Home: 

Women's Volleyball

2011 Season Preview

Head Coach Melissa Ginnitti predicts the 2011 edition of the D’Youville College women’s volleyball team will grow and move forward. "Our incoming class brings a tremendous amount of volleyball experience to our court and although we are still at a building stage for this program, I do expect this team to turn some heads. I am very excited to see how we progress through the season."

The team returns nine players from last season, led by last season’s MVP Luciana Payne (Buffalo, NY/Mount St. Mary Academy). In 2010 Payne was fourth in the AMCC in kills and sixth in service aces per set played.

The Spartans will also have a solid back row presence provided by sophomore Lara Svensson (Tonawanda, NY/Sweet Home) and senior Brittany Yocius (Aliquippa, PA/Hopewell). Last season Svensson was fourth in the AMCC in digs per game and in 2010 Yocius became the sixth women’s volleyball player at D’Youville to reach the 1,000-career dig milestone.

Returning  in the front row are outside hitters Kayla Deth (Cheektowaga, NY/Holy Angels Academy), winner of last season’s Most Improved Player award, Emily McDonald (North Syracuse, NY/Liverpool), Jayde Stevens (Lawtons, NY/Gowanda) and middle Molly Minkiewicz (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West).

The team’s three newcomers will be prominently featured. Danielle Swanston (Burke, NY/Chateaugay) played two seasons at Herkimer CCC, was a regional Player of the Year, and led her team to a regional title and an appearance at Junior College nationals. Ginnitti calls setter Colleen Brady (North Tonawanda, NY/Mount St. Mary Academy), “quick, smart, and a leader by example.”  Freshman Amber Letina (Lawtons, NY/North Collins) was an All-Western New York high school player and will be a presence offensively.

"Our team walked in this preseason with an attitude ready to learn and ready to take all thepieces toour puzzle, put them together and create an impressive, working team. As a coach, I can’t be any more prouder of them."

D’Youville opens the season September 3rd in the College Center Gym against Morrisville State and Keuka.