Season-Opening Weekend Sends 'Cats to Army West Point

Army Invitational
Army West Point • Gillis Field House
Saturday, Aug. 31
11 am – UNH vs. Rhode Island • Stats
6 pm – UNH at Army • Stats
Saturday, Sept. 1
1:30 pm – UNH vs. Iona • Stats

LET'S DO THIS AGAIN NEXT YEAR

UNH and Army West Point both played at the 2018 Art Carmichael Invitational, which was hosted by Rhode Island; the other team at that tourney was Yale.
UNH and Iona met last year at the UConn Challenge.

UNH vs. URI

New Hampshire has a 4-22 record against the University of Rhode Island, but the UNH has won two of the last three matchups.
URI won 3-1 on its home court last year. • Recap • Box
The Wildcats were 3-2 victors on their home court (Holly Young Invitational) in 2017. • Recap • Box
Prior to that, the 'Cats prevailed in five sets at home in '14.

UNH vs. Army West Point

The Wildcats have a 2-4 record against Army.
In last year's matchup (at URI), UNH recorded a five-set win by a score of 15-12 in Set 5. • Recap • Box
Prior to last year, the teams had not met since the 2011 season, when Army recorded a 3-2 win (at Quinnipiac University).

UNH vs. Iona

UNH has a 3-2 record against Iona College.
Iona rallied from a 2-0 deficit and outlasted the Wildcats, 21-19, in Set 5 for the win at the UConn Challenge. • Recap • Box

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

UNH begins a new era under new head coach Christopher Feliciano, who recorded a program-record 117 victories in his eight-year tenure at Rider University. He is joined on the sideline by assistant coach Ashley Tennant and graduate assistant Tiffany Verni.
New Hampshire returns seven players from last year's team that finished 12-15 overall and 8-4 in America East.
Included among the returning 'Cats is two-time America East All-Conference First Team selection Kennedi Smith.
UNH was picked fourth in the 2019 America East Volleyball Preseason Poll.

THE CAPTAINS

The core group of five seniors includes captains Hannah Petke (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), Kennedi Smith (The Woodlands, Texas) and Logan Welti (Middleton, Wis.).
Smith ranked second on the team in both kills and digs with a team-high 12 double-doubles; the outside hitter was also second in points, third in blocks and fourth in service aces. In the conference, she ranked No. 9 in kills per set (2.82) and No. 8 in digs per set (3.16).
Smith enters the 2019 season with career numbers of 956 points, 820 kills and 742 digs; she could become just the third Wildcat to reach the 1,000-milestone in both kills and digs.
Petke, a right side hitter and former All-Conference Second Team honoree, ranks second among returning 'Cats in kills (162) and kills per set (2.38), as well as points (182) and points per set (2.68). After missing eight consecutive matches last September, she recorded a double-double – one of her three on the season – in her return to action.
Welti played all 105 sets a year ago and was the top 'Cat in service aces with 28; that total ranked second in America East. The outside hitter/defensive specialist also ranked third in both digs (246) and digs per set (2.34). Welti enters the year with 1,000 career digs on the horizon; she is currently at 738.

SENIORS

Emily Tanski and Jenny Weston are the other two seniors.
Tanski, a 2018 All-Conference Second Team honoree in her first year as libero, finished with a team-high 566 digs and average of 5.39 digs per set, both of which were tops in America East. She also tied for second on the squad in service aces (24) and was one of three Wildcats who played all 105 sets.
Tanski enters her senior year with 1,082 career digs, which ranks seventh on UNH's leaderboard. The benchmark is 1,657.
Weston, a defensive specialist, played in 23 of 27 matches and 73 sets in '18. Her stats included 100 digs (1.37 per set) and 14 service aces.

READY TO ASSIST

Junior setter Emma Patlovich – the lone junior on the roster – has directed the 'Cat attack the past two years and was an America East All-Rookie Team selection in 2017.
Patlovich finished with nearly 1,000 assists (991) last year and ranked third in the conference in assists per set (9.91).
She also tied with Tanski for second on the team in service aces at 24, and ranked fourth in digs (199; 1.99 per set).
Patlovich played every match and 100 of 105 sets, and she tallied seven double-doubles (assists-digs).

ALSO RETURNING

Sophomore middle blocker Abby Sullivan appeared in 13 matched and played 25 sets as a rookie. She recorded 27 kills (1.08 per set) on a .232 hitting percentage and also had 17 blocks (0.68 per set).

