From Underdogs to Contenders: How Coach DeCan Revived Hudson Valley Women’s Volleyball

The Hudson Valley Community College women's volleyball program saw its 2024 season come to an end on Saturday, Nov. 2, as they were defeated in straight sets by rival Adirondack in the semifinal round of the NJCAA Region 3 Championships, hosted by Niagara County Community College in Sanborn, NY.

The 2024 season was a historic one, if not one of the best in program history. The women's volleyball team finished the year with a 15-8 record (10-4 in Region 3) and earned the fifth seed in the regional championship tournament, marking the second consecutive postseason berth for the Vikings (No. 7 seed in 2023).

This year's graduating class set new benchmarks for the program, finishing their two-year careers with a 28-20 record, including back-to-back winning seasons—something the women's volleyball team has not accomplished in over 25 years.

"Our women's volleyball program has undergone a remarkable transformation under Coach DeCan's leadership," said Justin Hoyt, HVCC Director of Athletics. "Her passion, vision, and ability to inspire student-athletes have not only elevated our competitiveness but also reignited pride in a program with such a rich history. This is just the beginning of something truly special at Hudson Valley."

For nearly two decades, the Hudson Valley women's volleyball program struggled to compete, facing challenges with maintaining full rosters and going up against top-tier Region 3 teams. Over the last 21 years, the program posted a winning record only twice, in 2010 (11-10) and 2008 (14-10). The 2008 season was also the last time the Vikings reached the NJCAA Region 3 championship tournament, where they were defeated in three sets by Jamestown.

People familiar with the program don't have to look far to understand how it transformed into a legitimate regional contender in a short timeframe. The change began with head coach Therese DeCan, who was hired in 2022. She instantly brought energy and life to a program that had won just two games the season before and was seen by opponents as an "easy win."

In her first season at the helm, Coach DeCan guided the team to a 7-17 overall record and a 6-10 Region 3 record—the best regular-season Region 3 finish since 2017, when the program went 7-10. The team also qualified for the 2022 Mountain Valley Conference postseason tournament.

Coach DeCan's personality and desire to achieve greatness while having fun playing the game of volleyball form the foundation of her program's core beliefs and values. These very principles have helped her secure program-changing recruits in a short timeframe, including some of the best players in program history.

Recruiting for Success:

After years of struggling to maintain full rosters, Coach DeCan has revolutionized the women's volleyball program. Each August, over 20 prospective student-athletes try out for a chance to join the Vikings volleyball team.

Her first recruiting class featured Adriana Diaz Rolon and Regina Ware-Salazar, both Section II student-athletes from Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk. The core of Diaz Rolon and Ware-Salazar helped rebuild the program in just two seasons, leading the team to a winning record and clinching its first postseason berth in 15 years.

Her second recruiting class, set to graduate this spring, is led by Abbigail Newell, who has helped accelerate the program's growth and etched her name in the record books as one of the best outside hitters in program history.

Rewriting the Record Books:

The most wins in over a quarter-century. The most wins over a two-year period. The highest postseason ranking in modern program history. All these accomplishments have taken place within Coach DeCan's first three seasons.

Individually, Newell has been crucial to the program's success. She tallied nine kills in Saturday's postseason loss to Adirondack, closing out her career with 356 kills, which ranks second on the all-time career kills list. Newell also proved to be one of the program's best defenders, ranking third overall with 629 career digs.

Adriana Diaz-Rolon finished her historic career as the program leader in digs, accumulating 708 digs in 47 career matches (161 career sets). Regina Ware-Salazar was third on the all-time assists list with 449 assists but is now fourth, as Gabriella Kholstinin surpassed her in 2024. Kholstinin was named to the all-region second team and the all-conference first team. She became the first volleyball player to surpass 500 assists in a single season, finishing with 551 assists (3rd all-time).

Emily Coffey, another highly touted recruit, had a tremendous season as the team's primary libero. She recorded a team-best 299 digs this year and successfully completed 93 percent of her serve receptions.

Establishing Long-Term Success:

Coach DeCan excels at motivating student-athletes and helping them reach their full potential by modeling a positive attitude and enthusiasm for the sport. She is adept at working with young athletes, guiding them to become problem solvers, critical thinkers, and decision-makers through volleyball. Her mindset and adaptability have transformed a once-struggling program into a consistently successful one, reminiscent of the legacy established by the late Hudson Valley legend Paul Bishop.

The women's volleyball program was developed by Bishop and his friend Phil Brown in 1971, when Bishop was named the assistant intramural director at HVCC. Bishop organized "play day tournaments," inviting teams from across New York to compete. The success of these tournaments laid the foundation for what would become prominent women's basketball and volleyball programs at Hudson Valley. Bishop coached the women's volleyball team from 1971 to 1988, amassing a program-best 276 wins. He is also one of the most successful women's basketball coaches in program history, with 358 wins over a 28-year span.

Team Record by Year (2022-2024)

2024 – 15-8
2023 – 13-12
2022 – 7-17
2021- 2-12
2020 – No season (Covid)
2019 – 7-17
2018 – 4-19
2017 – 9-14
2016- 5-19
2015 – 4-18
2014 – 6-18
2013 – 3-18
2012 – 4-17
2011 – 1-21
2010 – 11-10 (Last winning season prior to 2023)
2009 - 3-12
2008 -  14-10 – Last Regionals appearance prior to 2023 (lost 3-0 to Jamestown)
2007 – 9-17
2006 – 5-21-1
2005 – 10-11
2004 – 9-10
2003 – 3-14
2002 – 6-15-2