FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Though the program has been defined by consistency for the last 25 years, the last nine months for Fairfield University Volleyball are best summarized with one word: "new." A new coach, a new roster, and – after much anticipation – a new home court.
At the helm in 2023 will be
Nancy Somera, a 30-year coaching veteran who took over the Stags in March and reloaded a roster of seven returners with an additional seven newcomers. Somera, who previously led the program at Oregon State and South Carolina and most recently built Johnson & Wales into a national Division III powerhouse, sees opportunity in lieu of uncertainty with the influx of new faces.
"In some ways, it's easier to have seven new players than only a few. We have been able to build our team culture together rather than bringing just one or two newcomers into an established group," said Somera. "The unique thing is that even with seven newcomers, we're an older, experienced team. We only have two freshmen, and nine of our 14 have played at least two seasons at the college level. They already understand the commitment and the grind of a college volleyball season as well as the academic and social expectations of being a student-athlete."
Offensively, the Stags return outside hitters
Mikayla Haut and
Allie Elliott and welcome four newcomers to the pins:
Janna Schlageter, Svenja Rodenbüsch,
Avery Brown and
Mamie Krubally.
A trio of experienced setters will run the offense with
Blakely Montgomery and
Abby Jandro returning to the fold along with the addition of
Monica Vargo, who helped manage the attack at Saint Francis Brooklyn for two seasons.
"The success of our offense will come down to ball control," Somera noted. "Two-thirds of last season's point scoring and kill production came from players no longer with the program, which means we're going to have to rely on some different players to step up. But if we are in system, we have a lot of experienced, talented options who can put the ball away."
The outside hitters and setters will also be relied upon to supplement the Stags' defensive presence at the net, which will be headed by middle blockers
Maya Walker and
Elle Shult. Fairfield led the MAAC and ranked among the top 35 in the nation in blocks per set in each of the last two seasons.
In the back row, Fairfield welcomes back the duo of
Kyla Berg and
Noelle Carey and bring in first-year
Daniella Suarez.
"Defensively, we are starting from a good spot," said Somera. "We have the personnel to be physical up front and keep the ball off the floor. Defense will come down to execution and turning our defense into points, both with our block and a smart transition game."
The first test for the 2023 edition of the Stags is this weekend with three matches at the Army Invitational on August 25-26. Fairfield opens the weekend against the host Black Knights in addition to matches with Central Connecticut State and Cal.
"This weekend is about learning about ourselves – who we are, where we are system-wise, and how we can continue to improve. There's only so much we can learn about ourselves in your own gym," Somera said. "My expectation is only that we play hard, compete well and work to outthink our opponents. If we can consistently do that, then we will give ourselves an opportunity for wins."
Following the weekend at West Point, the Stags return to Fairfield for a crosstown match at Sacred Heart on Thursday, Aug. 31 before making their long-awaited debut at Leo D. Mahoney Arena on Saturday, Sept. 2 with a visit from UMBC. The non-conference home slate also includes a meeting with Big Ten foe Northwestern on Sunday, Sept. 10.
Admission is free for all fans to all regular season home matches at Mahoney Arena this season.
