Women's Volleyball Opens The Blank Era at Red Dragon Invitational

Brewers begin 2025 season with two matches in Oneonta followed by three matches on the road at Smith

Poughkeepsie, NY – The Vassar College Women's Volleyball team begins the 2025 season under new Head Coach Tyler Blank with two matches this weekend as the Brewers will square off with SUNY Geneseo at 12:00 p.m. and Utica at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Red Dragon Invitational at SUNY Oneonta.

QUICK GLANCE

Vassar closed out the 2024 season with a 8-15 overall record and a 3-5 conference mark.
The Brewers return its two-time All-Liberty League selection Maura McAusland along with junior Holland Kaplan who was named an All-League selection as a first year.
Off the court, Vassar saw four student-athletes earn College Sport Communicators All-District honors while 11 Brewers were named to the Liberty League All-Academic team.

STAT LEADERS

McAusland led the way with 219 kills along with ranking second on the team in aces with 32 and digs with 188 and was also fourth in total blocks with 32.
Kaplan tallied 208 kills for second on the squad while leading the team in aces with 61 and ranked second in digs with 186.
Senior Ellie Kogan lifted a team-high 218 digs and finished third on the season in aces with 26.
Junior Francesca Medrano will look to step into a bigger setting role in 2025 after finishing third on the squad in assists with 159.
Senior Rebecca Gutierrez returns following a season where she ranked second in total blocks with 48 and fourth in kills with 99.

NEWCOMERS

Vassar adds nine newcomers to the roster in 2025 with sophomores Eleanor Gegen and Chloe Mau along with first years Summer Stern, Brenna Olson, Ellen Zwerling, Amy Melchior, Caroline Brabeck, Elena Feuer and Cayla Hoskins-Pfeiffer.

HEAD COACH

Blank begins his first season at the helm of the Brewers after a three-year stint as the Head Coach at Manhattanville.
Blank led the women's team to three straight Skyline Conference titles and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
Blank mentored 12 All-Conference selections, including two conference Players of the Year, one Libero of the Year and one Rookie of the Year, along with being named the Skyline Coach of the Year in 2023.

SCHEDULE

Following the opening two matches at Oneonta, Vassar will head to Smith College for the Bonnie May Invitational for three matches on September 5-6.
Vassar will then host their first matches of the season on September 12-13 with six total matches being hosted over the two days in Kenyon Hall.
The Brewers will hit the road for a tri-match against Johnson & Wales and Eastern Connecticut State on September 24 and non-conference matchups against WIlliams on September 24 and Mount Saint Mary on September 26.
VC will return home to take on Russell Sage on September 27 before opening conference play on the road against Bard on October 1.
Vassar heads to Clarkson for a conference matchup on October 4 and will take on SUNY Potsdam later that day.
VC hosts three straight conference matches from October 10-18 against Ithaca, William Smith and Union.
The Brewers return to the road for conference clashes with Skidmore and St. Lawrence on October 24 and 25.
Vassar will host the final five matches of the season as they will take on RIT and King's (PA) on November 1 followed by New Paltz on November 5 and USMMA and Hunter on November 8.
The Liberty League Championship will begin on November 11 with First Round action followed by the semifinals on November 14 and the final on November 15.

LIBERTY LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
Place. Team, Points (First Place Votes)

Ithaca, 63 (6)
William Smith, 57 (3)
Union, 48
Clarkson, 45
Skidmore, 35
RIT, 32
Vassar, 23
St. Lawrence, 12
Bard, 11

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Players Mentioned

#7 Rebecca Gutierrez: MB; 5' 10"; Senior

#5 Holland Kaplan: OH; 5' 11"; Junior

#2 Ellie Kogan: DS/L; 5' 3"; Senior

#13 Maura McAusland: OH; 5' 10"; Junior

#9 Francesca Medrano: S; 5' 7"; Junior

#12 Caroline Brabeck: S; 5' 8"; First Year

#15 Elena Feuer: MB/RS; 6' 1"; First Year

#14 Eleanor Gegen: OH/RS; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#16 Cayla Hoskins-Pfeiffer: RS; 5' 9"; First Year

#11 Chloe Mau: DS/L; 5' 3"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#7 Rebecca Gutierrez
: 5' 10"; Senior
: MB

#5 Holland Kaplan
: 5' 11"; Junior
: OH

#2 Ellie Kogan
: 5' 3"; Senior
: DS/L

#13 Maura McAusland
: 5' 10"; Junior
: OH

#9 Francesca Medrano
: 5' 7"; Junior
: S

#12 Caroline Brabeck
: 5' 8"; First Year
: S

#15 Elena Feuer
: 6' 1"; First Year
: MB/RS

#14 Eleanor Gegen
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: OH/RS

#16 Cayla Hoskins-Pfeiffer
: 5' 9"; First Year
: RS

#11 Chloe Mau
: 5' 3"; Sophomore
: DS/L

Vassar College Athletics

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned