Time to Dance! Volleyball Gets No. 8 Seed in NCAA East Regional
Purple Knights earn automatic bid after hoisting second CACC title in three years.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Fresh off their dramatic 3-2 win over Holy Family to capture the 2025 CACC Championship, the University of Bridgeport's volleyball team gathered to watch the NCAA Division II Selection Show on Monday night. UB was announced as the East Region's No. 8 seed, setting up a first-round matchup at top-seeded Bentley (24-4) on Thursday, Dec. 4.
The Purple Knights, making their 11th appearance in the"Big Dance," enter the national tournament with tremendous momentum after winning five straight matches. Their postseason surge included two sweeps in the CACC playoffs to reach the conference title match, where they ultimately secured the championship with a thrilling five-set victory over Holy Family.
Hailey Jessen earned CACC Tournament MVP honors for the second time in her career (also in 2023) after delivering a dominant postseason performance, averaging 5.3 kills and 3.1 digs per set. She currently ranks second in the conference in both kills (3.77) and points per set (4.4).
Freshman setter Camdyn Cieszkiewicz—also a CACC All-Tournament selection—has been instrumental in UB's late-season rise. She averaged 10.1 assists per set in conference play, good for second in the CACC, and elevated that mark to 12.1 assists per set during the postseason.
Senior standout Lucia Tomiello and freshman outside hitter Madison Mohan joined Jessen and Cieszkiewicz on the CACC's All-Tournament Team. Tomiello broke the conference single-match hitting percentage record in the semifinal win over top-seeded Wilmington, posting 13 kills on an .867 hitting clip.
Earlier this month, she also picked up her third career All-Conference honor with a spot on the CACC Second Team. Mohan, UB's second-leading attacker this season, has been equally impactful, averaging 3.7 kills per set over the team's last six matches.
Beyond its All-Tournament selections, UB continues to receive valuable contributions across the roster. Junior libero Elaine DeLallo leads the team in digs per set (3.78), while freshman Cecilia Kowalski has anchored the front line with a team-best 72 blocks.
UP NEXT
UB takes on top-seeded Bentley for the third time this season on Dec. 4. The Purple Knights were defeated twice by the Falcons during the regular season.