VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton volleyball team (8-6, 0-2 America East) welcomes both UMBC (7-5, 3-0 America East) and UAlbany (5-10, 1-2 America East) for matches in the West Gym this weekend. The Bearcats face UMBC at 7 p.m., on Friday and UAlbany at 1 p.m., on Sunday.
Friday's contest against UMBC will be Binghamton's Dig Pink Match. Throughout the evening, the Bearcats will raise awareness of breast cancer. Meanwhile, Sunday's contest against UAlbany is the latest Spread Respect Match. The Spread Respect initiative raises awareness to ensure equality and safety for all student-athletes, coaches and fans without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. Additionally, youth volleyball players around the Southern Tier are invited to attend the match to celebrate Youth Day. After the match, the youth players are invited to take the court and pass a volleyball around with a Binghamton player. Admission to all of Binghamton's home matches this season is free on behalf of
Hinman, Howard & Katell, LLP.
LAST TIME OUT ON THE COURT
Binghamton went back-and-forth with Bryant in the West Gym back on Oct. 3, with the Bearcats ultimately falling in five sets 21-25, 25-18, 23-25, 25-20, and 14-16.
Viktoria Dimitrova picked up a career-high 22 digs along with 16 kills, making it her second double-double of the season.
Regan Kadel also posted her second double-double of the season after tying her career high with 13 digs while adding a season-high 46 assists.
Eve Roman, who made her third-straight start as the libero, had a match-high 23 digs. She has recorded at least 21 digs in each of her last three matches.
MILESTONE WATCH
Kadel enters this weekend with 997 career assists. With three more, she would reach 1,000 for her career, becoming only the ninth Bearcat in program history to accomplish that. The other eight players to reach that milestone are Ashley Meffert (4,982 career assists), Sarah DeClemente (4,360), Amanda Dettmann (4,198), Lindsey Mueller (3,446), Sarah Ngo (2,938), Lottie Scully (2,461), Kiara Adams (1,947) and Julie Chambers (1,013).
MORE ON UMBC
UMBC leads the all-time series against Binghamton 29-24. In 2025, the Bearcats defeated the Retrievers in four sets in Vestal on Oct. 3, before UMBC won the next two meetings in Baltimore, Md. The Retrievers first won in straight sets on Oct. 26, before ultimately defeating the Bearcats in five sets in the semifinals of the America East Volleyball Championship on Nov. 21.
The defending champions of the America East, UMBC has won its first three conference matches this season. After defeating UAlbany in five sets on Sept. 25, the Retrievers swept Bryant and NJIT on Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 respectively.
As a team, UMBC leads the America East in assists per set at 11.60, thanks in part to Isabel Ostvig ranking at the top in assists per set at 9.49. The Retrievers also give up the lowest average of service aces in the league at 1.29. Additionally, Hannah Dobbs leads the conference in both kills per set (3.63) and points per set (4.19).
MORE ON UALBANY
UAlbany leads the all-time series against Binghamton 34-21. Both teams split their two matches against each other in 2025, each winning on their home floor. UAlbany first won in straight sets on Sept. 26, before Binghamton prevailed in four sets in the Events Center on Oct. 31.
The Great Danes go into Sunday's match having won two of their last three contests. UAlbany first defeated NJIT 3-1 on the road on Oct. 2. Then, following a loss to New Hampshire in straight sets on Oct. 4, bounced back by defeating Siena 3-1 on Oct. 7.
Mina Benucci ranks at the top of the America East in hitting percentage with a mark of .352. The transfer from the College of Southern Idaho has hit at least .313 or better in her last six matches. Meanwhile, Pinar Erol ranks third in the America East in kills per set (3.47) and fourth in points per set (3.78).
Hinman, Howard & Katell, LLP is the presenting sponsor of Bearcats Volleyball.
