Volleyball Set To Open 2021 Spring Campaign Friday Night

Friday, January 22

Oxford, OH

7:00 pm

University at Buffalo

Miami (OH)

Volleyball Set To Open 2021 Spring Campaign Friday Night

1/21/2021 9:28:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo volleyball team will be opening a unique 2021 spring season on Friday night at Miami (OH). This will serve as UB's competition season after the fall was postponed due to COVID.

The Bulls will have a lot of new faces this season when they take the court at Millett Hall on Friday evening. UB does welcome back nine players from the 2019 season, but they have six newcomers who are eager to begin their UB careers, many who are expected to play big roles for head coach Scott Smith and his staff.

Buffalo will run a 6-2 system this year utilizing both of their setters on the roster. Sophomore Emma Puzausky returns after playing in 34 sets last year, while junior Kyndal Bacon joins the mix after playing her first two seasons at Colby Community College where she was a first-team all-league player.

UB's most experience lies within their middle blocker position, and that begins with senior captain Lexi Nordmann. The DeWitt, MI native played in every set in 2019 and led the Bulls in blocks. Sophomore Courtney Okwara is expected to fill an expanded role this season after seeing limited action during her freshman campaign. Sophomore Abby Leigh, who played all over the front row last season as a freshman will also be a large contributor.

The Bulls also welcome back Olivia DeBortoli, who redshirted last season, and freshman Lauren Valentic, who actually joined Buffalo last spring and practiced with the team prior to the COVID pandemic shutting things down.

UB has a ton of options on the outside, many that will be making their Buffalo debuts. The one mainstay is Monika Simkova, the Long Beach State transfer who played in 107 sets last season and had 236 kills. Freshman Milla Malik, who hails from Waunakee, WI and also joined the Bulls last spring, will make an immediate impact as will Stacia Gollogly, who can also play on the right side. Another option on the right side is freshman Emma Gielas, while outside hitter Morgan Verheyen returns for her sophomore season.

Buffalo also returns a lot of experience at the libero/defensive specialist position where two of the three players are returnees. Sophomore Jenna Sonnenberg will take on an expanded role this season after playing in 118 sets as a freshman, finishing with 162 digs. Junior Paige Beck, who returns for her third season as a member of the Blue and White, led the Bulls with 447 digs a year ago. The Bulls will welcome one newcomer to the DS unit in Oceanside, CA native Emilie Davis.

The MAC schedule is different this season as teams will play the same opponent twice in back to back days and for UB that begins at the preseason MAC East favorite Miami (OH). The home opener for Buffalo will take place next Thursday evening when the Bulls host Ball State.

Matches this week will be on Friday and Saturday night at 7pm and both will air live on ESPN+.