8/31/23

SCRANTON, Pa. -- Back for a full season of competition in 2023, Lackawanna College women's volleyball has a team full of first-year players itching to get on the court and compete.

Last season, under first-year head coach Shelby Morgan, the Falcons played a conference-only schedule, competing only against EPAC and Region XIX schools. This season, the Falcons have a robust 22-match schedule, with out-of-conference matches scheduled throughout, including their first two matches of the year, coming in a tri-match at home on Saturday, September 2nd, against PSU Hazleton and the College of Southern Maryland. Other non-conference opponents include Chesapeake and Manor College, while the usual Region XIX and EPAC suspects litter the schedule, with home-and-homes against Delaware Tech, Harcum College, Morris, Montgomery and more on the docket for the Falcons this year.

Lackawanna College only returns its coaching staff from last year's squad, as Shelby Morgan comes back for her second year in charge of the program. Morgan, who built up the program at her previous stop at Cedar Crest in Allentown, knows what it's going to take to do the same at Lackawanna College, and is very upbeat and optimistic about what her young Falcons can accomplish this season.



The Falcons have a roster of ten first-year players this season, with a mix of regional players and some players from as far away as Miami and the Dominican Republic. Mekenzie Dineen (Wilmington, DE) is a two-sport athlete who will also play softball for the Falcons in the spring. Dineen was a third-team all-conference selection in volleyball in high school, and will team with Zoe Ortueta (Miami, FL) as the two main defensive specialists for the Falcons. Ortueta was a part of some great squads at John A. Ferguson HS in Miami, and is one of two Miami natives here in Scranton, being joined by her high school teammate Angelique Fuentes (Miami, FL).



Other newcomers include setter/libero Maddilyn Durfee (Buffalo, NY), outside hitter Alasiah Carter (Coatesville, PA), defensive specialist Caley Felker (Nanticoke, PA), athletic outside hitter Gabriela Gomez (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), middle hitter April Martindell (Pocono Mountain, PA), Scranton native and outside hitter Zaliyah Small (Scranton, PA), and Lackawanna Trail graduate and middle hitter Nadia Toth (East Benton, PA).  Durfee had a great career at Attica HS, once providing ten service aces in a victory for the Blue Devils. Carter was a two-sport athlete at Coatesville, where she was an outstanding basketball player. Felker played volleyball at Greater Nanticoke Area, helping the Trojanettes to a district title in her time there. Gomez competed in Virginia for Christchurch School, helping Christchurch to a state-wide ranking at a venture into the VISAA playoffs. Martindell was a main player for the Pocono Mountain West program, while Small was a contributor to the Scranton HS girls basketball program. Small is also the daughter of Tiffaney Williams, who was an outstanding basketball player for Lackawanna College in the early 2000's. Toth was a three-sport athlete at Lackawanna Trail, but it was volleyball where she excelled for the Lions, winning team MVP her junior year and earning a spot with the Lackawanna League All-Stars, while also helping the Lions to a Lackawanna League DIII title her senior season. Toth is excited to get the season started for the Falcons.