Dover, Del. (Sep. 26, 2019) --- The 2019 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference volleyball regular season race begins this weekend. Delaware State opens conference play with a visit to Coppin State on Friday (7:00 p.m.), followed by a trip to Morgan State on Sunday (1:00 p.m.), both in Baltimore.
The Hornets have been picked to finish fifth in the six-team MEAC North race in a poll of league head coaches and sports information representatives. Coppin State is fourth in the poll, while Morgan State is third.
First-year Delaware State head coach Dr. Bruce Atkinson has led the Hornets to a 5-9 overall record this season, including four victories in the last six matches. Coppin State is 3-10, while Morgan State brings a 6-7 overall mark into the weekend.
Delaware State was 2-27 overall and winless in 10 MEAC matches last season. Atkinson was hired to lead the program last February.
Coppin State swept two meetings from the Hornets last season, winning 3-1 at home and at Delaware State.
DSU is looking to snap a string of 15 consecutive losses to Morgan State since a 3-1 victory over the Bears in 2011.
Heading into conference play, Delaware State ranks in the top five among MEAC teams in five statistical categories.
The Hornets are No. 1 in the league with a .191 hitting percentage and second in aces at 1.9 per set. DSU is fourth in the conference in kills (11.9 ps) and assists (10.9 ps), while ranking fifth in digs (13.6 ps).
Individually, Hornet middle blocker Sydney Lewis (fr.) is second in the MEAC with a .354 hitting percentage, collecting 66 kills and just 20 errors on 130 attacks. Lewis had 22 kills and only one error on 29 attempts for a MEAC season-high .724 percentage vs. St. Peter's on Sep. 11
Lewis is also the conference leader in blocks at 1.2 per set, tallying 43 so far this season, including 12 solo.
The Hornets also feature another league leader in Jasmal Cruz (fr.), who tops all MEAC players in service aces at 0.54 per set (27 total). In addition, Cruz is fifth in the conference at 3.9 digs per set (195 total). She had 30 digs vs. St. Peter's on Sep. 11, tied for second best in the league this season.
DSU's Sydney Armbrister (gr.) is seventh in the league with a .247 percentage (70 kills/30 errors/162 attacks).
Delaware State outside hitters Anadys Valentin (fr.) and Ryanne Burnett (fr.) rank fifth and seventh among all MEAC players in kills. Valentin is averaging 3.13 kills per set ( 163 total), while Burnett averages 2.9 winners per set (145 total).
Burnett is a two-time MEAC Rookie-of-the-Week, while Valentin was the first recipient of the award this season.
Delaware State setter Jelena Dukic (jr.) is No. 2 in the MEAC in assists at 7.69 per set (400 total). Her 53 assists at. St. Peter's on Sep. 11 and 52 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson on Sep. 20 rank third and fourth, respectively, in the league this season.
The Hornets will play their first 2019 home match on Oct. 4 against four-time defending MEAC Howard (6:00 p.m.).
