Women's Volleyball | 8/16/2025 3:28:00 PM
NEWARK, N.J. - The Rutgers–Newark women's volleyball team has unveiled its 2025 regular-season schedule. The Scarlet Raiders begin their campaign with a home showcase at the Golden Dome Athletic Center on August 29, where they will host Farmingdale State and Hunter College in a packed day of action. Less than 24 hours later, the team heads to Wilkes-Barre, PA, for a tri-match at Wilkes University on August 30, squaring off with Wilkes and Keystone College.
Coach Sovanny Kon emphasized the team's goals for the season: "We're looking to make an impact in the NJAC this season and make every conference match competitive," said Head Coach Sovanny Kon. "If you're going to beat us, our opponents will have to figure out solutions and earn it. We're also aiming for a top 100 RPI ranking, which is a challenge we're ready to embrace."
The schedule keeps the Raiders on their toes throughout September with a road trip to Penn State Abington on September 2 before returning home to host Albright College and CCNY in a tri-match on September 6. The homestand continues with York College (NY) on September 11 and a tri-match with Cairn University and Lehman College on September 13. A conference road test at NJCU on September 23 is followed by a home NJAC showdown against Rutgers–Camden on September 30.
October features the toughest travel and several pivotal league contests. The Raiders head to Stockton on October 2 before traveling to New York City to meet John Jay and Regis on October 4. Conference play continues at Ramapo on October 7, with additional road dates at Immaculata and Marywood — along with a neutral-site match against Gwynedd Mercy — over the October 10–11 weekend. The team then returns home for NJAC battles against Kean on October 14 and Montclair State on October 23, with a home tri-match against Brooklyn College and RIT set for October 25. The month concludes with a trip to Rowan on October 28.
The regular season wraps up in November with an early road trip to FDU–Florham on November 1 before Rutgers–Newark celebrates Senior Night at home against William Paterson on November 4. The Scarlet Raiders then head to Elizabethtown, PA, on November 8 for their final matches of the regular season against Elizabethtown College and Stevenson University.
Coaches Corner
Coach Sovanny Kon highlighted the balance and depth of the 2025 roster. "We have 10 returners and 10 first-year players. It will definitely be a yin-yang group, and we hope to complement each other in preseason to bring a dynamic energy that Rutgers–Newark fans will enjoy watching grow together," she said.
Kon also pointed to key returning players who will anchor the team this season: Tracey Ilderis, Jaedyn Simba-Malasarte, Shayla Moody, and Angelyse Orellana , all returning starters. She expressed excitement for Mia Espinoza, who is returning from a redshirt season due to injury, to contribute as a middle blocker. Tracey Ilderis led the team last season with 199 kills and 253.5 points and will look to build on that success in 2025. Shayla Moody quickly emerged as strong offensive contributors, ranking among the team's top five in kills and points. Running the offense, Angelyse Orellana was the catalyst for much of the Scarlet Raiders' scoring, recording 613 assists last season. Defensively, Jaedyn Simba-Malasarte anchored the back row, leading the team with 271 digs.
"We'll also have a deep bench of skilled new talent with the addition of 10 recruits from all corners of the United States joining the program," Kon added, "which should create competition in practice and bring fresh energy to the lineup."
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