SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University volleyball team begins the 2025 season this weekend at the three-day Tony Banner Memorial Volleyball Tournament hosted by Clarion.
                              
For this year's Raiders, the aim is to have its high level of competition during practice and hotly contested battles for playing time translate into another season of success as a viable contender in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division.
 
Schedule
 
Shippensburg will spend the entire month of September away from Heiges Field House, competing in various weekend tournaments before conference play begins Tuesday, Sept. 30 at Shepherd.
 
After 16 straight contests on the road, the Raiders welcome non-conference opponent Chestnut Hill for its home opener Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.
 
Due to the team's road-heavy early slate, the Raiders will enjoy two lengthy homestands during the season's final stretch: a three-game run starting with the home opener (Oct. 8-11) and a five-game home stretch beginning Friday, Oct. 24 (against conference foe Shepherd) and lasting through Nov. 8.
 
Roster
 
Shippensburg enters the 2025 season with 19 players – 15 of whom return from the 2024 fall roster. Four first-year student-athletes are new to the team.
 
Four players are operating as seniors in 2025, as Isabelle Bombas, Kearstin Davis, Kayla Johnson and Berkley Simmons are in their final season of eligibility.
 
From an athletic eligibility perspective, the team has four seniors, four juniors, seven sophomores and four freshmen.
                
Coaching Staff
 
Leanne Piscotty returns for her 22nd season as Shippensburg University's head coach. Piscotty is the winningest coach in SU history as well as the longest tenured. Her career record with the Raiders is 443-262.
 
Full-time assistant coach Chris McKim returns for his fourth season with the team, and assistant Dr. Abby Leonard is back for her 20th season alongside Piscotty. New to the staff this season are volunteer assistant Rodney Weber and student assistant Derek Warfel.
 

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Notes
 
Three of Shippensburg's four 2024 All-PSAC honorees are back this season: senior setter Davis, senior middle Bombas and junior libero Shay Kolivoski. Outside hitter Emily Gardner has graduated.
 
Davis, a two-time AVCA All-Atlantic Region honorable mention performer and a three-time All-PSAC award winner, currently sits in fifth place all-time in program history with 3,290 career assists.
 
Kolivoski, the reigning PSAC Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Year, has already totaled 732 career digs through her first two seasons.
 
Bombas ranked seventh in the PSAC last season with a .314 hitting percentage and led the Raiders with 66 blocks.
 
Also back this season is sophomore outside Gracen Nutt, who completed a medical redshirt last season due to injury. Nutt was the 2023 PSAC Eastern Division Freshman of the Year.
 
Position Breakdown
(This listing is tentative entering the season and subject to change. Several players may rotate between positions; this listing is sorted by their expected primary position on the court.)
 
Setter (2): Jaiden Anderson, Kearstin Davis
 
Defensive Specialist/Libero (4): Shay Kolivoski, Addison Haley, Berkley Simmons, Shea Stevens
 
Outside (9): Elise Bragg, Sophia Barrera, Riley Blank, Mya Davis, Augusta DeVos, Kyra Douglass, Kayla Johnson, Gracen Nutt, Clara Wildermuth
 
Middle (4): Isabelle Bombas, Hailey Cappleman, Natalya Montague, Kylie Snyder  
 
Home Breakdown
 
Pennsylvania (5)
Isabelle Bombas (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham)
Augusta DeVos (York, Pa./Central York)
Shay Kolivoski (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York)
Gracen Nutt (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg Area)
Shea Stevens (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown Area)
 
Maryland (4)
Elise Bragg (Bowie, Md./Elizabeth Seton)
Kyra Douglass (Fallston, Md./Fallston)
Berkley Simmons (Keedysville, Md./Williamsport)
Kylie Snyder (Smithsburg, Md./Smithsburg (Hagerstown C.C.))
 
Texas (2)
Kearstin Davis (San Antonio, Tex./Reagan)
Addison Haley (Allen, Tex./Allen)
 
Ohio (2)
Jaiden Anderson (Cleveland, Ohio/Eastlake North)
Clara Wildermuth (Granville, Ohio/Granville)
 
Virginia (2)
Riley Blank (Lynchburg, Va./Brookville)
Kayla Johnson (Chester, Va./Thomas Dale)
 
Colorado (1)
Natalya Montague (Centennial, Col./Smoky Hill)
 
Illinois (1)
Sophia Barrera (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook)
 
Florida (1)
Hailey Cappleman (Winter Garden, Fla./Horizon)
 
Indiana (1)
Mya Davis (Etna Green, Ind./Triton)