Friday, October 3, 2025 / Saturday, October 4, 2025
Rider Broncs (5-8, 3-0 MAAC) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (3-12, 0-3 MAAC) / Fairfield Stags (9-4, 3-0 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ
Time: 6 p.m. / 2 p.m.
Live Video – ESPN+ - Friday / Saturday
Live Stats – GoBroncs.com
 
What You Need To Know
- Both of this weekend's matches will be available on ESPN+.
- Leading up to Friday's match, the Broncs are Partnering with Dude, Be Nice, we are promoting kindness and generosity on the campus and in the community. You can join us on campus, and purchase your Rider VB Dude Be Nice T-Shirt here! If you can't attend, participate with random acts of kindness on your own and Dude, Be Nice!
- The Broncs were selected third by the league's coaches in the MAAC Preseason Poll, including a first-place vote. Rider finished third in the regular season in 2024 before reaching the MAAC Tournament semifinals with a win over Merrimack. The Broncs ultimately fell in the semifinals to Quinnipiac.
- Rider got off to a strong start to conference play over the weekend, defeating Marist, then Siena, both in four sets. The Broncs then earned their first sweep of the season on Tuesday, defeating Saint Peter's in straight sets to move to 3-0 in conference play.
- Rider returns five starters from a season ago led by First-Team All-MAAC honoree Kiannisha Santiago (San Juan, PR/Hudson Catholic (NJ)). Santiago was named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team by the league's coaches this season. The senior led the Broncs last season at 3.04 kills per set and 350 total kills. This season, Santiago is among the league's best, currently third in the conference at 3.41 kills per set. The senior had 38 kills across the first conference weekend to earn MAAC Player of the Week honors.
- Other returning starters include the middle hitter duo of Second-Team All-MAAC honoree Molly Rohde (Hortonville, WI/Hortonville) and Carley McAleavey (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West). Rohde led the Broncs and was second in the MAAC last season with 139 total blocks and McAleavey led the Broncs and was fourth in the conference with a .289 hitting percentage. Rohde is sitting second in the MAAC this season, averaging 1.12 blocks per set, while McAleavey currently leads the MAAC this season, hitting .407, 29^th nationally.
- Keegan O'Connor (Weatherford, TX/Weatherford) is reprising her role as starting libero. She led Rider and was sixth in the MAAC with 337 digs a season ago. She is fifth in the MAAC currently, averaging 3.53 digs per set. She recorded her 1,000^th career dig late in the fourth set at Siena.
- Defensive Specialist Simone Langford (Hollywood, FL/Flanagan) also returns after finishing second on the team with 229 digs in 2024.
- Key reserves returning for the Broncs include Makenna Mason, who has become the starting setter this season, after coming off the bench as the second setter in Rider's 5-2 offense last season. Outside hitters Brynn Johnson (River Falls, WI/River Falls) and Rylah Robinson (Fairfax, VA/Robinson) have both seen time in the starting lineup and have earned significant playing time early this season. Mason is currently fourth in the MAAC, averaging 7.71 assists per set and recorded her 1,000^th-career assist Rutgers. Mason averaged 12.00 assists per set on the opening conference weekend while also recording a double-double against Marist to earn MAAC Setter of the Week honors.
- Carly Allen (Buffalo, NY/Sacred Heart Academy) has been Rider's top freshman this season, currently third on the team in aces with 11 and fifth on the squad with 33 digs. Erynn Gotsch (DeLand, FL/DeLand) has been key for the Broncs since the start of conference play, sitting second on the team with 32 kills in league matches.
- Rider leads the all-time series 7-3 over Sacred Heart, while the Stags lead the all-time series 46-5 over the Broncs.
- Sacred Heart is 0-3 in conference play, but has won a set in each of the three matches. Ryleigh Short leads the Sacred Heart offense with 166 kills with Miliani Villarreal leading the defensive effort with 247 digs and is second in the conference at 4.33 digs per set.
- Fairfield is currently tied with Rider and Niagara atop the MAAC standings at 3-0. Allie Elliott is seventh in the MAAC at 2.98 kills per set and seventh in the MAAC, hitting .302 on the season. Harlan Wyche leads the Fairfield defense at the net, topping the conference at 1.17 blocks per set.