VOLLEYBALL SEASON IN REVIEW • Led by 10th-year head coach Dale Starr, Robert Morris posted an overall record of 25-5 (.833) in 2019, including a mark of 15-1 (.938) in the Northeast Conference • The Colonials claimed their first NEC regular-season championship in 11 years and sixth overall in 2019 • RMU opened the season 10-0, becoming the second program in athletic department history to win each of its first 10 games of the season NIKOLETTE ZANOLLI
• In the first athletic event at Peoples Court at the UPMC Events Center, the Colonials posted a 3-0 win over Manhattan August 30, 2019, as part of the RMU Sheraton Invitational • Junior middle blocker Emma Granger, named the 2019 NEC Player of the Year, paced Robert Morris in kills (385), attack percentage (.381), service aces (60) and blocks (160)
MARIA ALFANO
• Granger led the NEC in attack percentage and per set averages in service aces (0.56) and blocks (1.60) while ranking third in the circuit in kills (3.64) • Junior middle blocker Maria Alfano, who earned a spot on the 2019 All-NEC First Team, provided the Colonials with 262 kills, a .365 attack percentage and 109 blocks • Alfano ranked second in the NEC in blocks per set (1.15) and attack percentage while ranking seventh in kills per set (2.76) • Junior setter Whitney Brown was named to the 2019 AllNEC Second Team after leading the NEC in assists per set with an average of 10.06 • Sophomore libero Nikolette Zanolli finished with a teamhigh 498 digs in 2019, an average of 4.63 per set that was good enough to rank second in the NEC • Four Colonials eclipsed 200 kills in 2019, as joining Granger and Alfano were sophomore outside hitters Alyssa Hudak (261) and Lauren Kolenik (244)
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2019-20 RMU ANNUAL REPORT
WHITNEY BROWN EMMA GRANGER
2019 NEC COACH OF THE YEAR In a vote of league head coaches, Dale Starr was named the 2019 NEC Coach of the Year Nov. 21, 2019. He led the Colonials to an overall record of 25-5 (.833) in 2019, including a 15-1 (.938) mark in the NEC. Starr guided RMU to a school record for conference wins and is the fourth coach in program history to earn the honor as well as the first since 2008. Robert Morris led the NEC in 2019 in attack percentage (.244) and with per set averages in blocks (2.79), service aces (1.66) and digs (16.80).
