INDIANA, Pa. – Making its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance, the IUP women's volleyball program faces a familiar opponent, matching up with five seed Pitt-Johnstown on Thursday, November 30. First serve from Gannon's Highmark Events Center is set for around 7:30 p.m.
 
The Crimson Hawks and the Mountain Cats represent four programs from the PSAC Western division to make the regional field, joining (2) Clarion and host (1) Gannon. Thursday's postseason matchup is the final of four Atlantic Region Quarterfinal contests in Erie. The Atlantic Region Tournament is one of eight different eight-team regionals played throughout the country in a single-elimination format.
 
IUP earns a berth in the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years for the first time since the early 2000s, where the program made seven straight appearances from 2000-06. The NCAA Tournament bid is the 11th in program history for the Crimson Hawks, finishing as regional runners-up in 2001 and 2002. The winner of Thursday's matchup faces the winner of Gannon/West Liberty on Friday night.
 
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(4) IUP vs. (5) Pitt-Johnstown
Thursday, November 30 – 7:30 p.m. – Highmark Events Center – Erie, Pa. – 2023 NCAA DII Women's Volleyball Tournament  
Game Coverage: Live Video ($) – Live Stats – Tournament Central – NCAA Bracket
Social Media Updates: @IUPVB on X (formerly Twitter)
 
NCAA DII ATLANTIC REGION TOURNAMENT

• Quarterfinals – Thursday, November 30 
  • Noon: (3) Clarion vs. (6) West Virginia State
  • 2:30 p.m.: (2) Wheeling vs. (7) Shaw 
  • 5:00 p.m.: (1) Gannon vs. (8) West Liberty
  • 7:30 p.m.: (4) IUP vs. (5) Pitt-Johnstown
• Semifinal Round – Friday, December 1  
  • 5:00 p.m.: Winner of 3/6 vs. Winner of 2/7  
  • 7:30 p.m.: Winner of 1/8 vs. Winner of 4/5  
• Regional Finals (Atlantic Region Championship) – Saturday, December 2  
  • 7:00 p.m.: Winner of Semifinal #1 vs. Winner of Semifinal #2  

 
Atlantic Regional champion will advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight at the UPMC Events Center in Moon Township, Pa., from Dec. 7-9.
 
SERIES HISTORY

• All-Time Series: IUP leads 15-9 (IUP Streak: W5)
• The all-time series has been back and forth between the two programs in recent years. IUP has won five consecutive meetings with UPJ, including two wins during the regular season on September 30 and October 28, but the Mountain Cats emerged victorious in nine of 10 meetings from 2013 until the first meeting in 2021.
• IUP and UPJ played a five-set thriller in the initial meeting between the two teams back in late September at the KCAC. It was part of a demanding three-match stretch for the Hawks against NCAA Tournament qualifiers Clarion, UPJ and Wheeling.
• Bailey Flowerdew surpassed 1,000 career digs in the match with 23 on September 30, entering the day just nine shy of the milestone. Meanwhile, IUP showcased some of its depth in the latter stages in holding on for a big division victory.
• The Hawks rolled to their sixth consecutive win at the time in a straight set road win against the Mountain Cats on October 28. Grace Mangapora led the charge for the Hawks on the road behind a double-double showing of 12 kills and 10 digs.
• IUP and UPJ have actually faced each other at Gannon before, in a much different environment as part of the 2011 PSAC-WVIAC Crossover in early September. The Hawks posted a 3-1 win in that matchup, led by an 11-kill effort from Danielle Ostendorf in the victory (22-25, 33-31, 25-22, 25-20).

 
NCAA MOVING TO PAY-PER-VIEW MODEL FOR POSTSEASON VIDEO STREAMS
The NCAA announced a streaming partnership with Hudl for coverage of DII football, volleyball, men's basketball and women's basketball. Part of this mandated partnership is moving video streams produced by schools behind a paywall, including for this week's NCAA DII Atlantic Region Tournament.
 
A new NCAA Championships Pass application will be available on Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and Google TV devices. Fans will have the following viewing options: $9.95 per contest or $29.95 for all Division II women's volleyball matches. Games will be available through the PSAC Digital Network along with the NCAA GameCenter that features live stats in the link above.
 
IUP NEWS AND NOTES

• IUP has been the top blocking team in the nation throughout the season, leading NCAA DII in total blocks (315.0). Overall, the Hawks rank fourth among all NCAA DI and DII program sin total team blocks this season, only behind DI programs SFA, Sacramento State and UC Santa Barbara.
• The Crimson Hawks are heading back to Gannon for a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance, falling in straight sets to Wheeling in 2022. IUP is vying for its first NCAA Tournament victory since 2017, a 3-0 win against West Chester, which came six years ago to the day (November 30).
• A key contributor to IUP's success at the net and overall this season has been Lauren Valentic, the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year. Valentic the first IUP player to win the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year honor since the award was instituted in 2011, also earning All-PSAC First team laurels along with Nyla Birch.
• Valentic (159.0) leads NCAA DII in total blocks this season while ranking second in school history in single-season blocks. Valentic and Caroline Walsh are each among the school's top 10 block producers for their career, while Valentic's 1.22 blocks/set mark ranks third in program history.
• IUP has three players (Valentic, Walsh, Birch) ranked among the top six in the PSAC in total blocks this season. Birch is also 13th in the league in total kills (308) for a relatively well-rounded IUP attack.
• Birch earned her second consecutive first team all-league honor, named an All-MEC First team selection at Fairmont State in 2022.
• The Hawks have six players with 150+ kills this season and have four individuals averaging at least 2.00 kills/set.
• Bailey Flowerdew and Stefania Anagnostou lead the way for IUP defensively with a combined 703 digs. Flowerdew ranks 17th in program history in single-season digs (451) and sixth on the program's all-time digs list (1,217).
• Anagnostou is also second on the team in kills (247; 2.55 k/s) as an all-around contributor for the Hawks. She boasts 72 career aces and is tied for 11th in program history in career aces/set (0.28).
• Grace Mangapora and Delaney Concannon have provided a one-two punch for IUP on the outside with Simay Memisoglu (147 kills) also providing a secondary offensive option for the Hawks.
• Kat Warpinski and Hannah Simmons have anchored IUP from the setter position this season, combining for 1,128 assists in 2023.

