Volleyball Completes Non-Conference Schedule This Weekend at Binghamton Invitational

Setting the Scene, Part I
Who: Bucknell (1-5) vs. Canisius (1-5)
When: Friday, Sept. 11 at 1 p.m.
Where: Events Center - Vestal, N.Y.
Live Video: America East TV
Live Stats: binghamtonbearcats.com

Setting the Scene, Part II
Who: Bucknell (1-5) vs. Mercyhurst (1-6)
When: Friday, Sept. 11 at 4 p.m.
Where: Events Center - Vestal, N.Y.
Live Video: America East TV
Live Stats: binghamtonbearcats.com

Setting the Scene, Part III
Who: Bucknell (1-5) at Binghamton (1-6)
When: Saturday, Sept. 12 at 1:30 p.m.
Where: Events Center - Vestal, N.Y.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: binghamtonbearcats.com

About Bucknell

Bucknell Volleyball finishes the 2025 non-conference schedule at the Binghamton Invitational this weekend. The Bison will face three regional foes in Canisius, Mercyhurst, and host Binghamton. All three games will be streamed. The Canisius and Mercyhurst matches will be found on America East TV and the Binghamton game will be on ESPN+. Live Stats links for all three contests can be found on the Bucknell Volleyball schedule page.
The Orange & Blue faced No. 12 Penn State on Tuesday night and were swept by the national champions.
The Bison were selected to finish third in the Patriot League preseason poll behind reigning champion Colgate and Army. Bucknell lost 3-2 in the Patriot League semifinals last year to the Black Knights of the Hudson.
Caleigh O'Connell returns for her senior season after winning 2024 Patriot League Setter of the Year. O'Connell picked up the 2025 preseason edition of the honor and along with Sidney Shaffer landed on the All-Patriot League Preseason team.
Along with O'Connell and Shaffer, Bucknell returns two other 2024 All-Patriot League members in Bri Frazilus (First Team) and Tijana Kostic (Second Team).
The program lost two-time Patriot League Libero of the Year Jordan Hardy to graduation. She was the first Bison to win the award and earn AVCA Honorable Mention honors. Hardy graduated as the program's all-time leader in digs with 1986.
Five freshmen join the Bison for 2025: Avery Bryan, Stephanie Eroh, Brynna Guy, Peyton McGee, and Klea Tarja. Four of the five players have seen action for Bucknell.
Bucknell has a new head coach at the helm. Tyler Hagstrom, who rebuilt the program, left in July for the head position at Penn. Assistant coach Jeremy Young was elevated to interim head coach. Young enters his fifth year overall in Lewisburg.
An interesting note is all four teams in the Binghamton Invitational have one win so far in 2025 and Bucknell played and beat two of the teams (Binghamton and Canisius) in 2024.

Scouting Canisius/Series History

The Golden Griffins posted a solid 17-14 overall record and a sparkling 12-6 MAAC mark in 2024. Their season ended with a sweep to one-seeded Fairfeld in the MAAC Semifinals.
Canisius sits at 1-5 after the first two weekends of play. Their latest outing featured a 0-3 record against Albany, Cornell, and Syracuse.
The Griffs were picked to finish fifth in the 13-team MAAC.
Ella Bourque won the latest Jersey Mike's MAAC Co-Setter of the Week award with her 110 assists and 17 digs at the Albany Invitational.
Bourque for the season has 202 assists, averaging 8.78 per set.
Four players have more than 30 kills, led by Bella Mosquera's 58.
Tom Hanna enters his fourth year as head coach, having amassed a 41-50 record.
Bucknell is 12-4 all-time against Canisius, having won four straight against the Catholic school, including an epic 3-2 win last year.

Scouting Mercyhurst/Series History

Mercyhurst staggered to a 5-19 overall record and a 4-10 NEC mark in 2024. The season represented the Lakers' first campaign in Division I. The year ended on a high note with two wins over fellow Division II move-up Le Moyne.
The Lakers are 1-6 with their sole win arriving over Patriot League foe Holy Cross at the Mercyhurst Invitational.
Mercyhurst was projected to finish fifth in the nine-team NEC.
Julia Shepherd leads the Laker attack with 78 kills, averaging exactly three per set.
Ryan Patton enters his 21st season as head coach and will be counted upon to guide Mercyhurst through the Division I transition.
Bucknell and Mercyhurst met for the first time. He owns a career record of 266-318.

Scouting Binghamton/Series History

Binghamton finished 19-11 overall and 8-2 in America East play last season. The Bearcats received the number-one seed in the America East Tournament but were upset in the semifinals by Albany. They received a bid to the National Invitational Volleyball Championships where they lost in four sets to Bowling Green.
The Bearcats are 1-6 in 2025 and have been swept by Army and Lehigh. They lost in five sets to UConn and Fordham and defeated Rider.
Binghamton was picked to finish fifth in the six-team America East.
One player, Viktoria Dimitrova, made the preseason all-league team.
Maya Coblentz-Brown was named America East Rookie of the Week on Sept. 9.
Merima Smajlovic leads the Bearcats with 94 kills, averaging 3.48 per set.
Allie Yeager enters her fourth season at Binghamton. She has a 52-38 record.
Bucknell is 1-1 all-time against Binghamton. The Bison swept the Bearcats last year at the 2024 Bearcat Classic.

Up Next

Bucknell begins Patriot League and Davis Gym play on Sept. 19 when Lehigh travels to Lewisburg.

Volleyball Completes Non-Conference Schedule This Weekend at Binghamton Invitational

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Avery Bryan

Stephanie Eroh

Bri Frazilus

Brynna Guy

Jordan Hardy

Tijana Kostic

Peyton McGee

Caleigh O'Connell

Sidney Shaffer

Klea Tarja

Volleyball Completes Non-Conference Schedule This Weekend at Binghamton Invitational

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Avery Bryan

Stephanie Eroh

Bri Frazilus

Brynna Guy

Jordan Hardy

Tijana Kostic

Peyton McGee

Caleigh O'Connell

Sidney Shaffer

Klea Tarja

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