THE NEWCOMERS

Among UNH's seven newcomers is sophomore outside hitter Kate Bilyeu, who was a 2018 America East All-Rookie Team selection at UMass Lowell. She played all 26 matches at UML and led the Rivers Hawks in kills (195) and kills per set (2.19).
Holly Bentley is a setter/hitter who began training with England's national team when she was 14 years old. She has competed at the U19 NEVZA the past two years and placed fourth in '17.
Hannah Crist was named to the AAU All-America Team, Indiana All-Star Team, Academic All-State First Team, All-County First Team and All-Conference First Team as a senior middle blocker/right side hitter at Hamilton Heights High School.
Erin Hedrick was named All-State Second Team as a senior right side hitter and selected All-County First Team as both a junior and senior at Pascack Hills High School.
Katie Jablonski was an outside hitter/libero at Kaneland High School, where her accolades included All-State, conference Player of the Year, All-Conference, Daily Chronicle Volleyball Player of the Year and All-Area, and Fox Valley All-Area. She finished with more than 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.
Wren Macaulay was named a high school Under Armour All-America Honorable Mention as a senior setter at Lake Orion High School. Her other accolades included All-State Second Team, All-Region and All-Conference as a junior.
Bre Smith was named All-District First Team, All-Conference First Team and All-State Academic Team as a senior middle blocker at Boonville High School. One year earlier, she broke the school blocks record at Geneseo High School.

HOME OPENER

UNH's home opener is Sept. 3 (7 p.m.) against Bryant University before playing host to the Holly Young Invitational, when the Wildcats play host to Seattle (Sept. 5), Holy Cross (Sept. 6) and Brown (Sept. 7).
Tickets for all home matches are available at unhwildcats.com, the Whittemore Center box office or by calling (603) 862-4000.

SCOUTING RHODE ISLAND

The University of Rhode Island enters the 2019 season looking to improve upon last year's overall record of 9-17 that included an Atlantic 10 conference record of 3-10.
URI was ranked 10^th in this year's A-10 preseason poll.
Natale Zanellato led the team last year with 270 kills (2.81/set), and the team will look to her again as she returns for her third season.
The Rams team lost three seniors, including libero Olivia Budinich (leader in digs with 384) and setter Lauren Pick (assists leader with 855; ranked second in digs with 271).
Ella Ratzloff and Natale Zanellato, who ranked 3-4 in digs during the 2018 season, will look to take on those roles of 1 and 2.
Senior Jenna McGuire and sophomore Mariah Paulette were the block leaders with 97 and 69, respectively.
URI averaged 14.27 digs/set, 1.93 blocks/set, and ended the 18-19 season with a .160 team hitting percentage.

SCOUTING ARMY

With no graduating seniors last year, the Army West Point Black Knights enter this season with high expectations.
The Black Knights ended with a 14-15 record, including going 9-7 in the Patriot League for third in the conference, last season.
Two-year captain and senior outside hitter Courtney Horace was a Preseason All-Patriot League selection. Horace ranked second in kills (259) following Emmy Barnhorst (290) in the 2018 season.
Libero Ana Oglivie led the team with 477 digs (4.01/set) and looks to repeat the performance going into her junior year.
Senior setter Nikki Lum looks to have another strong season after being the assist leader (589); she also ranked second in digs (281).
Emmy Barnhorst, while also leading her team in kills (290), led the blocks list as well with 113 (.95/set).

SCOUTING IONA

Iona College, which went 20-8 overall (16-2 MAAC) and won its second ever MAAC championship last year, was selected third in the 2019 conference preseason poll.
Jamie Smith ranked second on the team and is the top returning Gael in kills (262; 2.65 per set).
Tess Connolly was immediately behind Smith with 249 kills (2.52/set).
Iona's attack will have a new director this year with the departure of Emma Rose, who recorded 1,188 of the team's 1,363 assists.
The defense is anchored by libero Jessica Paolucci, who led the squad in digs with 478 (4.69 per set).
Smith and Karla Johnson tied for the team lead in blocks with 53.

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Players Mentioned

Holly Bentley

Kate Bilyeu

Hannah Crist

Erin Hedrick

Katie Jablonski

Wren Macaulay

Emma Patlovich

Hannah Petke

Bre Smith

Kennedi Smith

Abby Sullivan

Emily Tanski

Logan Welti

Jenny Weston