 |  |
Amanda Alayon Tabbed as Manhattanville Women's Volleyball Coach
PURCHASE, N.Y. – After a four-year
collegiate career at Division I Farleigh Dickinson University,
Amanda
Alayon will bring that experience to Purchase as the next
coach of the Manhattanville women's volleyball program, Athletic
Director Keith
Levinthal announced on Tuesday morning.
“I am excited to have Amanda take over the reins of our
women's volleyball program,” Levinthal said. “She
brings an enthusiasm for the game of volleyball and a strong
tactical background that should carry over well to the players both
on and off the court. We expect the program to continue its forward
progress under her watch this season.”
“I would first of all like to thank Keith for giving me the
opportunity to coach the volleyball team here at
Manhattanville,” Alayon said. “I am beyond excited to
bring an upbeat energy and positive attitude to this year's squad.
This season I intend on turning this program around through hard
work and dedication both from the team and from myself. It is not
going to be easy, but I cannot wait for a fresh start with this
group of girls.”
During her senior season, Alayon also served as head women's
volleyball coach at the Red Raider Volleyball Club in Thiells,
N.Y., performing all aspects of the job including planning and
conducting practices, coordinating schedules and making travel
arrangements. During the 2009-10 season, she served as an assistant
coach with the TCA New Jersey Under-18 team, where she helped with
the play of Ariel Scott, who has gone on to play with four-time
defending national champion Penn State University.
Alayon brings four years of Division I experience to
Manhattanville after playing at the collegiate level at FDU. She
was a two-year starter as a defensive specialist for the Knights,
starting all 64 matches over her final two years. After a breakout
junior season in which she posted 228 digs and ranked second on the
team in assists, she had her best year as a senior, when she ranked
fourth on the squad with a career-high 252 digs and 24 service aces
and also ranked third on the team in assists.
In four years with the Knights, she recorded 507 career digs
(1.75/set), 47 service aces and 47 assists. Off the court, the
scholarship student-athlete was a four-year member of the Northeast
Conference Academic Honor Roll and was named a FDU Knights
Scholar-Athlete in all four seasons.
A 2011 graduate of Farleigh Dickinson, Alayon currently resides in
West Haverstraw, N.Y.
Alayon will make her Valiant head coaching debut on September 1 at
7 p.m., when Manhattanville kicks off a four-match homestand to
start the 2011 campaign at Kennedy Gymnasium against local rival
Purchase College. The Valiants have 11 matches on the home court
this season, the most in a single season in nearly 20 years.
