Westwood, MASS.- MIT has been tabbed to win their fourth-straight NEWMAC title in the 2024 NEWMAC Women’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, collecting ten first-place votes. Under the direction of head coach Paul Dill, MIT compiled a 31-5 record in 2023, and advanced to the regional final of the NCAA Tournament. The Engineers will return three All-American performers in Consecrata Rozario, Lauren Keller and Ottavia Personeni. Rozario led the NEWMAC with a .404 hitting percentage, while Keller averaged 3.10 kills per set. A libero, Personeni averaged 4.10 digs per set.
 
Coming in at the two-spot, and securing the remaining first-place votes, is Springfield College, who is led by head coach Moira Long. The Pride were the regular season NEWMAC champions and secured an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament in 2023. They will return several key contributors from a season ago, including All-Americans Tori Colosimo, Natalie Billet, Maeve Voltz and Riley Donahue. Donahue was also named the NEWMAC Athlete of the Year after leading the conference in kills per set with 3.80.

Landing in the third slot is Babson College, who earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament last season. Babson is led by head coach Eric Neely, and will return 10 of its top 13 players, including All-American honorable mention honoree, Zoe Ackerman. First team All-NEWMAC performer, Laruen Gips and second-team honoree Roz Cabuena also return.
 
The fourth spot goes to Smith College. Head coach Greg Walker leads an experienced team of 11 upperclassmen in 2024. The 2022 NEWMAC Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Conference selection Abby Hunt highlights the impressive list of returners.  
 
Coast Guard has nabbed the fifth spot. The Bears, led by head coach Mark Thomas, will see several starters return, including NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year, Kaela France, who led the league with 5.50 digs per set last season. Shannon Shaw and Allie Wildsmith, both NEWMAC second team All-Conference selections a year ago, will also return for the Bears.
 
Emerson College claimed the sixth spot after reaching postseason play in 2023. Head coach Ben Read returns for the Lions and will look to All-Region performer Amelia Combs to make an impact.
 
Wheaton enters the poll ranked seventh. The Lyons will be led by head coach Craig Letourneau, and return nine starters from 2023, led by second team All-Conference honoree Sydney Lyon. The junior outside hitter put down 3.15 kills per set to go with 0.41 aces per frame.
 
Wellesley secures the eighth spot, and will return 10 players from last season, including Kaija Kunze-Hoeg, who was a 2023 All-America Honorable Mention and a 2023 All-Region First Team honoree. NEWMAC Rookie of the Year Kate Giang will also return for the Blue.
 
Clark University begins the Matthew Heckler era in 2024 and are looking to build on their 2023 NEWMAC Tournament appearance last year. Clark brings back a veteran squad that consists of 12 returners, including graduate student Victoria Pastor, who led the team in kills last season with 287.
 
WPI, coached by Mickey Cahoon, rounds out the top-10, followed by Salve Regina in the eleventh spot and Mount Holyoke in the twelfth spot. Each will each see several starters return to help them vie for a title in 2024. 
 
NEWMAC volleyball conference play will start on Tuesday, September 24.
 
The NEWMAC Volleyball Championship will begin with quarterfinal games on November 12, followed with semifinal match-ups on November 16. The NEWMAC Volleyball  champion will be crowned on November 17.
 
2024 NEWMAC Women’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll 

1. MIT (10) 
2. Springfield (2)
3. Babson
4. Smith
5. Coast Guard 
6. Emerson
7. Wheaton 
8. Wellesley
9. Clark 
10. WPI
11. Salve Regina 
12. Mount Holyoke

About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with four Associate Members: Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime (Football) and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), while sponsoring 20 sports.