In their inaugural season in the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), Sacred Heart University’s women’s volleyball started off their season with a record of 3-3.
Despite the team’s start, Head Coach Rob Machan is confident his team can be contenders with their new conference competitors.
According to Machan, “We’re a pretty good team, we should be one of the stronger teams in the MAAC. The excitement is the new locations and facing teams we’ve never played before.”
The Pioneers began the 2024 season at the University of Connecticut’s (UConn) invitational, capturing two out of three victories.
Source: Mark F. Conrad, Sacred Heart University
Machan and his Pioneers are optimistic for the future as first-year Miliani Villareal earned Libero of the Week and Rookie of the Week for her performance at UConn.
“She’s an outstanding player,” said Machan. “She’s come in and embraced the challenge, that was her first collegiate match she ever played in and performed well the whole weekend.”
The prospect of their newly decorated first-year isn’t the only cause for excitement. The new renovations to the William Pitt Center, the home of the Pioneers, has attached a great deal of anticipation to this season.
Senior Camryn Luginbuhl is looking forward to taking advantage of the team’s new home for her senior year season.
“For my senior year, I’m really excited to have stadium style seating, it’s going to draw a lot of attention and a lot of people are going to come and support us,” said Luginbuhl. “I’m really excited for the environment it’s going to create.”
Senior Cristina Montanez said she has seen alot of development in the Sacred Heart athletics department during her time at the university.
“I have seen this university grow so much since I was a freshman, and I am so glad that we have such a strong community of student-athletes,” said Montanez.
“It is exciting to have the opportunity to play in the upcoming Pitt Center. Every athlete dreams of playing on a home court with a big crowd filled with friends and family cheering for them,” said Montanez. “Since the addition of the Martire Family Arena, those of us who play at the Pitt are very excited to play in an environment like that one.”
Coach Machan, who has been at the helm of Pioneers women’s volleyball for seventeen years, is also highly anticipating the new renovations to the Pitt.
“This is going to be like the hockey arena, it’s going to be an event in itself,” said Machan. “It’s going to be a place that you’ll just want to go and support teams.
“I couldn’t have guessed this in a million years,” said Machan. “I feel so happy and blessed to be a part of this growth.”
In addition to the growth and excitement surrounding SHU athletics, the women’s volleyball team strives for greater success in their first season in the MAAC, as they were projected to finish third overall in the conference preseason poll.
“Being picked third in the preseason poll in our first year of being in the MAAC is nice, but we want to accomplish more,” said Montanez. “Winning and execution will come when we stick to our game plan.”
Machan believes his team is special and has the ability to succeed this season.
“This group specifically is one of the closest knit groups I’ve had, and I’ve been doing this for a long time,” said Machan. “They want to have success and they work together, it’s a unique thing they have and I think it’s a recipe for success.”
Machan and his Pioneers take the court next on Friday, Sept. 13 against Bryant University at West Point.
Sacred Heart Athletics contributed to this article.
