ECC DIVISION I

Bacon Academy

Coach: Scott Dumond (4th season)

Key returnees: Sr. OH-DS Ashley Clark, Sr. OH-MB Julia Baehr, Sr. DS-L Hannah Dornfried; Sr. DS-L Jamie Green, Jr. MB Jen Whipple, Jr. MB Emma Mancuso.

Top newcomers: Jr. OH Heather Marvin, So. OH Leah Brown, So. OH Grace Gorreck, Fr. S Kiera Stewart.

Outlook: The Bobcats won two CIAC Class M tournament games last season to reach the quarterfinals. They hope to build on that success this year. “We are young from top to bottom with a good number of seniors for leadership,” Dumond said. Young or not, Bacon certainly doesn’t lack middle blockers to control play up front.

East Lyme

Coach: Jack Biggs (23rd season)

Key returnees: Sr. DS Jaylyn Mueller, Sr. OH Brooklyn Geida, Sr. DS Lindsay Hatajik, Sr. DS Ryan Nagle, Sr. S Ahna Tuttle, Jr. OH Ella Freed, Jr. DS Nina Sheehan, Jr. OH Shannon Pierce, Jr. MH Savannah Soleau, Jr. DS Anna Bonelli, So. S Shae McMunn.

Top newcomers: Fr. DS Skyler Bell.

Outlook: The Vikings return a core of players who saw quality minutes last season. They’ll need to take on bigger roles this year as East Lyme graduated three All-ECC Division I honorees. “Defense and serving will be the key to a successful season,” Biggs said. “Senior leadership will also help guide the Vikings through a tough regular-season schedule.”

Fitch

Coach: Steve Banks (25th season)

Key returnees: Sr. OH Alyssa Virtue, Sr. L Marlo Sim, Sr. DS Emma Kohrt, Jr. S Rita Sefransky.

Top newcomers: Sr. OH Charlotte Carney, Jr. OH Fiona Taber, So. MH Katie Tuohy, So. MH Annalyn Cahill, So. DS Madi Aldinger, So. OH Maddie Fancher.

Outlook: Last year’s Falcons played for the ECC Division I tournament title and reached the Class L quarterfinals. This year’s team is inexperienced, allowing Banks to provide a colorful take about them. “A young Falcon is known as an ‘eyas’" he said. “We are counting on them developing quickly with limited practice time. Hopefully the eyas will be flying soon.” Banks believes that serving and defense will be the team’s strengths and that Cahill, Touhy and Virtue could give them a qualify offensive attack.

Grasso Tech

Coach: John Blake (10th season)

Key returnees: Sr. OH Samarie Delgado, Sr. S Cheryl Caba, Jr. S Grace Pitco, Jr. S Jazmyn Lopez, Jr. OH Daneysha Cortes.

Top newcomers: Fr. S Natalie Fana, Fr. S-OH Samantha Beebe.

Outlook: The Eagles hope to string together some wins after going winless last year. It’ll be challenging as the region’s technical schools have joined the ECC so they can play regionally (the Connecticut Technical Conference has teams statewide). Blake said that the team is young and hopes to grow and play hard.

Ledyard

Coach: Marin Marciano (2nd season)

Key returnees: Sr. S Hannah Avila, Sr. L Codee Carroll, Sr. OH Kira Kassim, Sr. MB Madison Leyko, Sr. OH Natalie Poulton, Jr. OH-S Aaliyah Amidon, Jr. MB Paige Perkins.

Top newcomers: Jr. DS Julia Irvine, So. OH Grace Haydash, So. MB Lavinia Hutchins, So. L Bryleigh Johnson, So. OH-S Layla Lasisomphone.

Outlook: The Colonels look to continue to evolve with a strong veteran group. They went 10-10 during the regular season last year and beat Plainfield in a Class M first-round match, then ran into eventual champion Seymour in the next round. “Ledyard looks forward to continuing to implement a quick offense, challenging serving and scrappy defense,” Marciano said.

Lyman Memorial

Coach: Amanda Nappi (4th season).

Key returnees: Sr. OH Helen Megson, Sr. L Anna Mathewson, Sr. DS Kayla Goins, Jr. OH Fallon Bailey, Jr. MH Callie Nanos.

Top newcomers: Sr. OH April Beckwith, Sr. MH Ani Rose Johnson, So. S Kassidy LaTour, So. DS Arianna Garcia, So. OH Carlee DeRoehn, So. DS Mia Attardi.

Outlook: The Bulldogs won their third Class S title in four seasons last year and Nappi thinks this could be the best offensive team she’s seen during her nine-year career with the program (she was an assistant under former head coach Marty Gomez for five seasons). The attack will be powered by Megson, a two-time all-state outside hitter. LaTour will be taking on a bigger role as she replaces Indigo Hevner, who had 1,887 assists in her three years as a starter. Mathewson will lead a very strong defense. “We should be able to compete with any team we play this season,” Nappi said.

Montville

Coach: Harold Branstrom Jr. (2nd season).

