2024 Gannon women's volleyball team photo

Women's Volleyball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Volleyball Regional Tournament Preview: Top-Seed Golden Knights Host No. 8 Shaw in Atlantic Regional Quarterfinal

NCAA DIVISION II ATLANTIC REGIONAL
No. 1 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (23-7) vs.  No. 8 SHAW LADY BEARS (30-4)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, December 5  | 4:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Hagerty Family Events Center | Erie, Pa.
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NCAA ATLANTIC REGIONAL PAGE
NCAA DIGITAL PROGRAM
 
ATLANTIC REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Thursday, December 5 -- Quarterfinals
11:00 a.m. No. 3 Wheeling (25-10) vs. No. 6 Pitt-Johnstown (19-9)
1:30 p.m.: No. 2 Indiana (Pa.) (23-8) vs. No. 7 Shepherd (24-5)
4:30 p.m.: No. 1 GANNON (23-7) vs. No. 8 Shaw (30-4)
7:00 p.m.: No. 4 Clarion (15-11) vs. No. 5 West Virginia State (23-9)

Friday, December 6 -- Semifinals
4:00 p.m.: Wheeling/UPJ winner vs. IUP/Shepherd winner
7:30 p.m.: Gannon/Shaw vs. Clarion/W.Va. State winner

Saturday, December 7
7:00 p.m.: Semifinal #1 winner vs. Semifinal #2 winner

TICKET INFORMATION | PURCHASE ONLINE
Adults - $10 per day
Students with I.D. / Seniors - $5 per day
Children, ages 2-12: $5 per day
Children under the age of 2 shall be admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.
NOTE: Gannon students who show their school ID will get free admission courtesy of APB/SGA
 
GANNON IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Gannon is making its 14th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and is hosting the Atlantic Regional for the third straight year. The Golden Knights are the number one seed. It is their 21st overall NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. During Gannon's recent stretch of 14-consecutive tournament appearances, the Golden Knights have advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight three times, have played in the regional final five times and have reached the regional semifinals in each of their last seven appearances. The Golden Knights have won the regional to advance to the Elite Eight in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022 under head coach Matt Darling. In addition Gannon win the East Regional in 1991, '92 and '93. A year ago Gannon hosted the Atlantic regional and was the number one seed. The Golden Knights defeated No. 8 seed West Liberty in the quarterfinals but saw their season come to a close with a 3-2 loss to No. 4 Indiana (Pa.) in the semifinals.
 
THE GANNON-SHAW SERIES
Gannon leads 1-0

 
ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon women's volleyball team will host the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional for the third year in a row and looks to return to the Elite Eight for the fourth time in five years (NOTE: The NCAA did not hold a championship in the COVID year of 2020, with the AVCA hosting a postseason tournament.
 
The Atlantic Regional is set for Thursday, December 5 to Saturday, December 7 at Cathedral Prep's Hagerty Family Events Center. Four quarterfinal games are set for Thursday with the action beginning at 11 a.m. The second quarterfinal starts at 1:30 with No. 1 seed Gannon hosting Shaw, the CIAA champion and the number eight seed, at 4:30 p.m. The final match of the day is set for 7:00 p.m.
 
The winners of the first two games will meet in Friday's first semifinal at 4:00 p.m. Then the winners of quarterfinal games three and four meet at 7:30 p.m. The Atlantic Regional championship match is set for 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.
 
The eight regional winners will converge on Sioux Falls, S.D. for the Elite Eight on Thursday, December 12 to Saturday, December 14.
 
Gannon comes in with a 23-7 record after winning the PSAC West regular season title. The Golden Knights hosted the PSAC Tournament and reached the finals with three-game wins over Seton Hill and East Stroudsburg.
 
Winners of 16 of their previous 17 matches, Gannon met Indiana (Pa.) in the finals. The Golden Knights had swept the Crimson Hawks 3-0 in both regular season meetings, but it was IUP emerging as the 2024 PSAC champions, defeating Gannon 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-14, 25-14).
 
