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Former New Paltz Women's Volleyball Standout Priska Wilson Named Assistant Coach
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Former State University
of New York at New Paltz women's volleyball standout Priska
Wilson has been named the assistant women's volleyball
coach at New Paltz for the 2011 season, as announced by the
Department of Athletics, Wellness & Recreation.
Wilson's responsibilities with the team next season include being
in charge of passing and defense in addition to helping Giufre with
recruiting, scouting, practice and match preparation.
“Priska was a key member of our team during the best two
seasons in the history of the program,” head coach Matt Giufre
said. “Her constant pursuit of excellence and overall pride
in her performance inspired and challenged her teammates each day.
Priska was a very intelligent defensive player with an uncanny
ability to read the opponents' offense and position herself and her
teammates accordingly. She is a great communicator and knows how to
reach many audiences, including current team members and prospects.
Her experience will serve her well, as she will be in charge of our
team defense as well as supporting all of our student-athletes in
their individual roles and our pursuit of team excellence. I expect
Priska to continue to hold herself and all of us to very high
standards while supporting the academic, athletic and social
missions of our team. I look forward to working with her again,
this time as colleagues.”
Wilson competed on the New Paltz women's volleyball team in 2008
and 2009, playing a pivotal role in the team's most successful two
years in program history as a libero. During that time, the Hawks
went 65-16, won a State University of New York Athletic Conference
(SUNYAC) title and captured an NCAA Division III regional
championship in 2008, which gave the blue and orange a berth into
the national quarterfinals.
A star at SUNY Potsdam prior to coming to New Paltz, Wilson earned
All-SUNYAC honors in 2006 and 2007 as a Bear before capping her
career with Second-Team All-Conference laurels in 2009 as a Hawk.
She finished up her time at New Paltz with 646 digs in 74 matches
played, averaging 3.11 digs per set. After graduation, Wilson
worked as a sports information intern at St. Joseph's College in
Brooklyn, N.Y., for a year.
“I am so excited to be returning to New Paltz!” Wilson
said. “After graduating, I knew I wanted to remain involved
in athletics, and this is an amazing opportunity to begin my career
in coaching. I learned so much as a player during my two years at
New Paltz, and I know I will learn even more as a coach. Matt has
worked to build a very successful women's volleyball program, and I
am thrilled to be rejoining the team.
Wilson obtained her bachelor's degree in communications with a
concentration in media management from New Paltz in 2010.
The Hawks open their 2011 slate with the Molten Volleyball Pikes
Peak Challenge on the campus of Colorado College from Sept. 2-3,
contesting Westminster (Mo.) College, Colorado College, Howard
Payne University and Gustavus Adolphus College.
