Players of the Week
Player of the Week
Grace Dilena (Mercy)
Jr., OH, New York, N.Y., Liberty University Online Academy
Dilena had a team-high 20 kills and 3.33 kills per set on .485 hitting with seven aces, 11 digs, and two blocks as Mercy went 2-0 on the week. The ECC Preseason Player of the Year opened the season with eight kills, six digs, four aces and one block in Mercy's sweep of Felician on Thursday. The outside hitter ended the week with a match-high 12 kills on .588 hitting with five digs, three aces and one block in the sweep of defending CACC Champion Bridgeport on Saturday.
Defensive Player of the Week
Kamila Colon (Mercy)
So., L/DS, Caguas, Puerto Rico, Colegio Catolico Notre Dame
Colon had a team-high 18 digs and 3.00 digs per set as Mercy went 2-0 to start the season. The sophomore also added five assists, two aces and one kill. The libero opened the season with eight digs, one ace and one assist in the sweep of Felician on Thursday. Colon then had a match-high 10 digs to go with four assists and one ace in the sweep of Bridgeport on Saturday.
Setter of the Week
Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Mercy)
Sr., S, Humacao, Puerto Rico, American International College
Rivera Rodriguez had a team-high 65 assists and 10.83 assists per set with 16 digs, six aces and five kills as Mercy went 2-0 to start the season. The senior opened the season with a double-double by way of a match-high 35 assists to go with 11 digs in the sweep of Felician on Thursday. Rivera Rodriguez added three kills and two aces in the win. The setter ended the week with a match-high 30 assists to go with five digs, four aces and two kills in the sweep of defending CACC Champion Bridgeport on Saturday. Rivera Rodriguez recorded her 2,000th career assist in the win over the Purple Knights.
Rookie of the Week
Zoe Sercu (Queens)
Fr., OH, Ojai, CA, Villanova Preparatory School
Rookie Zoe Sercu paced the Knights’ offense with 37 kills while adding nine service aces, 20 digs, and four blocks during the opening weekend of her collegiate career. In her first career start, Sercu recorded a double-double with a match-high 17 kills and 12 digs, along with four service aces, to help Queens rally for a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over Post University in the season opener.
Weekly Honor Roll
Jolie Faw (Daemen)
So., MB, Williamsburg, VA
In her first weekend as a Wildcat, sophomore middle blocker Jolie Faw hit a team-high 30 kills (1.88 kills/set) and 24 blocks (1.5 blocks/set) as Daemen went 1-3 at the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament. Faw posted 8 blocks and 9 kills in the 2-3 loss to Franklin Pierce.
Aleksandra Lucic (Mercy)
Jr., OH, Belgrade, Serbia, Florida Southwestern State College
Lucic had a strong opening week as a Maverick, recording 19 kills, 10 digs, two blocks, eight aces and four assists as Mercy went 2-0 on the week. The junior opened the week with a match-high 11 kills to go with six digs, five aces and two assists in the sweep of Felician on Thursday. Lucic then had eight kills, four digs, two blocks, three aces and two assists in the sweep of Bridgeport on Saturday.
Camryn Karelus (Roberts Wesleyan)
Sr., OH, Rochester, NY, Churchville-Chili
Senior hitter Camryn Karelus led Roberts to its first win of the season in the early-season tournament at Malone University in Ohio. Karelus had a team-best 18 kills in the win and finished the weekend (four matches) with a team-best 51 kills (4.11 per set). She added 26 digs, three blocks, six assists and a team-leading five aces.
Hayden Riddle (Molloy)
Sr., S, Franklin, TN, Univ. of Southern Mississippi
Riddle averaged over four assists per set in the opening weekend for the Lions, including starting the season with 24 assists in a victory over Georgian Court. In three of Molloy's four matches, the senior matched a career-high four service aces, including against #2 Tampa.
Molly Ryan (Daemen)
Sr., OH/S, Orchard Park, NY
Ryan was a do-it-all player for the Wildcats this weekend, leading the way defensively with 39 digs (2.4 digs/set) while adding 49 assists, 23 kills, 6 aces and 9 blocks as Daemen finished 1-3 at the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament. The senior tallied a pair of double-doubles (assists-digs) in Daemen's five-set losses against Clarion and Franklin Pierce this weekend.
Stasa Stamenkovic (Mercy)
Jr., OH, Bor, Serbia, Barton CC
Stamenkovic had a strong opening week as a Maverick, recording 15 kills, 16 digs, four aces and one block as Mercy went 2-0. The junior opened the week with seven kills and a match-high 11 digs to go with two aces and two assists in the sweep of Felician on Thursday. Stamenkovic then had eight kills on .615 hitting with five digs, one block and two aces in the sweep of Bridgeport on Saturday.
2026 ECC Women’s Volleyball Weekly Award Winners
Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Grace Dilena (Mercy)
Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 31 – Kamila Colon (Mercy)
Setter of the Week
Aug. 31 – Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Mercy)
Rookie of the Week
Aug. 31 – Zoe Sercu (Queens)
2026 ECC Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll
1. Mercy - 49 points (7 first-place votes)
2. Molloy - 38 points
3. Daemen - 37 points
4. D'Youville - 29 points
5. Roberts Wesleyan - 15 points
T6. St. Thomas Aquinas - 14 points
T6. Queens - 14 points
***
Founded as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference in 1989 and rechristened the East Coast Conference in July 2006, the ECC was formed to enhance intercollegiate athletic competition among member institutions and to assist them in integrating athletics into their academic program in a fiscally sound way. The ECC is committed to the highest standards of scholarship, sportsmanship, teamwork, and citizenship. Its mission is to promote the total person concept in its student-athletes, which stresses the abilities to excel in academic achievement, athletic competition, and positive character traits. East Coast Conference members include: Daemen University (Amherst, N.Y.); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.); D'Youville University (Buffalo, N.Y.); Mercy University (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.); Molloy University (Rockville Centre, N.Y.); Queens College (Flushing, N.Y.); Roberts Wesleyan University (Rochester, N.Y.); College of Staten Island (Staten Island, N.Y.); and St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.). The ECC also is home to 13 associate members in the sports of women’s bowling (3), men’s and women’s indoor track & field (3), men's volleyball (2), field hockey (1), and men’s lacrosse (1).
The ECC sponsors the following championship sports: baseball; men’s and women’s basketball; women's bowling; men’s and women’s cross country; field hockey; men’s and women’s lacrosse; men’s and women’s indoor track and field; men’s and women’s outdoor track and field; men’s and women’s soccer; softball; and men's and women’s volleyball.
The East Coast Conference is a proud member of the NCAA and Division II. Division II is a dynamic and engaging group of colleges, institutions and conferences of varying sizes and educational missions. Division II members encourage and support diversity; value sportsmanship, fairness and equity; and place the highest priority on the overall educational excellence of the student-athlete.