Gators picked first in hunt for 2014 Skyline Women's Volleyball Title
Link to Complete Skyline Conference Release
New York, NY – Anchored by reigning Skyline Conference Women's Volleyball Player of the Year, senior Helen Putriment (Troy, NY/Cobleskill-Richmondville), The Sage Colleges' team has been selected to capture the 2014 Skyline women's volleyball crown in voting conducted by the league's head coaches.
Coming off a perfect 9-0 conference regular-season and runner-up finish at the 2013 Skyline Conference Tournament, the Gators received eight first-place votes and 64 total points. A senior outside hitter, Putriment led the league in kills (3.06 per set) and ranked second in digs (4.03 per set) last season and looks to lead the program to its first Skyline Conference title since 2008.
Under the guidance of head coach Sandy Augstein-Collins, the 2014 Gators boast a lineup that returns 11 returning letterwinners and graduated just one senior. Sage opens the new season on August 29-30 competing at the Elms College Invitational where they will face Albertus Magnus College, SUNY-Cobleskill, and the Elms College Trailblazers in competition on opening weekend. Sage hosts SUNY-Cobleskill on September 9 at 7 p.m. in the Kahl Gym (Albany, NY) in the team's 2014 home opener.
2013 champion St. Joseph's-L.I. finished second in the voting with 55 points and garnered one first-place vote. Bolstered by the return of tournament MVP Heather Ferchland (3.03 kills per set) and senior Julianne Tierney (8.38 assists per set), the Golden Eagles (21-13) seek to increase their victory total for the fourth consecutive year.
Farmingdale State and Mount Saint Mary finished tied for third in the voting with 45 points apiece. Senior Sarah Palladino of FSC amassed a league-best 99 service aces a year ago, while MSMC welcomes back a trio of All-Conference second-team selections in Jen Gries, Kayla Kurka and Claire Scully. Mount Saint Vincent finished fifth in the voting with 38 points, followed by Purchase (31), Old Westbury (23), Maritime (11) and Yeshiva (11).
The first round of the six-team 2014 Skyline Conference Women's Volleyball Championship will be held on Wednesday, November 5. The semifinals (November 7) and title match (November 8) will be held at Purchase College in conjunction with the 2014 Skyline Fall Festival.
The Skyline Conference also welcomes its newest member, Sarah Lawrence College, to the conference this season. SLC will play every member institution in 2014 but will not be eligible for Skyline and NCAA Championship participation as it completes its final year of NCAA Division III provisional membership.
2014 Preseason Coaches' Poll Points
1. Sage (8) 64
2. St. Joseph's-L.I. (1) 55
3. Farmingdale State 45
(tie) Mount Saint Mary 45
5. Mount Saint Vincent 38
6. Purchase 31
7. Old Westbury 23
8. Maritime 11
(tie) Yeshiva 11
First-place votes in parentheses
