VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton volleyball team officially begins its pursuit of its third America East Conference regular season championship in the last four seasons when the Bearcats (5-8) open league play at UAlbany (5-7) at 6 p.m., on Friday at PE Gym.
INSIDE THE SERIES VS. UALBANY
- UAlbany leads the all-time series 33-20.
- Heading into their last matchup in the semifinals of the 2024 America East Volleyball Championship, Binghamton had won its last five matches against UAlbany. However, the Great Danes went on to defeat the Bearcats 3-1 to end that streak and advance to the finals.
THE LAST TIME ON THE COURT
Binghamton last competed in the Kathy DeBoer Invitational from Sept. 18-20, at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich. The Bearcats first fell to Michigan State in straight sets on Sept. 18, before bouncing back with a 3-1 victory over Southern Illinois Edwardsville on Sept. 19. In its final match of the tournament, Binghamton fell to Bowling Green 3-0 on Sept. 20.
MILESTONE REACHED
Binghamton's win against Southern Illinois Edwardsville was the 200th victory of Head Volleyball Coach
Allie Yaeger. Yaeger has won 56 matches in just over three seasons guiding the Binghamton program. She previously won 144 matches at Seton Hall from 2012-21. Two previous head coaches won at least 200 matches while leading the Binghamton program. Jeanne Mathias is the program's all-time leader in victories with 293 from 1973-1991, while Yaeger's predecessor, Glenn Kiriyama, won 289 matches from 1999-2021.
MAKING IT COUNT
Binghamton enters Friday's match with the highest hitting percentage among all America East Programs. The Bearcats have hit .231 as a team so far this season, registering 619 kills against 235 errors.
Maya Coblentz-Brown leads the Bearcats in hitting percentage at .273.
IN THE RANKINGS
Merima Smajlovic enters conference play just on the outside of the top 20 in the country for total kills. The outside hitter is tied for 23rd in the nation with 183 kills over 48 sets played. She also ranks second in the America East in kills per set at 3.81. At the Kathy DeBoer Invitational, Smajlovic posted a combined 43 kills in 10 sets over the course of Binghamton's three matches.
BACK UP TO SPEED
After missing the first seven matches of the season, America East Preseason All-Conference selection
Viktoria Dimitrova has continued to make an impact for the Bearcats since returning to the floor. In Binghamton's last match against Bowling Green, Dimitrova led the Bearcats with a season-high 15 kills, while also adding eight digs, two total blocks and one assist.
Hinman, Howard & Katell, LLP is the presenting sponsor of Bearcats Volleyball.
