KUTZTOWN, Pa. – After finishing last season just two wins shy of the postseason, Kutztown women's volleyball will rely on their youth and depth to get them back into postseason competition in 2024.
 
The Golden Bears finished last season with a 10-17 overall record and a 3-11 mark in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Two more conference wins would have created a four-way tie with Lock Haven, West Chester, and Bloomsburg for the fourth and final East Division seed in the PSAC Tournament, the spot that Lock Haven possessed at the end of the 2023 season. They come into the season looking to snap a 12-year postseason drought, with their last appearance coming in 2011.
 
Kutztown will look to prove league coaches wrong in 2024, as the PSAC Preseason Poll saw the Golden Bears place seventh in the Eastern Division, the spot they had at the end of last season.
 
Third-year head coach Allison Keeley will rely on a wave of youth to energize her squad, as she has brought in ten freshman to complement her existing roster. Keeley expects to depend on several returners, including juniors Emma Stalsitz (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and Mallory Hoch (Zionsville, Pa./Southern Lehigh) and sophomores Sarah Hess (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield) and Kristina Diaz (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) to lead the youth movement.
 
"We are excited to see new faces leading the way for the program this year," said Keeley. "Our mix of returning players and freshman has a lot of talent and depth across all positions. Our challenge will be to see how quickly we can develop and grow together as a team to prepare for PSAC level play. The freshman class, along with other returners, will be counted on to step in and fill the shoes of our departing seniors.  This will definitely be a fun crew to watch!"
 
Reigning East Division top seed Shippensburg leads the way in the preseason poll, picking up five of the eight first-place votes. Shepherd and East Stroudsburg followed the Raiders and cleaned up the last three first-place votes, while West Chester sits in fourth.
 
Kutztown begins the season at home, hosting a non-conference match against Felician on Friday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m. at Keystone Arena. They open conference play at East Stroudsburg on Friday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. at Koehler Fieldhouse.