EDISON, NJ (Aug. 20, 2025) – Two-time defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Volleyball champions, Fairfield University, has been selected as the favorites to win a third straight MAAC title according to the 2025 MAAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, as voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches. Earning Preseason Player of the Year honors was Elena Giacomini from Quinnipiac University.
The Stags led the preseason poll by receiving a league-high 139 points with seven first place. The most decorated program in MAAC history, Fairfield clinched its second straight MAAC Championship title – 14
th overall – and sixth consecutive MAAC Regular Season Championship – 23
rd overall – in 2024. The 14 tournament trophies and 22 regular season trophies are the most all-time in the conference’s history. The Stags posted a 17-1 MAAC record and 21-12 overall record last season, with 12 of their wins coming in straight sets.
2024 championship runner-up, Quinnipiac, finished second in the poll, earning 134 points and four first place votes, while Rider University collected the final first place vote and 117 points in the poll for a third place ranking. Rounding out the top five of the poll were Sacred Heart University (101) and Canisius University (94).
Graduate student opposite, Giacomini was named the second straight MAAC Preseason Player of the Year recipient from Quinnipiac, joining teammate Ginevra Giovagnoni who earned the accolade last season. A native of Monte San Giorgio, Italy, Giacomini had a stellar first season in Hamden, winning 2024 MAAC Player of the Year, earning 2024 All-MAAC First Team honors, being selected to the 2024 MAAC All-Championship Team, and collecting 2024 AVCA All-American and North Region Honorable Mentions. She appeared in 124 sets across 32 matches played in her first season with the Bobcats, recording 565.0 total points, with 486 kills, 366 digs, and 76.0 total blocks. Giacomini led the MAAC in double-doubles (19) and total attacks (1,329), while ranking second in the conference in total points, total kills, attacks per set (10.72), points per set (4.56), and kills per set (3.92).
The full Preseason Coaches’ Poll and remainder of the Preseason All-MAAC Team can be found below.
| 2025 MAAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Fairfield |
139 (7) |
| 2 |
Quinnipiac |
134 (4) |
| 3 |
Rider |
117 (1) |
| 4 |
Sacred Heart |
101 |
| 5 |
Canisius |
94 |
| 6 |
Niagara |
84 |
| 7 |
Iona |
63 |
| T8 |
Marist |
57 |
| T8 |
Merrimack |
57 |
| 10 |
Siena |
37 |
| 11 |
Saint Peter’s |
28 |
| 12 |
Manhattan |
25 |
| Preseason Player of the Year |
| Elena Giacomini – Quinnipiac |
| Preseason All-MAAC Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Allie Elliot |
Outside Hitter |
Sr. |
Fairfield |
| Mamie Krubally |
Right Side |
Jr. |
Fairfield |
| Maya Walker |
Middle Blocker |
Sr. |
Fairfield |
| Elena Giacomini |
Opposite |
Gr. |
Quinnipiac |
| Ginevra Giovagnoni |
Outside Hitter |
Sr. |
Quinnipiac |
| Damla Gunes |
Setter |
Sr. |
Quinnipiac |
| Kiannisha Santiago |
Opposite |
Sr. |
Rider |
| Miliani Villarreal |
Libero |
So. |
Sacred Heart |
The 2025 MAAC Volleyball Championship is a six-team, single-elimination championship taking place November 18 - November 24, 2025. The first round will be hosted by the #3 and #4 seeds. The semifinal round and championship final will be hosted by the #1 seed. The semifinals can be played between November 21-23, and the championship final can be played between November 22-24. For all information regarding the 2024 MAAC Volleyball Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/vb.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 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 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
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