Women's Volleyball | 8/27/2014 3:45:00 PM

ROCHESTER, NY - The RIT volleyball team is primed to make a return to the top of the Liberty League standings in 2014, as 13 players return from last year's team, along with five highly touted newcomers.
 
RIT, selected to finish fourth in the 2014 preseason Liberty League poll, returns virtually its entire starting group from a team that won 14 games a year ago. Head Coach Jim Lodes, now in his 10th season at the university, enters the year as the all-time leader in coaching wins at RIT with 249. He is very optimistic about his team this season.
 
"We will have to compete hard every day in order to be successful this season, but if we do that, this will be a successful year for us," said Lodes. "This is potentially the deepest team I've had at the Division III level."
 
Sophomore outside hitter Sarah Szybist (Chicago, IL/Ramstein) returns after an incredible freshman season in 2013, earning American Volleyball Coaches Association New York Region Rookie of the Year and AVCA Honorable Mention All-American honors. In addition, she was the ECAC Rookie of the Year, All-ECAC first team selection, Liberty League Rookie of the Year and a Liberty League first team selection.
 
Szybist finished the 2013 season with 590 kills, fourth most in one season at the university, despite missing five matches due to injury. She had 11 matches with at least 20 kills and 30 with at least 10 kills in 34 matches played. Her 4.72 kills/set and 5.32 points/set were third and fourth, respectively in Division III. Szybist was a five-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week and MVP of the RIT Invitational.
 
"Sarah is a special player with incredible talent," said Lodes. "If she plays to her potential, she can be a Liberty League Player of the Year candidate."
 
Junior outside hitter Sara Martin (Rochester, NY/West Irondequoit) returns after finishing second on the team with 252 kills, while adding a team-high 50 service aces, and 226 digs. Martin recorded at least 10 kills in a match nine times and at least 10 digs in a contest 10 times.
 
Defensively, senior captain and libero Bethany Davis (Blasdell, NY/Frontier) enters her final season with a chance to break RIT's career record for digs, needing 344. Last season, Davis led the team in digs for the third straight season, with 540. In her first three seasons at RIT, Davis has recorded 545, 549, and 540 digs respectively. Fellow captain, junior Abby Higgins (Peru, NY/Peru) returns after finishing third on the team with 40 blocks, while adding 131 digs, and 38 service aces. Junior Taylor Harkness (Batavia, NY/Batavia) will also serve as a captain this season. Harkness, who can be used as a setter and outside hitter, showed flashes of brilliance last year and will serve in a greater role this season.
 
"I am really excited with our group of captains," said Lodes. "We have three very strong leaders and along with our returning upperclassmen, will help us be a better team this season."

Junior Arielle Pariente (Twinsburg, OH/Twinsburg) returns after playing several different positions last season. Sophomores Emma Dowdy (Cocoa, FL/Edgewood), Anna Valentine (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon), Claire Foggo (Windham, NH/Central Catholic), Lauren Gotsch (Derby, NY/Lake Shore), and Kaitlin Slippy (Moultonborough, NH/Moultonborough Academy) all shined at various moments in their rookie seasons last year and will be counted on to provide more in 2014. Dowdy led the team with 615 assists, while adding 253 digs, 118 kills, and 29 service aces. Valentine finished third on the team with 299 digs, 171 kills, and 34 service aces.

 Senior Hanna Stokes (Frederick, MD/Urbana) is a strong defensive player, who will be in the mix, while classmates, Kayla Wheeler (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa), and Brittany Griffin (Sterling, VA/Park View ), both standout RIT student-athletes in basketball and softball, respectively, add leadership and will fight for playing time.
 
Lodes brought in transfers Laiz Novaes (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/Centro Educational) and Amy Van Hienen (Castor, Alberta/Gus Wetter). Novaes played two seasons at Division II Missouri State University-West Plains, while Van Hienen played two years at Dawson Community College in Montana. In addition, freshmen Meritt Rogers (Boxborough, MA/Acton-Boxborough) and Rebecca Bennett (Springfield, PA/Springfield) will vie for playing time immediately.
 
"Chemistry will be key for us," said Lodes. "I think we have a good mix of veterans and younger players who can really step up for us."
 
As always, Lodes has the Tigers playing a very demanding schedule. The Tigers start the year by heading to the Misericordia Tournament, and then play four matches at the Nazareth Tournament, before hosting the 26th annual RIT Invitational on Sept. 12-13.
 
Other out of conference tournaments include the Canton Classic on Sept. 26-27, Fredonia Blue Devil Invitational on Oct. 3-4, and New York State Regional Challenge, hosted by former Empire 8 rival Stevens on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. The Tigers also host The College at Brockport and Nazareth in single matches, while travelling to local foes Rochester and St. John Fisher.
 
RIT jumps into Liberty League play on Sept. 19-20 with four matches and hosts the second weekend of play on Oct. 17-18. The following weekend, the Tigers wrap up league play with four matches.  The top league finisher will host the four-team Liberty League Championship Tournament on Nov. 7-8.
 
"I am very happy with our schedule," said Lodes. "Our non-conference schedule is challenging and sets us up nicely for league play. As always, the Liberty League is very balanced, but I think we can be successful, if we work together as a team. Everything is in place for us to have a special year."