Gannon's quarterfinal opponent, Shaw, won the CIAA Tournament for the second straight year. The Lady Bears come in as the number eight seed with a 30-4 record, the most wins of any team in the regional.
 
The Golden Knights must be wary of a Shaw team that has run off eight straight wins. A year ago Shaw became the first CIAA team to win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, rallying for a 3-2 win over No. 2 seed Wheeling after losing the first two games.
 
Clarion is the defending Atlantic Region champion. The Golden Eagles won in three games over Indiana (Pa.) in last year's regional championship match.
  
TICKETS
Purchases may be cash or credit (There is a small processing fee for credit card purchases.)

Admission for each day of the tournament play will be as follows:
Adults: $10
Students with I.D./Senior Citizens: $5
Children, ages 2-12: $5
Children under the age of 2 shall be admitted free when accompanied by a paying adults
Note: Gannon students who show their school ID will get free admission courtesy of APB/SGA
 
ATLANTIC REGIONAL TEAMS
No. 1 seed: Gannon Golden Knights (23-7)
Head Coach: Matt Darling
Conference, finish: PSAC Tournament runner-up
All-PSAC West selections:
Head coach Matt Darling (PSAC West Coach of the Year)
Senior libero Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) (PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year, First Team)
Senior outside hitter Journey Blevins (Richwood, Ohio/North Union) (First Team)
Senior middle blocker Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East) (First Team)  
Senior right side hitter Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) (Second Team)
Junior setter Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) (Second Team)
Statistical Leaders:
Kills: Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) -- 334
Assists: Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) -- 1101
Blocks:  Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East) -- 140
Digs:  Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) -- 600  
Team website

Golden Knight Notes: Several Golden Knights rank among the career leaders. Most notable, Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) has set the career record for digs with her total now sitting at 2,410 digs … Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) ranks sixth in career assists with 2,931 … a pair of players rank in the top ten in total blocks. Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East) is seventh with 275 while Hailey Koch (Littleton, Col./Dakota Ridge) is right behind her in eighth place with 264. Koch also looks to join the 1,000-kill club. She needs two kills for 1,000 with her career total sitting at 998 … Journey Blevins (Richwood, Ohio/North Union) has played the last two years at Gannon after playing two seasons at Findlay. Her career kills total is 1,705. Blevins is a three-time All-American.

No. 2 seed: Indiana (Pa.) Crimson Hawks (23-8)
Head Coach: Lorelle Hoyer (3rd year)
Conference, finish: PSAC Tournament champion
All-PSAC West selections:
Freshman opposite Jessica Neiman (PSAC West Freshman of the Year, Second Team)
Fifth year middle hitter Lauren Valentic (First Team)
Statistical Leaders:
Kills: Jessica Neiman -- 281
Assists: Olivia Heidel -- 833
Blocks:  Lauren Valentic – 105
Digs:  Bailey Flowerdew -- 500  
Team website
 
No. 3 seed: Wheeling Cardinals (25-10)
Head Coach: Christy Benner (24th year)
Conference, finish: MEC Tournament runner-up
All-MEC selections:
Freshman outside hitter Olivia Batch (MEC Freshman of the Year; All-Freshman Team)
Grad student setter Karly Nielsen (First Team)
Senior outside hitter Riley Kindall (First Team)
Senior middle blocker Mady Winters (Second Team)
Sophomore middle blocker Katie Wilking (Second Team)
Statistical Leaders:
Kills: Riley Kindall -- 429
Assists: Karly Nielsen -- 1355
Blocks:  Madi Winters -- 137
Digs:  Riley Kindall -- 439  
Team website
 
No. 4 seed: Clarion Golden Eagles (15-11)
Coach: Jennifer Herron (18th season)
Conference, finish: PSAC Tournament quarterfinalist
All-PSAC West selections:
Senior outside hitter Cassidy Snider (PSAC West Athlete of the Year; First Team)
Statistical Leaders:
Kills: Cassidy Snider -- 569
Assists: Marisa Markou -- 644
Blocks:  Olivia Ishmael -- 97
Digs:  Haley Fledderjohann -- 446  
Team website
 
