Posted: Nov 06, 2014
The quarterfinal round on Friday will see third-seeded SUNY Cortland and sixth-seeded Buffalo State face off at 3 p.m. before fourth-seeded The College at Brockport and fifth-seeded SUNY Oswego square off at 6 p.m. On Saturday in the semifinal round, second-seeded SUNY Fredonia will play the winner of the Cortland-Buffalo State match at 3 p.m., while top-seeded New Paltz will entertain the winner of the Brockport-Oswego match at 6 p.m. The semifinal winners will meet in the championship final at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
 No. 1 New Paltz (29-5, 9-0 SUNYAC)SUNYAC Championships: 1 (2009) SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 18 (1989, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) New Paltz enters the SUNYAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed for the second year in a row… Since the conference moved away from a divisional format beginning last season, the Hawks are 18-0 in SUNYAC matches… New Paltz is looking to avenge last year's championship final loss to Buffalo State… The Hawks have qualified for the NCAA Tournament two years in a row and four years overall (2008, 2009, 2012, 2013)… This marks the Hawks' 11th straight SUNYAC Tournament appearance, the longest streak in program history… Statistically, the Hawks lead the SUNYAC in assists per set (11.12), kills per set (11.82) and service aces per set (2.36) and rank second in the conference in hitting percentage (.196) and opponent hitting percentage (.122)… Junior outside hitter Becca Borquist leads the SUNYAC in kills per set (3.64), while freshman setter Maddie Zwickl is second in the conference in assists per set (8.95)… Senior libero Katy Herbst is second in the SUNYAC in digs per set (5.08), while sophomore middle hitter Morgan Roessler's hitting percentage of .301 ranks third in the conference… New Paltz has won 12 of its last 13 matches, including eight straight… The Hawks are led by 13th-year head coach Matt Giufre, who has a career overall record of 356-149. |
 No. 2 Fredonia (22-10, 7-2 SUNYAC)SUNYAC Championships: 1 (2008) SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 21 (1984, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) Fredonia has qualified for the SUNYAC Tournament for 12 straight seasons… The Blue Devils look to improve upon a quarterfinal-round exit from last year's SUNYAC Tournament and have earned a top-three seed in the SUNYAC Tournament for the second year in a row… After an eight-match winning streak midway through the season, Fredonia has cooled off slightly, as the Blue Devils are 3-3 in their past six matches… Fredonia leads the SUNYAC in digs per set (19.27) and is second in assists per set (11.03), kills per set (11.71) and service aces per set (2.16)… Junior libero Lauren Hokaj is one of the conference's top servers and back-row defenders, tying for the SUNYAC lead in service aces per set (0.56) and ranking third in the SUNYAC in digs per set (5.06)… Junior middle hitter Jessica DiChristopher averages more kills per set than any other player at her position in the conference, as she ranks second overall in the SUNYAC (3.03) in the statistical category… DiChristopher is also seventh in the conference in hitting percentage (.251)… Junior setter Kelly Edinger owns the conference lead in assists per set (10.04)… Sixteenth-year head coach Geoff Braun boasts an overall record of 357-203. |
 No. 3 Cortland (17-17, 6-3 SUNYAC)SUNYAC Championships: 19 (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012) SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 31 (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) Cortland has made the SUNYAC Tournament semifinals every year since the conference began hosting a championship in 1984… The Red Dragons have won more than double the number of conference championships (19) of any other program in SUNYAC history… Cortland kept its semifinal streak alive last year, beating Fredonia, 3-0, as the No. 6 seed in the quarterfinal round… The Red Dragons have played a tough non-conference schedule this year, gaining experience against several perennially nationally-ranked teams in Christopher Newport University, Salisbury University, Juniata College and Clarkson University… Cortland is coming into the SUNYAC Tournament as one of the conference's hottest teams, riding a seven-match winning streak… The Red Dragons are among one of the most defensive-minded squads in the SUNYAC, ranking fourth in the conference in blocks per set (1.81) and digs per set (14.91)… senior middle hitter Mary Kelly is the SUNYAC's most efficient attacker with a .312 hitting percentage, and Kelly also ranks seventh in the SUNYAC in blocks per set (1.02)… Sophomore setter Liz Roberts ranks third in the SUNYAC in assists per set (8.83)… Head coach Pam Hoerup is in her 10th season at the controls and boasts a career overall record of 291-110. |
 No. 4 Brockport (21-11, 5-4 SUNYAC)SUNYAC Championships: 2 (1990, 1991) SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 23 (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014) The Golden Eagles are making their first appearance in the SUNYAC Tournament since 2009… The 2009 SUNYAC Tournament also took place at the Hawk Center… Brockport has seen a drastic turnaround this season, posting a 5-4 record in conference after going winless in the SUNYAC last year… The Golden Eagles have won six of their last seven matches… Brockport is strong at the service line with 2.11 service aces per set, good for a tie for third in the SUNYAC… Sophomore outside hitter Amanda Riebe is tied for the SUNYAC lead in service aces per set (0.56), while senior outside hitter/libero Jaime Snyder has the outright lead in digs per set (5.46)… Freshman middle hitter Brianna Richardson's .261 hitting percentage ranks fifth in the SUNYAC… Second-year head coach Steve Pike is 31-32 at Brockport and is 190-241 across 13 years as a collegiate head coach, with 11 of those seasons coming at SUNY Potsdam. |
 No. 5 Oswego (19-14, 5-4 SUNYAC)SUNYAC Championships: none SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 7 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2012, 2014) Oswego is making just its second SUNYAC Tournament appearance of the 21st century, but it marks the Lakers' second in the past three seasons… Oswego gained entry into the SUNYAC Tournament after a 2-1 showing at the final SUNYAC Pool Play, knocking off playoff hopeful SUNY Geneseo on Oct. 24 before topping host and second-seeded SUNY Fredonia the following day… The Lakers rank fourth in the SUNYAC in assists per set (10.39) and kills per set (11.29)… Junior libero Rachael Ruggaber is Oswego's top back-row defender, as she ranks fourth in the SUNYAC in digs per set (5.03)… Head coach J.J. O'Connell is in the midst of his third year at Oswego and his 13th overall as a collegiate head coach… O'Connell boasts a 51-47 record at Oswego and a 323-139 overall career record that includes 10 seasons at the Stevens Institute of Technology. |
 No. 6 Buffalo State (24-10, 4-5 SUNYAC)SUNYAC Championships: 1 (2013) SUNYAC Tournament Appearances: 13 (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) Buffalo State is the defending SUNYAC champion and fell to the No. 6 seed in this year's tournament after a five-set loss to Cortland during its final match of the conference schedule… The Bengals are enjoying one of the best stretches of SUNYAC Tournament qualification in program history, as they have made the tournament in each of the past five seasons… Buffalo State has won nine of its past 10 matches… Senior outside hitter Sam Parente helps lead the Bengal attack with 2.91 kills per set, which ranks third in the SUNYAC… Freshman middle hitter/right side Courtney White's 1.35 blocks per set rank fourth in the SUNYAC, while junior right side Jennifer Cecchettini averages 6.57 assists per set… Fourth-year head coach Maria DePeters boasts a career record of 75-28 at Buffalo State. |