Key returnees: Sr. S Brooke Taylor, Sr. OH Maggie Wainwright, Sr. L-DS Anna Kreitlow, Sr. OH Emma Farrar, Jr. MB Maya Hillman.

Top newcomers: So. Christyna Winstead.

Outlook: Things continue to look up for the Indians as they return nine experienced players from last season’s 10-10 team. Hillman was an All-ECC Division III first team pick last year and Branstrom expects the team to be very competitive in the deeper of the ECC’s two divisions this fall.

NFA

Coach: Tamara DeBerry (1st season)

Key returnees: Sr. Sarah Ericson, Sr. Kaylee Williams, Sr. Ari Gauthier, Sr. Anna Dutrumble, Sr. Tessa McLaughlin.

Outlook: The Wildcats never lack talent and have one of the best setters in the area in Ericson. “The girls are strong, motivated and highly competitive,” DeBerry said. “I am looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish.”

Waterford

Coach: Matt Maynard (7th season)

Key returnees: Sr. S Angela Colonis, Sr. MH Lily Kramer, Sr. OH Gabby Kramer, Jr. OH Kate Lange.

Top newcomers: Sr. DS Emma Monahan, Sr. DS Emily Mitchell, Sr. MH Gabby Morel, Sr. OH Brynn Holmes, Sr. OH Alyssa Briggs.

Outlook: The Lancers return after one of the most successful seasons in program history, highlighted by winning the ECC Division I tournament, their first tournament title. They lost a four-game Class M final, featuring them winning the second game, 38-36, the longest game in CIAC tournament history. Waterford has four All-ECC Division II players to replace, including Ryleigh Gonyo, The Day’s All-Area Volleyball Player of the Year last season. Colonis, one of Waterford’s top defenders last year, moves to setter.

Wheeler

Coach: Jeff Cummings (third season)

Key returnees: Sr. OH-S Molly Butremovic, Sr. OH Marissa Bergel, Sr. MH Juliona Martens, Sr. DS Amarie Bransford, Sr. OH Grace Armstrong, Jr. S-OH Bailey McGowan.

Outlook: The Lions won five matches last year are looking forward to this year. “The team is happy to be playing and making the most of the season during these times,” Cummings said. “Every day playing is a good day.”

DIVISION II

Griswold

Coach: Jamie Bruno (16th season)

Key returnees: Sr. MH Kamryn Lathrop, Sr. L Olivia Doyle, Sr. OH Amanda Brehler, Sr. OH-S Hannah Lynn.

Top newcomers: Jr. DS Hailey Eliasson, So. OH Sonja Matheson, So. S Kuranda Ruggiero, So. MH Makayla Neilson.

Outlook: One can always count on the Wolverines to have a good team and Bruno thinks this should be a pretty good one. “We are not the biggest and strongest hitting team,” Bruno said, “but we are very well rounded with ten players all doing their job well.”

New London

Coach: Missy Parker (3rd season)

Key returnees: Sr. MH Caylee Parker, Sr. OH Jayden Burns, Sr. S Lizbeth Nunez de la Cruz, Sr. MB Cheryann Lubin, Sr. S Ana Matos, Sr. OH Lizbeth Polonco, Sr. MB Dillan Arpin, Jr. L Yarielis Ortiz-Velazquez, Jr. OH Wennonah Amar.

Top newcomers: Jr. L Jennifer Fiestas, So. MH Nalyce Dudley, So. S Keyshla Cruz Pacheco.

Outlook: Seniors, the Whalers have them in bunches this fall. New London has a veteran roster featuring three returning starters and two All-ECC Division IV first-team picks, Burns and Parker. “Our goal is to win the division,” Parker said.

Norwich Tech

Coaches: Tim and Deb Krodel (24th season).

Key returnees: Sr. MB Lily Norris, Sr. L Paige Phaneuf.

Top newcomers: Sr. OH Emili Fiasconaro, Sr. MB Jacksen Reed, Jr. S Autumn Lovett, Jr. MB Ashlyn Bill, Jr. DS Laura Spedalier, Jr. DS Marjorie Mora, So. OH Ava Collins, So. OH-DS Caitlyn Flynn, So. OH Kaylee Gray.

Outlook: The Warriors will be a work in progress this season as Norris and Phaneuf are the lone returning senior starters. They, like Grasso, have also joined the ECC for the season. "Young and excited is the best way to describe the Warriors,” Tim Krodel said. “The future looks very promising.”

Others

Old Lyme

Coach: Erin Crayton (15th season)

Key returnees: Sr. OH Emma Boardman, Sr. L-OH Riley Nelson, Jr. MH Abby Sicaranza.

Top newcomers: Sr. OH Sophia Ortoleva, Jr. OH Melanie Warren, Jr. S Abby Speckhals.

Outlook: The Wildcats graduated nine seniors but Crayton has a good feeling about this team. “The uncertainty of this season has brought out a determination and work ethic I have not seen in any other team I have coached,” Crayton said. “I am inspired by their passion for the game. I am looking forward to a successful season and to see how far their hard work will take them.”