Fairfield Volleyball Voted MAAC Preseason Favorite; Stags’ Skyler Day Named Preseason Player of the Year
Official Press Release (PDF)
EDISON, NJ – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced today that Fairfield University was selected the 2017 MAAC Volleyball Preseason favorite, based on a vote by the league’s 10 head coaches. The Stags tallied eight first place votes and 98 total points. Fairfield’s senior outside hitter Skyler Day was tabbed the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year for the second-straight season.
The Stags (28-6, 18-0 MAAC) claimed the 2016 MAAC Championship for the second time in as many years. Fairfield has won four out of the last five MAAC Volleyball Championships (2016, 2015, 2013, 2012) and a total of nine in program history. In 2016, the Stags led the MAAC in hitting percentage (.242), assists (1,565), assists per set (13.38), kills (1,656), kills per set (14.15), digs (1,835), and digs per set (15.68).
Fairfield won 22 consecutive matches (September 14-November 20, 2016) prior to its loss in the opening round of the 2016 NCAA Volleyball Championship to No. 15 Michigan State. The Stags were the No. 1 seed in the 2016 MAAC Championship as a result of being the Regular Season Champions. Fairfield defeated No. 3 Quinnipiac University, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-23) in the championship match.
Quinnipiac University placed second in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll with one first place vote and 84 points overall. The Bobcats finished the 2016 season (21-13, 11-7 MAAC) and advanced to the MAAC Championship game for the first time in program history. Quinnipiac led the conference in blocks (78) and blocks per set (2.34). The Bobcats ranked second in the league in hitting percentage (.225), second in kills (1,603), second in assists (1,498), third in kills per set (12.24), and third in assists per set (11.44).
Marist College (73) ranked third in the poll, Niagara University (69) followed in fourth, and Rider University (61) was picked fifth. Siena College (57) received one first place vote and finished in sixth, in seventh place was Canisius College (36), and Manhattan College (35) in eighth. Iona College (27) and Saint Peter’s University (10) rounded out the Preseason Coaches’ Poll in the final two spots.
Day was named the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year for the second year in a row. Day, the 2016 MAAC Player of the Year led the conference in kills (497), kills per set (4.28), points (545.5), and points per set (4.70) last season. The Minooka, IL native was a 2016 First Team All-MAAC selection, a 2016 MAAC All-Championship Team member, and named MAAC Player of the Week three times.
The 2017 Preseason All-MAAC Team is made up of Fairfield’s Skyler Day and Megan Theiller, and Marist’s Megan Fergus at outside hitter. Marist’s Ashton Korona, Quinnipiac’s Elizabeth Kloos, and Siena’s Samantha Pethokoukis were voted to the team at middle hitter. Niagara’s Rylee Hunt was selected to the team at libero and Rider’s Veronica Koval made the team at setter. Fairfield and Marist led all institutions with two student-athletes on the Preseason All-MAAC Team respectively. Day was the lone unanimous selection.
The 2017 MAAC Volleyball Championship takes place November 17-19, from Alumni Hall on the campus of Fairfield University. For all up-to-date information regarding
MAAC Volleyball, visit
maacsports.com.
| Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| 1. |
Fairfield (8) |
98 |
| 2. |
Quinnipiac (1) |
84 |
| 3. |
Marist |
73 |
| 4. |
Niagara |
69 |
| 5. |
Rider |
61 |
| 6. |
Siena (1) |
57 |
| 7. |
Canisius |
36 |
| 8. |
Manhattan |
35 |
| 9. |
Iona |
27 |
| 10. |
Saint Peter’s |
10 |
| Preseason All-MAAC Team |
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
| Skyler Day* |
Outside Hitter |
Fairfield |
| Megan Theiller |
Outside Hitter |
Fairfield |
| Megan Fergus |
Outside Hitter |
Marist |
| Ashton Korona |
Middle Hitter |
Marist |
| Elizabeth Kloos |
Middle Hitter |
Quinnipiac |
| Samantha Pethokoukis |
Middle Hitter |
Siena |
| Rylee Hunt |
Libero |
Niagara |
| Veronica Koval |
Setter |
Rider |
| *denotes unanimous selection |
| Preseason Player of the Year |
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
| Skyler Day |
Outside Hitter |
Fairfield |
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 37th year of competition during the 2017-18 academic year. Current Conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter's University, and Siena College.