WATERVILLE, Me. (August 28, 2019) – The SUNY Delhi women's volleyball team opens a new chapter this season as members of the North Atlantic Conference (NAC). Their inaugural year in the conference was met with a number-six ranking in the NAC Preseason Poll, which was released today and voted on by the NAC head coaches.
The Broncos are about to begin their 15th season under head coach Beau Bracchy. Delhi finished the 2018 season with a 13-12 record, reaching the ACAA semifinals. The team returns two all-conference selections in senior setter/opposite hitter Erica Prindle and junior middle/opposite hitter Taylor Tsatsis. Prindle led the team with 463 assists, while ranking second with 45 service aces and third with 232 digs. Tsatsis led the Broncos with 49 service aces, while ranking second with 288 assists and third with 171 kills.
Three-time defending NAC champion Maine Maritime topped the poll with 48 points and six first-place votes. Last year's runner-ups SUNY Canton took second with 40 points and one first-place vote. Maine Presque Isle was third with 30 points, while Northern Vermont Johnson earned fourth with 29 points. Husson is fifth with 24 points, and Northern Vermont Lyndon seventh with eight points.
Coach Bracchy and the Broncos open the season this weekend with a tri-match down at King's (NY) on Sunday, Sept. 1. They will play the host Lions, followed by a neutral contest with Yeshiva. Delhi then makes its home debut on Wednesday, Sept. 4 versus Utica, followed by two more home matches versus Sage on Tuesday, Sept. 10 and Keystone Thursday, Sept. 12. The team is on the road for two contests, starting at Marywood on Monday, Sept. 16 and Morrisville State on Thursday, Sept. 19. They are back home for a tri-match on Sunday, Sept. 22, welcoming Farmingdale State and MCLA. They then travel to Mount Saint Mary for a Tuesday-night meeting on Sept. 24, then round out the month of September hosting Mitchell on Thursday, Sept. 26.
October starts up for the Broncos with a visit at Clarks Summit on Tuesday, Oct. 1, then a home meeting with Bard on Thursday, Oct. 3. Delhi travels to Cazenovia on Wednesday, Oct. 9, after which they host SUNY Poly on Monday, Oct. 14. The ladies move on for a match at Elmira on Wednesday, Oct. 16 before opening their NAC season welcoming Maine Maritime and Husson for a quad match on Saturday, Oct. 19. They are on the road the following week, beginning with SUNY Cobleskill on Tuesday, Oct. 22 and then making their way up to SUNY Canton for a weekend series. It starts with playing the host Roos in NAC play on Friday, Oct. 25, then matches with NAC-opponent Maine Presque Isle and Maine Fort Kent on Saturday, Oct. 26. Delhi concludes its home regular season against local-foe Hartwick on Monday, Oct. 28, then close out the month traveling to face Utica once more on Wednesday, Oct. 30. Their final regular-season test will two NAC contests at NVU Johnson, where they will face the host Badgers and NVU Lyndon on Saturday, Nov. 3.
The top four teams in the conference will face off in the NAC Tournament the weekend of Friday, Nov. 9, hosted by the number-one seed. The semifinals will be played that Friday, with the championship set for Saturday, Nov. 10. All dates and times are subject to change and will be updated accordingly.