyball program in the history of the SUNYAC, looks to bring home its 20th conference championship in program history this season. The Red Dragons did not qualify for the semifinal round of the SUNYAC Tournament for the first time since the event's inception in 1984 last season, but Cortland will look to reverse the trend and win its first conference title since 2012. Eleventh-year head coach Pam Hoerup enters the tournament as one of the most decorated coaches in the field, having coached the Red Dragons to six SUNYAC titles while earning SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors on three occasions. Sophomore middle hitter Amanda May is Cortland's most efficient offensive option, as she ranks eighth in the SUNYAC in hitting percentage (.273 – 281-64-795), while junior setter Liz Roberts sits fourth in the conference in assists per set (9.25). Defensively, the Red Dragons rely heavily on junior libero Melanie McGuirk, who is tied for fourth in the SUNYAC in digs per set (4.58). |
 No. 6 Fredonia (22-11, 4-5 SUNYAC)
SUNYAC Championships: 1 (2008)
SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 22 (1984, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
Fredonia won twice during the final SUNYAC Pool Play of the season to claim the No. 6 seed in the SUNYAC Tournament. The Blue Devils have made the SUNYAC Tournament every season since 2003, and last season, they were conference runners-up. Seventeenth-year head coach Geoff Braun is one of the elder statesmen of the SUNYAC currently, having been responsible for 14 Blue Devil appearances in the SUNYAC Tournament and the program's lone SUNYAC title in 2008. Senior setter Kelly Edinger, who was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team this week, ranks second in the SUNYAC with 10.11 assists per set. Senior middle hitter Jess DiChristopher is one of the most dangerous offensive options in the conference, as she ranks among the SUNYAC leaders in kills per set (3.95, third) and hitting percentage (.280 – 348-118-821, seventh). Defensively, senior libero Lauren Hokaj leads the way with 4.70 digs per set, which ranks second in the SUNYAC. |
