DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The Mercy University Women's Volleyball Team hosts University of Bridgeport on Saturday, August 29th at 3 p.m.

Who, When and Where

Date/Time: Saturday, August 29th 3 p.m.

Records: Mercy (1-0), Bridgeport (12-18) 2025

Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

Last Meeting vs. Bridgeport

Mercy dropped a 3-1 decision at Bridgeport on November 19, 2021.

Scouting the Mavericks

Mercy opened their 2026 season with a 3-0 win over Felician on Thursday. The Mavericks were led by senior Adriana Rivera Rodriguez who had a double-double and by junior Aleksandra Lucic who had a match-high 11 kills. Mercy won their season opener for the second straight year and have won 17 home matches in a row. The Mavericks look to start 2-0 for the second straight year. Mercy is 2-28 in their last 30 meetings against Bridgeport with the last win coming in 2018.

The Mavericks have been led by Rivera Rodriguez who has a team-high 35 assists and 11 digs to go with three kills and two aces. Lucic has a team-high 11 kills with five aces, and six digs and senior Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes had nine kills. Junior Grace Dilena has eight kills, four aces and six digs and junior Stasa Stamenkovic has seven kills and 11 digs. Senior Mia Illes-Hair has six kills on the year and sophomore Kamila Colon has posted eight digs on the year.

Mercy went 22-5 last season, winning their first ECC Regular Season and Tournament Championships and advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001. The Mavericks qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year and for the ECC Championship for the sixth consecutive year. Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks were picked first in the ECC Preseason Poll and junior Grace Dilena was tabbed Preseason Player of the Year. Leading the returners is Dilena who was named AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, AVCA First Team All-Region, D2CCA Second Team All-Region, First Team All-ECC and the ECC Championship's Most Outstanding Player after starting all 27 matches with 373 kills and 212 digs last season. Also returning is senior Adriana Rivera Rodriguez who was named AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, AVCA First Team All-Region, ECC Setter of the Year and First Team All-ECC last season after starting all 27 matches with a team-high 896 assists and 244 digs. Senior Mia Illes-Hair also returns after being named Second Team All-ECC in 2025. Illes-Hair started all 27 matches, leading the team with 96 blocks while adding 187 kills. Senior Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes returns after posting 109 kills and 87 blocks last season. Sophomore Kamila Colon was second on the team with 227 digs last season and sophomore Isabella Brown returns after posting 120 digs. Sophomore Kori Sessions posted 52 kills last season and sophomores Sophia Chapman and Ella Buonauro also return.

Todorovic also adds four transfers and one freshman to the team ahead of the 2026 season. Leading the newcomers is junior Aleksandra Lucic who transfers from Florida SouthWestern State College and American International College. Lucic was named NE10 Rookie of the Year as a freshman at AIC and was named First Team All-Conference and Third Team All-American at Florida SouthWestern last season. Junior Stasa Stamenkovic joins Mercy from Barton Community College where she was named First Team All-American. Junior Devin Brunk comes from Frostburg State University where she played two years, recording over 300 kills and 270 digs. Junior Mya Rodriguez joins the Mavericks from American International and freshman Maya Norlin comes from Oswego High School in Illinois where she was named All-Conference as a senior.

Scouting the Purple Knights

Bridgeport went 12-18 last season, winning the CACC Tournament Championship to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The Purple Knights were picked first in the CACC North Division Preseason Poll. Leading the returners for Bridgeport is Hailey Jessen who had a team-high 402 kills and 3.76 kills per set last season with 267 digs. Madison Mohan returns after recording 283 kills last season and Camdyn Cieszkiewicz is back after leading the team with 750 assists in 2025. Elaine DeLallo returns after posting a team-high 421 digs last season.

Next Game

Mercy plays at Pace on Tuesday, September 1st at 7 p.m.