Volleyball Earns First-Ever Postseason Bid, Seeded Fifth In ECAC Tournament

Click here for live streaming video coverage of the ECAC Quarterfinal match between Babson and UNE.

BABSON PARK, Mass. -- After posting its best record since 1993, the Babson College women's volleyball team added to its historical season on Monday, as the Beavers were selected to compete in the ECAC New England Tournament for the first time ever. It marks the first postseason bid in the 29-year history of the program for Babson, which will be seeded fifth in the tourney.

With the fourth-seeded University of New England unable to host, the Beavers will now host the Nor'Easters in the ECAC Quarterfinals on Wednesday, November 12, at 7 p.m. The winner of that matchup will advance to the semifinals at top-seeded Colby-Sawyer College on Saturday, November 15, at 12 p.m. with the finals following later that day at 5 p.m.

Coached by alumna Tonya Strange '94, the 2008 Beavers revitalized a program that had averaged just 6.75 wins per season over the last four years. With tri-captains Ryan DePaoli (Kennesaw, Ga.), Amanda Medin (Baltimore, Md.), and Becca Rydzik (Beacon Falls, Conn.) leading the way, Babson posted a 16-11 overall record this fall, including the best conference start (4-0) in team history. The squad finished in a tie for fourth-place in the NEWMAC standings - the Beavers' best conference finish since 1993.

At the heart of Babson's success this fall was a fusion of talented veterans and brilliant young stars. Juniors Caitlin O'Neill (Lynnfield, Mass.) and Shanna Glassner (Orland Park, Ill.) both established themselves as two of the top players in the league this fall. O'Neill led the team and ranked sixth in the NEWMAC with a .254 hitting percentage, while also ranking ninth in the league with 270 kills. Glassner was magnificent at libero for the Green and White, recording a team-high 450 digs to finish second in the conference with 4.74 digs per set.

Along with the team's upperclassmen, a pair of first-year stars also helped lift the Beavers to new heights this season. Rookie sensation Meg Flaherty (Hollis, N.H.) emerged as one of the program's most explosive outside hitters in recent memory, leading the team and ranking seventh in the NEWMAC with 302 kills. She was joined by classmate Anna Belz (Bayport, N.Y.), who turned in a fantastic rookie season at setter, dishing out 674 assists to rank third in the conference with 8.64 assists per set.

Wednesday's quarterfinal matchup will feature a rematch of the October 18 contest between Babson and UNE. The Nor'Easters won that metting, 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-22), en route to a 17-14 season.

The other ECAC Quarterfinal matchups include second-seeded Johnson and Wales taking on seventh-seeded Worcester State and third-seeded Plymouth State facing sixth-seeded Norwich.