BROCKPORT, N.Y. – After making their second consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament, The College at Brockport volleyball team will look to make it a three-peat in 2017.
 
The Golden Eagles were once again dominant finishing their season with a record of 34-4 and a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Title. This is the second straight year where they posted 34 wins and a perfect conference record of 9-0 under the helm of Steve Pike. The Green and Gold did not go unnoticed this preseason as they received votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Preseason Poll.
 
"We are really excited that Brockport is getting the recognition on a national level.I can't thank all of the athletes that have helped this program get here," Pike noted. "To have our hard work be recognized is always nice."
 
Brockport is coming off a very strong offensive year finishing in the top two in each offensive category in the conference. Brianna Richardson and Jamie Schlesinger are the top offensive returners in the attacking category. The two combined for a total of 518 kills in the 2016 season. Other impact players returning to the Green and Gold's offense are DeAnna Ortiz-Whittemore, Emma Stoltz, Lindsey Luce, and Elena Grossman.
 
Noelle Poloncarz is returning after another stellar season receiving multiple accolades with the top award being an All-American Honorable Mention. She averaged 10.59 assists per game which left her ranked first in the conference and eighth in the nation. She will help lead the setting unit this season along with Rachel Fiser.
 
After a memorable freshman season, Kelly Waters is looking to make another significant impact on the court this year. Last season, she was named both SUNYAC and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Rookie of the Year. With a hitting percentage of .377, she led the conference and was ranked 15th nationally.  
 
The Golden Eagle's defense will hope to have another successful year bringing back three of the top four dig-leaders. Kathleen Irwin ended the year with 342 digs (3.29 per set). Other notable returns are Maddy Taylor, Aimee Spilman, Christa Mickol, who also made a significant impact to the backcourt.
 
Brockport will welcome five new additions to the volleyball roster this season, outside hitters Cassie Birth, Laiken Fox, Rachel Millington, middle blocker Meaghan Mastro, and setter Emily Orminski.
 
"The new freshman and transfers have come in and really matched the competitive and culture since day one," Pike said. "They have had a big impact right away in so many important areas even before we faced an opponent."
 
Brockport also brought two new additions to the coaching staff this year. Ashley Capone, a former Brockport volleyball player, joins the staff this year along with Evan Koehler.
 
"Evan and Ashley have been instrumental in each and every training session to make positional work more effective," Pike stated.  "This is a young staff with a lot of energy that will continue to grow and learn as our season goes on."
 
The Green and Gold open their season traveling to California on Sept. 1st for the tough Pacific Coast Classic Tournament where they face three of the top 25 ranked teams. The Golden Eagles home opener will be on Sept. 27th where they face D'Youville College at 7 p.m.
 
Be sure to stay up to date on all your Golden Eagle news, scores, and awards by following @BportAthletics on Twitter and by like the "Brockport Golden Eagles" Facebook page.