St. John's University Athletics
Friday, September 6
Queens, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena)
12:00 PM
St. John's University
vs
Canisius
St. John’s Set to Host Sixth-Annual Jack Kaiser Classic
9/5/2019 4:04:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Red Storm will host Canisius, Howard and Columbia in search of its fourth-straight Kaiser Classic Title
QUEENS, N.Y. (Sept. 5, 2019) – After four straight road matches to start the season, the St. John's volleyball team will return home this weekend for the sixth-annual Jack Kaiser Classic. The Red Storm will play three non-conference contests over the course of two day with the team's opening match slated for Friday at 12 p.m. against Canisius.
The Johnnies will look to defend their title once again, having won their home tournament in each of the past three seasons. Following Friday's afternoon matchup with Canisius, St. John's will close out the day against Columbia at 5:00 p.m. On Saturday, St. John's will wrap up the tournament with a match against Howard at 12 p.m. All three St. John's matches will take place inside Carnesecca Arena and will be broadcast live on RedStormSports.com, the official website of St. John's Athletics.
This will be the sixth-straight year that the Red Storm has hosted a tournament in honor of Jack Kaiser. A Hall of Fame baseball coach and former athletic director at St. John's, Kaiser played a vital role in forming the BIG EAST Conference in 1979 and shaping the direction of college athletics in general. A staunch advocate for women's athletics at the collegiate level, Kaiser, who still serves as the department's athletic director emeritus, enters his 74th year of service to the University in 2019-20.
St. John's went 4-0 in the Jack Kaiser Classic last season, capturing wins over Eastern Michigan, Fordham, Central Connecticut and Manhattan. Erica Di Maulo was named the Jack Kaiser Classic MVP for the third consecutive year and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team alongside Rachele Rastelli and Lexie Lobdell.
Di Maulo and classmate Amanda Sanabia will have the chance to reach a pair of career milestones this weekend. Di Maulo will look to become the fourth player in program history to reach the 4,000-assist mark for her career, as the senior is currently 80 helpers shy of the plateau. Sanabia, who moved into fifth place on the program's career digs list while in Hawaii, is currently 53 shy of becoming the fifth player in program history to reach 1,500 for her career.
Canisius enters the Jack Kaiser Classic coming off a 2018 season where the Golden Griffins finished with a 17-12 record, including a 14-4 showing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season, and advanced to the program's first-ever MAAC Championship game. Canisius, who was picked to finish first in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, is coming off back-to-back five-set victories over a pair of formidable opponents in Cal State Bakersfield and Nevada last weekend.
The Griffs return four 2018 All-MAAC selections in Leah Simmons, Cassidy Ceriani, Camila Vazquez and Melina Woods. Simmons was named the 2019 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year following a 2018 campaign where she found a spot on the All-MAAC First Team after leading the squad with 331 kills, nine solo blocks and 3.18 kills per set. Ceriani, an All-MAAC Second Team selection, also had an impressive showing in 2018, registering 1,015 assists, 113 kills, 260 digs and 23 service aces.
St. John's will look to stay undefeated against Canisius, having won each of the previous four meetings between the two teams.
The Lions will play their season opener at the Jack Kaiser Classic after posting a 10-14 record in 2018, including a 4-10 mark in the Ivy League. Columbia returns four seniors in Kalie Wood, Rose Compton, Chichi Ikwuazom and Grace Campbell while adding nine newcomers. Sophomore outside hitter Emily Teehan will be a key player for the Lions in 2019 after recording 265 kills, 3.67 kills per set, 303 total points and 29 service aces last season. Teehan led all Ivy League players in kills per set (3.67), aces per set (0.35) and points per set (4.12) en route to being named a Second Team All-Ivy League selection.
The Red Storm currently holds a 5-2 record all-time against the Lions, winning in straight sets in two of their last three meetings.
After capturing the MEAC conference title for the fifth consecutive season and making its fifth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, Howard was chosen as the favorite to win the MEAC Northern Division in the conference's preseason poll. The Bison return senior Kira Porter and juniors Jurnee Tipton and Fola Wilson, all of whom were named to the 2019 Preseason All-MEAC Team. Porter led the squad with a .350 hitting percentage in 2018, was named to the All-MEAC First Team and took home most outstanding player honors at the MEAC Tournament. Tipton and Wilson were both named to the All-MEAC Second Team in 2018, as Tipton led the Bison with 336 kills and Wilson notched 491 digs on the season.
This will be just the second meeting between the two programs, with St. John's sweeping the lone contest between the teams in 2008.
