2023 Season Preview: Rivier Women’s Volleyball
NASHUA, N.H. – Coming off a dominant 2022 season in which the squad touted a perfect 13-0 conference regular-season record, the Rivier women's volleyball team looks to return to the top of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) in the upcoming campaign which opens this Friday night at the Springfield College Invitational.
With several returning players from last year's team, the addition of one transfer, and seven freshmen, the Raiders, under the direction of second-year head coach Jeff Costa '05, will look to avenge a GNAC semifinals loss to Simmons and be crowned champions for the first time since 2014.
Reigning GNAC Player of the Year Sydney Racevicius and Setter of the Year Avery Pollard are among six from last year's roster not returning due to graduation. Racevicius led the GNAC in kills in her final season with 418 and finished her career with over 1,000 kills and digs while Pollard dished out 3,085 assists over four seasons.
Making a return to the Raiders in 2023 are All-GNAC Team selection junior middle Lily Sills (first team), senior libero Sofia Pawlusik (second team), and sophomore outside hitter Ali Rivera (third team). Sills topped the GNAC in hitting percentage (.329) and second in blocks per set (0.96) in 2023. Pawlusik rounded out the top five of the GNAC digs standings.
Kaitlyn Miller joins the team as a transfer from in-conference rival Regis (Mass.) for her sophomore season. In her first collegiate season with the Pride, the Nottingham, N.H. native provided 426 assists, 197 digs, and 52 aces.
Among the seven incoming first years, look for outside hitter Sam Driend and defensive specialist/libero Hannah Raab to be key impact pieces in their first collegiate seasons.
"We have a solid group of returning players that have been setting the tone to get back to where we left off," said Costa. "With the addition of some new faces and new teams added to the conference, we understand the road will not be easy. I think we have a good mix of experience and fresh talent that can lead to some exciting results."
The Raiders will start the year with six matches at road venues, including an invitational and a tri-match, before hosting Dean and Mitchell in a GNAC tri-match. A few non-conferences matches in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont will be sprinkled into the lengthy GNAC schedule in which Rivier will face all 15 conference opponents once as they vie for a spot in the playoffs which begin in the second week of November.
Rivier was slated to finish second according to the GNAC Preseason Coaches' Poll which was released on Monday, behind JWU-Providence who has won the previous four championships.
"We have set some high expectations for the season," said Costa. "I am confident in our team's potential and excited to see how we come together to achieve great things."
