The 53^rd Siena Volleyball season has arrived and the Saints will get marching on the court this weekend with matches on Friday and a twin bill on Saturday at the Central Connecticut State Tournament when Siena takes on Atlantic 10 member Rhode Island in its opener for a second straight season on Friday at 3 p.m. from Detrick Gymnasium in New Britain, CT.

Under second-year head coach Tyler Kanelos, the Saints will look to take the next step after earning an eight-win improvement from the previous season and a conference tournament berth for the first time since 2022. 

The action continues Saturday with matches scheduled against Holy Cross of the Patriot League at 11 a.m. and against the hosts Central Connecticut State of the Northeast Conference at 5 p.m.

All matches can be streamed on NEC Front Row and live stats are available through CCSU's web site. Live updates from this weekend's matches and all season will also be available by following @SienaVB on "X."

Central Connecticut State Tournament Schedule

Friday, Aug. 28
Siena vs. Rhode Island 3 p.m. – Follow Live Stats | Watch

Saturday, Aug. 29
Siena vs. Holy Cross, 11 a.m. – Follow Live Stats | Watch
Siena at Central Connecticut State, 5 p.m. – Follow Live Stats | Watch

The Saints are 0-3 all-time against Rhode Island, having last played the Rams to open the 2025 season and will be seeking to avenge last year's three-set defeat. URI was selected ninth out of 10 teams in the A10 Conference for the second straight season and slipped to a 5-25 mark last season under head coach Ryan Sullivan. The Rams' key returners include junior outside hitter Havyn Rolle (227 kills with a .224 hitting percentage in 2025), senior setter Ema Stermenska (345 assists, 20 aces, and 135 digs) and senior middle blocker Chloe Abuto (108 total blocks and 133 kills).

Siena is meeting Holy Cross for just the fifth time and leads the all-time series 3-1 including last season's sweeping victory. The Crusaders were projected to finish seventh out of nine teams in the Patriot League. Top returners include sophomore outside hitter Emma Sorensen (led team with 310 kills on a .205 hitting percentage and had 27 aces), sophomore outside hitter KK Green (248 kills), and 6-foot-3 junior middle blocker Lacey Murphy (86 total blocks and 121 kills). Head coach Matthew Cribbin enters his second season at the helm after a 9-23 season in his first go-around. 

The Green and Gold also play the host CCSU Blue Devils, whom the Saints hold a 14-11 all-time series lead between the schools including last season's 3-0 victory. CCSU upped their record by five wins last season to 9-19 and rose in the NEC Preseason Coaches' Poll to a projected fourth place from a field of eight teams under third-year head coach Alyssa Broccoli. CCSU's top returners feature junior pin hitter Olivia Keckler (317 kills), senior setter Anja Milosevic (958 assists) and junior libero Annabelle Denommé (led team with 57 aces and 316 digs).

The Saints, rose in their conference projections by four spots in the Preseason Coaches' Poll from 2025 to 2026. Siena was slated to finish sixth based upon a vote by the league's head coaches of the Metro. 

Siena brought in six transfer student athletes to join 12 returners. The Saints had two selections on the All-Metro Preseason Team in senior right side Doga Diraz (407 kills on a .239 hitting percentage) as well as sophomore right side Mary Claire Deacy (ranked fifth in the Metro in hitting percentage at .305 with 295 kills). 

Other top returners for the Saints include junior outside hitter Gabrielle Wire (325 kills), junior setter Alara Doganyuz (707 assists, 45 aces), sophomore outside hitter Natalia Clifford (282 digs, 32 aces) and sophomore libero Autumn Willmott (267 digs, 43 aces). 

Siena gained transfer additions from VCU in junior setter Abby Edwards, St. Francis (PA) in redshirt sophomore outside hitter/defensive specialist Brianna Miller, Saint Mary's College (Calif.) redshirt sophomore right side Anna Hanson, Queen's (N.C.) sophomore middle hitter Lauren Stiles, UAlbany redshirt senior libero Brooke Malek and UNC Ashville junior middle blocker Alison Goldberg.