The Jack Kaiser Classic will also feature three matches not involving St. John's that will take place concurrently inside Taffner Fieldhouse. Howard will play Columbia on Friday at 12 p.m. before squaring off against Canisius at 5 p.m. Columbia and Canisius will wrap the tournament with a Saturday afternoon showdown in Taffner starting at 12 p.m.
The Johnnies will look to defend their title once again, having won their home tournament in each of the past three seasons. Following Friday's afternoon matchup with Canisius, St. John's will close out the day against Columbia at 5:00 p.m. On Saturday, St. John's will wrap up the tournament with a match against Howard at 12 p.m. All three St. John's matches will take place inside Carnesecca Arena and will be broadcast live on RedStormSports.com, the official website of St. John's Athletics.
This will be the sixth-straight year that the Red Storm has hosted a tournament in honor of Jack Kaiser. A Hall of Fame baseball coach and former athletic director at St. John's, Kaiser played a vital role in forming the BIG EAST Conference in 1979 and shaping the direction of college athletics in general. A staunch advocate for women's athletics at the collegiate level, Kaiser, who still serves as the department's athletic director emeritus, enters his 74th year of service to the University in 2019-20.
St. John's went 4-0 in the Jack Kaiser Classic last season, capturing wins over Eastern Michigan, Fordham, Central Connecticut and Manhattan. Erica Di Maulo was named the Jack Kaiser Classic MVP for the third consecutive year and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team alongside Rachele Rastelli and Lexie Lobdell.
Di Maulo and classmate Amanda Sanabia will have the chance to reach a pair of career milestones this weekend. Di Maulo will look to become the fourth player in program history to reach the 4,000-assist mark for her career, as the senior is currently 80 helpers shy of the plateau. Sanabia, who moved into fifth place on the program's career digs list while in Hawaii, is currently 53 shy of becoming the fifth player in program history to reach 1,500 for her career.
Canisius enters the Jack Kaiser Classic coming off a 2018 season where the Golden Griffins finished with a 17-12 record, including a 14-4 showing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season, and advanced to the program's first-ever MAAC Championship game. Canisius, who was picked to finish first in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, is coming off back-to-back five-set victories over a pair of formidable opponents in Cal State Bakersfield and Nevada last weekend.
The Griffs return four 2018 All-MAAC selections in Leah Simmons, Cassidy Ceriani, Camila Vazquez and Melina Woods. Simmons was named the 2019 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year following a 2018 campaign where she found a spot on the All-MAAC First Team after leading the squad with 331 kills, nine solo blocks and 3.18 kills per set. Ceriani, an All-MAAC Second Team selection, also had an impressive showing in 2018, registering 1,015 assists, 113 kills, 260 digs and 23 service aces.
St. John's will look to stay undefeated against Canisius, having won each of the previous four meetings between the two teams.
The Lions will play their season opener at the Jack Kaiser Classic after posting a 10-14 record in 2018, including a 4-10 mark in the Ivy League. Columbia returns four seniors in Kalie Wood, Rose Compton, Chichi Ikwuazom and Grace Campbell while adding nine newcomers. Sophomore outside hitter Emily Teehan will be a key player for the Lions in 2019 after recording 265 kills, 3.67 kills per set, 303 total points and 29 service aces last season. Teehan led all Ivy League players in kills per set (3.67), aces per set (0.35) and points per set (4.12) en route to being named a Second Team All-Ivy League selection.
The Red Storm currently holds a 5-2 record all-time against the Lions, winning in straight sets in two of their last three meetings.
After capturing the MEAC conference title for the fifth consecutive season and making its fifth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, Howard was chosen as the favorite to win the MEAC Northern Division in the conference's preseason poll. The Bison return senior Kira Porter and juniors Jurnee Tipton and Fola Wilson, all of whom were named to the 2019 Preseason All-MEAC Team. Porter led the squad with a .350 hitting percentage in 2018, was named to the All-MEAC First Team and took home most outstanding player honors at the MEAC Tournament. Tipton and Wilson were both named to the All-MEAC Second Team in 2018, as Tipton led the Bison with 336 kills and Wilson notched 491 digs on the season.
This will be just the second meeting between the two programs, with St. John's sweeping the lone contest between the teams in 2008.
The Jack Kaiser Classic will also feature three matches not involving St. John's that will take place concurrently inside Taffner Fieldhouse. Howard will play Columbia on Friday at 12 p.m. before squaring off against Canisius at 5 p.m. Columbia and Canisius will wrap the tournament with a Saturday afternoon showdown in Taffner starting at 12 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
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