Westfield, Mass.— 2024 MASCAC Volleyball Regular Season Champions Westfield State are the preseason favorites to win the 2025 crown as voted on by the coaches around the league.

The Owls received five first place vote to land in the top spot. Twins Emma and Hanna Nihill will lead the Owls after the duo averaged over two kills pe set while Emma had 204 total on the season and Hanna 189. Emma added 97 digs and 17 total blocks while Hanna had 61 digs and 35 blocks to help the team claim their third straight regular season crown.

Close behind in second with the other four first place votes is Bridgewater State. The Bears were 6-1 during conference play and claimed the 2024 MASCAC Tournament title. Last season, Lily Welch earned a spot on the All-Conference team after she led the team in kills (201), kills per set (2.59) and hitting percentage (.247), second in blocks (51) and block assists (39) and third in digs (244).

Sitting in third place is Framingham State. The Rams were 4-3 in league action last season. Back on the court is 2024 MASCAC Offensive  Player of the Year Natalie Reynolds who led the conference with 345 kills, 3.38 per set and 894 total attacks. She was fifth in hitting percentage at .246 while also collecting 39 total blocks, 72 digs and 14 service aces.

MCLA comes in fourth in this year’s poll. The Trailblazers were 4-3 with the help of All-Conference honoree Elizabeth Brown after finishing second in the league in kills per set (2.75) and third in total kills (253). She also finished in the top ten in digs per set (10th) and total digs (ninth).

Up next in fifth is Worcester State. Last season, the Lancers were also 4-3 in league play. In her first year with the team, Katherine Crateau registered 461 digs, 4.56 digs per set, 42 service aces and 86 assists from the libero spot to earn All-Conference honors. 

Mass. Maritime is in the sixth spot. Shayla Narodowg earned All-Conference accolades after she finished second in the MASCAC with 436 assists overall and second in conference play with 149 in seven conference matches. She also finished fifth over all in service aces with 51 on the season. 

Grabbing the seventh spot is Fitchburg State. Stephanie Sardella registered 171 kills, 253 digs, 28 service aces, four solo blocks, and eight blocking assists over 21 matches for the Falcons.

Rounding out the 2025 poll is Salem State in eighth and Anna Maria in ninth. For the Vikings, Celia Carbone is back after she had 323 assists (3.51 per set) with 19 service aces and 157 digs. For the AMCATS, Bri Franklin returns after a freshman campaign that saw her collect 112 digs, 95 kills, 36 assists, 17 service aces and six blocks.

 

The volleyball season gets underway August 29-30 with the MASCAC teams in non-conference action. Grab all the details at mascac.com and mascac.tv.

 

 

(First Place Votes In Parentheses)

1. Westfield State (5) - 61 points

2. Bridgewater State (4) - 60 points

3. Framingham State - 47 points

4. MCLA - 43 points

5. Worcester State - 38 points

6. Massachusetts Maritime - 25 points

7. Fitchburg State - 23 points

8. Salem State - 18 points

9. Anna Maria - 9 points