With three preseason 1st Team All-Conference winners, the current Colonial Athletic Association champions Towson look like the team to win in 2022.
Towson went 26-5 to clinch the 2021 CAA title, qualified for the NCAA Tournament, and did his best all season. The Tigers won his seven of his final eight games of the regular season before holding off Elon in his round of thrilling CAA Tournament titles.
Phoenix is once again projected as Towson’s main competition for the Colonial Championship, thanks in no small part to the return of 2021 All-CAA selection Leah Daniel.
While there are many familiarities that will shape CAA volleyball for the season ahead, the league has no shortage of changes. James Maddison and his 2021 Player of the Year Miette Weldmann are gone, but Colonial will welcome Hampton, North Carolina A&T and Stoney his Brooks this fall.
Charleston
Head Coach: Jason Kepner, 15th Season
2021 record: 16-12, 9-7 (4th place)
Cougar overview
Charleston is seeking its 10th NCAA Tournament appearance, and sixth during Jason Kepner’s tenure as head coach. Kepner, a two-time CAA Coach of the Year winner, heads into the 2022 season with a lineup that includes 2021 First Team All-League selection and outside hitter Lexi Wierzwicki.
Wierzbicki’s 339 kills ranked him third in CAA.
5️⃣ | Drop the hammer and @wierzbicki_lexi!🔥
🌴 2
🦁 1#comeCus 🌴🏐 pic.twitter.com/3vvcCtIZwQ— CofC Volleyball (@CofCVolleyball) November 19, 2021
Middle blocker Claire Campbell finished 10th in the league in batting average, while All-Rookie setter Jasmine Goey ranked eighth with 5.63 assists per set.
Delaware
Head Coach: Kimberly Lambert, First Season
2021 Record: 15-13, 8-8 CAA (5th)
Overview of Bruchen
Kimberly Lambert, who will take over as head coach in 2022, is no newcomer to Blue Hens Volleyball. A member of his staff since 2017, Lambert finished the season strongly at 21 Delaware where he was an associate of the team where he coached.
UD won four straight sets, all in straight sets, before falling to Towson in the CAA Tournament. Lani Mason is back to lead the Blue Hens after earning All-His CAA certification last season. Mason recorded his 344 kills and 38 service aces, a team-high (and his second-highest in the conference).
Mason was one of four Bluehens ranked in the CAA’s top seven in service aces, along with Savannah Seamans (45), Lily Rogers (41) and Ezugi Vasaranler (38). Vasaranlaa was also fourth in the conference with 8.6 assists per set. In the pre-season polls he was the 4th pick of the Blue Hens all four of his bunch would return.
Elon
Head Coach: Mary Tendler
2021 record: 17-11, 11-5 (2nd place)
Overview of Phoenix
2021 CAA Coach of the Year Mary Tendler’s Phoenix was on the verge of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament a season ago. This year, Elon will be looking to score a goal in his Preseason Player of the Year, Spring 2021 All-American, outside he hitter rear he’s in a veteran lineup that includes Daniel. 1st team setter/Hayley Clarke on the right side.
Elon also brought back 2021 All-Rookie Team winner Sidney Love. He’s the second-leading outside hitter on the team with 228 kills, behind Daniel’s league-leading 391 (68th among all Division I players).
With three first-place votes in preseason voting, Phoenix has all the ingredients needed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. If Elon wins his CAA title, Shah’s center Cydel Curry locker celebration in his room would even put NBA champion Golden State his Warriors to shame.
I have a wedding present.what’s next @sdotcurry & @Stephen Curry30 surprised @sydelcurry with tonight.of @ElonVB The locker room is named the Sidell Curry Locker Room, thanks to the Curry family! pic.twitter.com/oEX2YgKvFy
— Elon Phoenix (@ElonPhoenix) August 29, 2018
hampton
Head Coach: Sonya Masimovic, second season
2021 Record: 3-20, 2-14 (Big South Conference)
pirate outline
CAA rookie Hamptons from the Big South will be looking to make a comeback under the guidance of some of the greatest players in the show’s history. Pirates coach Sonya Maksimovic captained the Hamptons in 2014 with a 21-11 record that took him to the NCAA Tournament. She had been tabbed to take over as head coach in 2020, but her pandemic delayed her debut in the role until last season.
The 2021 campaign was the last Hamptons rebuilding season to end in the Big South. may continue.
But veterans Clara Smith and Gabby Calloway are back after leading the Pirates in kills last season with 43 combined blocks. These two of him will be the pillars as Hampton looks to surprise him in 2022.
Hofstra
Head Coach: Emily Mansour, ninth season
2021 Record: 15-14, 8-8 (6th)
The young Hofstra team is taking the experience of finishing on the right side of the .500 into a promising new season. at the pace of ’21 All-Rookie Selection and Preseason 1st Team All-CAA nominee Chiara Cucco. Pride, who averaged 4.89 digs per set, has her three pillars of her sophomore year making significant contributions in the first season.
Florencia Wolkowyski leads the Hofstra return in kills, and Beatriz Alves ranks in the top 50 of all Divs. Her I player with her 1,054 assists.
Hofstra’s youth-turned-leader could make Pryde a notable dark horse for the CAA title.