 
PITT-JOHNSTOWN AT A GLANCE

• Under the direction of PSAC West Coach of the Year Justin Haupt (first season), UPJ has had a resurgence with a 19-11 mark in 2023.
• The Mountain Cats had three all-conference selections in 2023, including First team honoree Lualis Alvarado (340 kills; 3.4 k/s). Mallory Pinske and Adiamar Baez nabbed Second Team honors from the conference.
• Paced by Gabi DiRenzo (627 digs; 6.15 d/s), UPJ is second in the conference with 17.25 digs/set as a team. DiRenzo ranks second nationally in digs/set and fourth nationally in total digs this season.
• Baez provides the Mountain Cats with an excellent option at the service line, ranking sixth nationally in aces/set (0.61) and third in the conference in assists (1,047).

 
HOYER OFF TO STELLAR START IN YEAR TWO

• IUP head coach Lorelle Hoyer, along with assistant Pete Hoyer, have quickly brought a level of stability and success to the IUP volleyball program. Entering the NCAA Tournament, Hoyer boasts an overall record of 41-19 (.683).
• Hoyer's winning percentage is tied with Carmine Cortazzo (185-86; .683) for the best in program history.
• Hoyer is off to the best two-year start of any head coach in program history, both in wins and winning percentage.

 
IUP Coaching History – Overall Record (Winning Percentage)
1. Lorelle Hoyer (2022-Present) -- .683 (41-19)
2. Carmine Cortazzo (1998-2005) -- .683 (185-86)
3. Nancy Barthelemny (1979-84) -- .581 (117-84-3)
4. Julie Torbett (2020-21) -- .568 (21-16)
5. Zach Shaver (2006-12) -- .492 (117-121)
 
PSAC Record – Winning Percentage (Regular Season Only)
1. Lorelle Hoyer (2022-Present) -- .565 (21-11)
T2. Julie Torbett (2020-21) -- .500 (8-8); Kim Johnson (1985-92) -- .500 (10-10)
4. Carmine Cortazzo (1998-2005) -- .488 (39-41)
 
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RECORD BOOK WATCH
Aces – Career
6. Tessa Siewert - 111
7. Emily Pany - 106
9. Bailey Flowerdew - 100
9. Leah Henderson -93
10. Leah Kostelnik - 90
11. Krista Nordby – 85
--
16. Stefania Anagnostou – 72
 
Aces/Set – Season
14. Kylie Osborn – 0.41 (2021)
15. Alyssa Prince – 0.39 (2008)
16. Stefania Anagnostou – 0.38 (2023)
17. Maddie Schulte – 0.37 (2008); Katie Miller – 0.37 (2017)
 
Aces/Set – Career
8. Maddie Schulte – 0.31
9. Katie Miller – 0.29; Bailey Flowerdew – 0.29
11. Laura McFadden – 0.28; Alyssa Prince – 0.28; Stefania Anagnostou – 0.28
 
Total Blocks – Season
1. Brittany Gates  - 224 (2004)
2. Lauren Valentic – 159 (2023)
3. Brittany Gates - 158 (2005)
4. Tracy Pangallo - 153 (1999)
5. Karla Raczkowski - 145 (2001)
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T8. Caroline Walsh – 121 (2023)
 
Total Blocks – Career
7. Trisha Gerus – 300
8. Morgan Cerveny – 290
9. Caroline Walsh -- 274
10. Lauren Valentic – 266
11. Danielle Ostendorf -- 265
 
Blocks/Set – Season
1. Brittany Gates – 1.64 (2004)
2. Tracy Pangallo – 1.51 (1999)
3. Lauren Valentic – 1.38 (2023)
4. Amy Shoemaker – 1.35 (1997)
5. Brittany Gates – 1.31 (2003)
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12. Caroline Walsh – 1.04 (2023)
 
Blocks/Set – Career
1. Amy Shoemaker – 1.25
2. Tracy Pangallo – 1.23
3. Lauren Valentic – 1.22
4. Heather Bauer – 1.00; Lindsey Behne – 1.00
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13. Caroline Walsh – 0.75
 
Digs – Season
11. Emily Pany – 533 (2008); Jess Marut – 533 (2017)
13. Sarah Rosenberry – 494 (2003)
14. Sarah Rosenberry – 481 (2002)
15. Jill Bixler – 459 (2005)
16. Bailey Flowerdew – 457 (2021)
17. Bailey Flowerdew – 451 (2023)
 
Digs – Career
1. Emily Pany – 2,670
2. Jess Marut – 2,277
3. Sarah Rosenberry – 1,752
4. Krista Norby – 1,337
5. Laura Hall – 1,270
6. Bailey Flowerdew – 1,217
 
Digs/Set – Career
1. Emily Pany – 5.47
2. Jess Marut – 5.12
3. Sarah Rosenberry – 4.39
4. Kelly Barnes – 4.25
5. Bailey Flowerdew – 3.62
 
Hitting Percentage – Career
5. Brittany Gates -- .329
6. Amy Shoemaker -- .292
7. Caroline Walsh -- .288
8. Danielle Ostendorf -- .284
9. Karla Raczkowski -- .274
 
FOLLOW
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's volleyball on X (Twitter) @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPVB.