LAKEWOOD, N.J. (November 24, 2024) – South Division No. 1 seed and event host Georgian Court University defeated North Division No. 1 seed Post University, 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20), in the championship final of the 2024 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Women’s Volleyball Championship tournament on Sunday afternoon at the GCU Wellness Center.
Georgian Court wins the CACC title for the seventh occasion in the program’s 23-year history and the first time since 2019. The Lions claim the CACC’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division II East Regional Championship.
GCU (21-9) recovered from a 16-11 Set 1 deficit to draw even at 18-18. Trailing 19-18, the Lions went on to win seven of the final eight points. Set 2 was also tied, 18-18, before an Eagle service error, a Martina Croce ace and a Nylene Mateo kill gave the hosts the lead for good. The Lions extended from a 13-13 Set 3 tie to a 19-15 edge. Post pulled to within 20-18 before GCU won the next three rallies. Three points later, a kill by Mateo set off the Lion celebration.
Mateo hit .324 with a match-high 15 kills and nine digs. GCU’s Chelsea Ross played to a .500 attack percentage with 10 kills and seven blocks. Kristina Peric had 13 kills and Hannah Brandt added 11 for Post (20-11), which was making its first finals appearance since 2018.
Ross was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after hitting .489 with 23 kills and 16 blocks during the event. Georgian Court looks forward to the NCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Selection Show on Monday at 7:30 p.m.
2024 CACC WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarterfinals (Tuesday, Nov. 19, at Sites of Higher Seeds)
N#1 Post 3, S#4 Goldey-Beacom 0
N#3 Dominican 3, S#2 Chestnut Hill 2
S#1 Georgian Court 3, N#4 Felician 0
S#3 Jefferson 3, N#2 Bridgeport 0
Semifinals (Saturday, Nov. 23, at Georgian Court University)
Georgian Court 3, Jefferson 1
Post 3, Dominican 1
Championship Final (Sunday, Nov. 24, at Georgian Court University)
Georgian Court 3, Post 0
2024 CACC WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Kaitlyn Carr (Dominican)
Morgan Ritchie (Jefferson)
Hannah Brandt (Post)
Sara Enright (Post)
Alyssa Groves (Post)
Kristina Peric (Post)
Giorgia Cappelletti (Georgian Court)
Nylene Mateo (Georgian Court)
Chelsea Ross (Georgian Court)
Amiyah Woods (Georgian Court)
Iciar Zayas (Georgian Court)
MVP: Chelsea Ross (Georgian Court)
2024 CACC WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TOP XVII AWARD
(Student-Athlete with the Highest Cumulative Grade Point Average at the Finals Site)
Maria Fernanda Branco, Post University
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its affiliation with NCAA Division II. Conference institutions compete for championships in 18 sports – eight for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 12 members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes Bloomfield College of Montclair State University, the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.