North Carolina A&T
Head Coach: Hal Clifton, 10th Season
2021 Record: 20-11, 11-5 (Big South Conference)
bulldog outline
North Carolina’s A&T won the preseason ballot the best pick among CAA newcomers, and for good reason. The Bulldogs a season ago he won 20 and finished top 4 in the Big South behind a lineup that included Niyah Sawtell. The freshman standout will head into his sophomore campaign named his All-CAA performer of the preseason after being recognized by his second team All-Big South a year ago.
Fellow sophomore Hannah Howell joined Sawtell and gave the Bulldogs a solid pair of outside hitters who were also one of Bulldog’s leaders in digging per set a year ago, with a combined total of over 500 kills. did. A&T brings back his blocker, Mallory his poacher, who is active in the net. Last year he recorded more than 100 blocks and will be the centerpiece of the Bulldogs’ defense.
While the top half of the CAA is loaded, the Bulldogs have plenty of returning talent, and with big contributions from freshmen like Sawtell and Howell in 2019, they can climb into that upper echelon. .
Northeast
Head Coach: Lenica Vazquez, 3rd Season
2021 Record: 12-15, 8-8 (7th)
Husky overview
With a First Team winner (opponent Erica Staunton) and two honorable mentions (middle blocker Nailah Jenkins and libero Kayla Martin), Northeastern have as many preseason All-CAA players as reigning champion Towson. proud of That’s enough grounds to suggest that the Huskies could well outperform him being the No. 6 pick in the preseason poll.
Earned 3️⃣ preseason honors from CAA! 🤩
Congrats Erica, Naira and Kayla! 💪
🔗- https://t.co/aHN0KCWgEW#howling huskies pic.twitter.com/tPx2G2MjHj
— Tohoku Volleyball (@GoNUwvolleyball) August 17, 2022
However, achieving a stronger finish than in 2021 will be crucial for Northeastern to avoid a late finish once again. The Huskies lost six of their last seven, four of them decided in straight sets.
There’s plenty of reason to be optimistic, even as the team struggles heading into the offseason, starting with Stanton’s return. She scored a team-high 246 kills to pace her offense, and Martin ranked 140th nationally in all divisions. I player with 4.12 digs per set.
stoney brook
Head Coach: Christine Belsung, 6th Season
2021 Record: 13-14, 7-5 (USA East Conference)
Seawolves Overview
The profile of Stoney Brook coming in 2021 is very interesting. The Seawolves finished under .500 overall, but the East did well enough in his conference competition to advance to his tournament with his four teams in the league.
Stoney Brook also scored three goals for the All-American East team, one of which returned and earned preseason All-CAA honors ahead of the program’s first Colonial season (middle blocker Abbie Campbell). . Campbell joins a lineup returning leaders in kills (outside hitter Leoni Kunz) and assists (setter Torrey Henry). Henry also finished 2021 in the top 50 all-American with his 39 services his aces.
Despite being ranked No. 8 in preseason polls, another Stony Brook team has incredible potential.
Towson
Head Coach: Don Metil, 10th Season
2021 record: 26-5, 12-4 (lost to Penn State, NCAA Tournament 1st round)
Overview of the Tigers
Don Metil’s tenure as head coach in recent years, in particular, has set Towson as the standard for CAA volleyball. In the meeting, they faced longtime national powerhouses Penn State.
With trips to tournaments in each of the past two fall seasons, including a first-round victory over the Americans in 2019, Towson is looking to raise the bar even further in 2022.
time to dance.
🐯🆚🦁
📅 – Friday
📍 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
⌚️ – 4pm@TowsonU X @NCAA volleyball pic.twitter.com/lfV13BDrMs— Back-to-Back CAA Champion (@Towson_VB) November 29, 2021
With outside hitters Fay Bacodimou (Greece) and Nina Kadžić (Serbia) being nominated #1 on the All-CAA team, international talent gives Towson a powerful offensive punch. Baco Dimou scored his 307 kills in 2021, while Kajik averaged 2.62 kills per set for a total of 212 kills.
Meanwhile, first-team winner Lydia Weirs strengthened the Tigers’ defense with a middle blocker, finishing the season with a Colonial-leading 138 blocks. Towson’s defense was further strengthened with the return of Rachel Hess as his DS. Hess’ 471 Dig ranked in the top 50 of his Divs. I’m ’21 years old.
UNC Wilmington
Head Coach: Dottie Hampton, 3rd Season
2021 record: 4 wins, 23 losses, 3 wins, 13 losses (8th place)
UNC Wilmington has endured difficult circumstances in his first full season as Dottie Hampton’s head coach. The Seahawks lost 12 of his 13 games in the first, but showed considerable improvement by the start of CAA play, with wins over Northeastern and James his Madison.
The 2022 campaign should bring some pretty tangible improvements to the group that brought back top outside hitter Katie Lantz. Typical middle blocker, Brooke Hunshoemaker. And top libero, Jadin Barry.
Lantz was named to the preseason first team All-CAA selection after recording 261 kills and 162 digs in the 2021 campaign.
William & Mary
Head Coach: Tim Doyle, 5th Season
2021 record: 5 wins and 16 losses, 2 wins and 14 losses (9th)
The young William & Mary team head into 2022 for a comeback. The tribe headed into the new campaign where he finished last in the CAA standings a year ago, displacing the top two leaders in kills. But it’s not a full reopening for William & Mary. Setter Amy Schwem said he had 551 assists and recorded his 14 service aces behind fellow returning player Anna Porter.
Libero Porter, meanwhile, led the team with 20 service aces and 257 digs.
William & Mary look for an outside hitter to fill the void left by Julie Brown and Lauren Merrill.
