Saturday, October 26, 2024 / Sunday, October 27, 2024
Rider Broncs (7-15, 6-3 MAAC) vs. Iona Gaels (6-15, 4-5 MAAC) / Manhattan Jaspers (1-19, 0-9 MAAC)
Location: Alumni Gym
Time: 12 p.m./1 p.m.
Live Video – ESPN+ (Saturday/Sunday)
Live Stats – GoBroncs.com
 
What You Need To Know
- Both matches this weekend will be available on ESPN+.
- This weekend's matches are part of Rider's Homecoming Weekend.
- The Broncs were selected fourth by the league's coaches in the MAAC Preseason Poll. Rider finished fifth in the regular season in 2022 before reaching the MAAC Tournament semifinals with a win over Niagara. The Broncs ultimately fell in the semifinals to eventual MAAC Champions Fairfield.
- The Broncs are 6-3 in conference play, and enter Saturday's match in a three-way tie for third place in the MAAC this season.
- Rider returns six starters from a season ago led by Second-Team All-MAAC honoree Kiannisha Santiago (San Juan, PR/Hudson Catholic (NJ)). She is joined on the outside by MAAC All-Rookie Team honoree Paige Giehtbrock (Clarkston, MI/Clarkston). Also returning are the middle hitter duo of Carley McAleavey (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West) and MAAC All-Rookie honoree Molly Rohde (Hortonville, WI/Hortonville). Ryley Frye (New Hope, MN/Robbinsdale Armstrong) returns as the Broncs starting setter with Keegan O'Connor (Weatherford, TX/Weatherford) reprising her role as starting libero.
- Key reserves returning for the Broncs include Makenna Mason, who split setting duties last season in the Broncs' 6-2 lineup, outside hitters Brynn Johnson (River Falls, WI/River Falls) and Rylah Robinson (Fairfax, VA/Robinson), middle hitter Mia Mattingly (Mokena, IL/Lincoln-Way Central), and defensive specialists Simone Langford (Hollywood, FL/Falagan) and Carly Zimmet (Purcellville, VA/Loudoun Valley).
- Giehtbrock totaled, 48 kills, 37 digs, nine aces, and six blocks as the Broncs went 3-0 during a weekly stretch to earn MAAC Player of the Week honors on Oct. 9.
- Santiago leads the Broncs this season with 170 kills and she ranks ninth in the MAAC at 2.93 kills per set. Giehbrock is second on the team with 140 and Robinson is the third Bronc in triple figures with 115. Giehtbrock also ranks fifth in the MAAC at 0.46 aces per set.
- Mason and Frye currently have 252 and 247 assists, respectively. Frye sits just behind Giehtbrock at 0.42 aces per set. Her eight aces against Siena are tied for the second-most in the country this season in a three-set match.
- O'Connor tops the Broncs at 3.54 digs per set and 202 total digs. Her 3.54 digs per set rank fifth in the league. Langford sits right behind with 170 digs this season.
- Rohde leads the Broncs and is second in the MAAC with 79 blocks including 13 in the MAAC opener against Quinnipiac.
- Iona leads the all-time series 30-19 with the teams splitting the pair of matches last year. Mackenzie Wiggins leads the Iona offense with 221 kills. Ava DeGuzman tops the Gaels' back line with 201 digs.
- Manhattan holds a 31-23 edge in the all-time series. Sara Emmons ranks fourth in the MAAC this season at 7.98 assists per set, running the Jasper's offense. The offense has been potent this season with Maike Bertens and Mikalah Curran sitting fourth and fifth in the MAAC in kills at 3.47 and 3.18, respectively.