No. 5 seed: West Virginia State Yellow Jackets (23-9)
Coach: Avery Moore (1st year)
Conference, finish: MEC Tournament champion
All-MEC selections:
Avery Moore (MEC Coach of the Year)
Grad student setter Kiersten Eggelton (MEC Player of the Year; First Team)
Senior outside hitter Hannah Steele (First Team)
Senior outside hitter Maureen Mathews (Second Team)
Sophomore outside hitter / middle blocker Valencia Wilder (Second Team)
Senior outside hitter / libero Morgan Caba (Second Team)
Senior outside / right side hitter Baby Moleni (Second Team)
Statistical Leaders:
Kills: Hannah Steele -- 357
Assists: Kiersten Eggleton -- 1065
Blocks:  Valencia Wilder -- 105
Digs:  Morgan Caba -- 393  
Team website
 
No. 6 seed: Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats (19-9)
Head Coach: Justin Haupt (8th year)
Conference, finish: PSAC West (did not qualify for tournament)
All-PSAC West selections:
Senior setter Adiamar Beaz (First Team)
Senior outside hitter Lualis Alvarado (Second Team)
Redshirt senior defensive specialist Gabriella DeRenzo (Second Team)
Statistical Leaders:
Kills: Lualis Alvarado -- 404
Assists: Adiamar Beaz -- 1098
Blocks:  Mallory Pinske -- 77
Digs:  Gabriella DeRenzo -- 587  
Team website
 
No. 7 seed: Shepherd Rams (24-5)
Head Coach: Alex Hoekstra (10th year)
Conference, finish: PSAC Tournament semifinals
All-PSAC East selections:
Senior right side hitter Joi Fairweather (First Team)
Sophomore middle hitter Rylee Lenz (First Team)
Sophomore middle hitter / right side hitter Sophia Ryan (First Team)
Junior setter Macy Buso (Second Team)
Senior defensive specialist / libero Harli Zeitz (Second Team)
Statistical Leaders:
Kills: Joi Fairweather -- 281
Assists: Macy Buso -- 1007
Blocks:  Sophia Ryan -- 148
Digs:  Harli Zeitz -- 422  
Team website
 
No. 8 seed: Shaw Bears (30-4)
Head Coach: Jonathan Paulk (5th year)
Conference, finish: CIAA Tournament champion
All-CIAA selections:
Senior setter Manuela Cripa Nasser (CIAA Setter of the Year; First Team)
Senior middle blocker Kamille Patrick (First Team)
Junior libero Kalia Morris (Second Team)
Freshman outside hitter Talia Emmen (Second Team)
Senior outside hitter / right side hitter Amari Earl (Second Team)
Freshman middle hitter Leanna Beaty (All-Rookie Team)
Statistical Leaders:
Kills: Amari Earl -- 324
Assists:  Manuela Cripa Nasser -- 1178
Blocks:  Kamille Patrick -- 86
Digs:  Kalia Morris -- 490  
Team website
 
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Players Mentioned

Bengisu Arslan

#10 Bengisu Arslan

S
5' 8"
Junior
Psychology and Criminal Justice
Journey Blevins

#21 Journey Blevins

OH
5' 11"
Senior
Business
Emma Hall

#6 Emma Hall

L
5' 11"
Senior
Accounting
Hailey Koch

#13 Hailey Koch

RS
6' 3"
Senior
Ali Sorenson

#15 Ali Sorenson

MB
6' 2"
Senior
Nursing

Players Mentioned

Bengisu Arslan

#10 Bengisu Arslan

5' 8"
Junior
Psychology and Criminal Justice
S
Journey Blevins

#21 Journey Blevins

5' 11"
Senior
Business
OH
Emma Hall

#6 Emma Hall

5' 11"
Senior
Accounting
L
Hailey Koch

#13 Hailey Koch

6' 3"
Senior
RS
Ali Sorenson

#15 Ali Sorenson

6' 2"
Senior
Nursing
MB