Over winter break, each player on the Marist women’s volleyball team received an email from the Marist Athletic Department announcing that their head coach, Sean Byron, would not be returning next season. The team was surprised by the news, but it quickly set the program in a new direction, creating an opportunity for players to step up.
Freshman right-side hitter Ava Lanzetta decided that, rather than being nervous about a new head coach, she would take it as an opportunity to grow and become a better version of herself for the future. Over break, she went to the gym with her dad as much as she could to prepare and be ready for the unknown.
“I try to find the silver lining in everything and approach it as a new challenge. I’m going to be able to learn from it no matter what,” said Lanzetta.
The rest of the players adopted a similar mindset while waiting for their new staff.
Over winter break, the athletes started to think about what practices and next season could look like. The athletic staff brought them in for the coaches’ interview right as they arrived on campus. As the players learned about the potential coaches that could come into the program, they all had their eyes on one coach.
New head coach Annie DeLoid started at the Division III level with the Union Garnet Chargers for four seasons. She led the team to a 67-48 record during her tenure, ranking sixth in program history for career wins. She also earned the third-highest winning percentage of any Union volleyball coach.
In her final season, the team finished second in the Liberty League conference at 22-9 with a 7-1 record in conference play. DeLoid earned the Liberty League Coach of the Year award after guiding the Garnet Chargers to their best season in a decade. DeLoid and her staff utilized a fast-paced offense, helping them finish third in the conference in hitting percentage and assists.
When DeLoid saw the opening on the NCAA volleyball website, she applied for the job right away. She loved her job at Union after spending four years with the program and will always value the relationships she built there, but decided to apply to Marist with the excitement of rebuilding the program and finding a happy medium in which she could utilize her coaching experience and take on a new challenge.
The interview process took almost two months, but when DeLoid got to Poughkeepsie, she fell in love with the team.
“After a minute at the on-campus interview, I felt comfortable,” said DeLoid.
As soon as DeLoid got the news she would be Marist’s next head coach, she immediately made a call to bring along assistant coach Sydney Neff. Neff helped lead Union’s dominant offense during her single season with the team, helping the squad record 200 more kills than the previous season.
“It was a no-brainer for me. If she could come and make it work, she’s my right-hand gal,” said DeLoid.
DeLoid brought Neff to Union after realizing how challenging it was to game-plan for her when she played for RIT. Neff played setter for the Tigers and helped them upset DeLoid’s Garnet Chargers in five sets during the 2024 Liberty League quarterfinals. She finished the match with 45 assists and a team-high 17 digs.
Before starting practices at Marist, DeLoid and Neff met with each player individually to talk about the players’ goals and to get to know them as people. The foundation of DeLoid’s coaching style is relationship-based. She wants to make sure that her players believe in something bigger than themselves.
In her first few weeks of practice, DeLoid noticed the team’s grit, but she also noticed how coachable the team was. She introduced a variety of new drills that often pushed the team out of its comfort zone.
The approach is a shift from Byron’s practices during his tenure. He ran his practices based on team statistics. Almost every practice, the team would walk into the gym and look at a whiteboard filled with every player’s statistics from their most recent matches. Then, they would try to improve based on them.
“There are some things that numbers don’t show,” said Lanzetta.
DeLoid will use some statistics during the season, but in the offseason, she wants to bring in a new offense so the team can use its athleticism to its advantage. The offense is aiming quicker than last year, looking to create more one-on-one opportunities for hitters.
Last season, the Red Foxes leaned heavily on outside hitters junior Sara Dasic and freshman Mallory Reck. Both hitters finished with over 250 kills, but their offense was predictable, resulting in the team’s .177 hitting percentage. This is an area the team has been working on improving with the new coaching style DeLoid has to offer.
Marist has started to incorporate the new offense, but it’s been challenging during practices with
just one setter and only eight hours of practice a week. Freshman Caelyn Dumas is the only setter currently on the roster, limiting the number of drills the team can do, but at the same time, she is also gaining more experience and developing chemistry with her hitters. Neff, a former All-American setter, has stepped in to assist during practices.
With one setter, the Red Foxes can run a 5-1 offense. The middles will be involved in the offense more through the use of slides, helping spread out the Red Fox attack.
“I’m really excited to get back into the possibility of slides, and not just focusing on ones and 31s. It opens up our offense,” said sophomore middle hitter Sarah Bumstead.
The situation can also help the athletes become more versatile. Every player needs to be able to do a little bit of everything on the court, whether that’s passing, hitting, or setting. During one of the team’s most recent practices, Neff was out recruiting in Boston, so 6 ‘4 freshman right side hitter Elena Koute stepped in and set during practice.
DeLoid is focused on continuing to bring the team closer together and learning each player’s strengths and weaknesses. She wants to let her team adjust to the new system before starting to think about what the starting lineup could look like.
“It’s basically a fresh slate every year; everyone has to earn back their position and playing time,” said DeLoid.
Marist will have 15 returners next year, but each player will have to prove why they deserve their spot. DeLoid is beginning to establish the foundation for what she wants the future of Red Fox volleyball to be.
“I want this program to be one people are proud of,” said DeLoid. “When our team goes back to their hometowns, we want them to be excited to rep Marist and be proud to talk about our program.”
Edited by Sierra Fisher and Ben Leeds
Photo by Xavier Angel
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