With 21 invitations to the NCAA Division III playoffs since 1993, the Ithaca College women's volleyball program has solidified itself as one of the most successful in the nation, but the program’s highlights extend back much further. Since volleyball became a varsity sport in 1968, the team has posted a winning record in 46 of 57 seasons. The Bombers have recorded an overall mark of 1,412-578-7 (.708).
Johan Dulfer, became the program's eighth all-time head coach in the spring of 2016 and he ushered the program into a new era of national prominence. He guided the program to a 161-58 record over eight seasons, which included seven consecutive trips to the NCAA postseason. This stretch also included six trips to at least the Second Round and Regional Championships since the 2016 season. Dulfer guided the program to its third all-time NCAA Final Four appearance in 2017. After a season without competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dulfer guided the Bombers to a 16-14 overall record where Dulfer picked up his 100th win at Ithaca and the team appeared in the Liberty League championship along with the NCAA postseason tournament. During the 2022 season, Ithaca captured it's first-ever Liberty League championship in thrilling fashion defeating Clarkson in five-sets (17-25, 25-18, 19-25, 25-23, 15-12, but their season would eventual end in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
The 2023 season saw the Bombers win 25 or more matches for the second consecutive year as they finished with a 27-5 mark and hosted an NCAA regional for the first time since 2018. They captured their second-straight Liberty League championship and had three student-athletes earn All-American honors with both Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu and Julia Costa earning Honorable Mention honors as well as Jamie Koopman who was named to the Second Team. Koopman earned her second career All-American selection as she was Honorable Mention in 2021 was also this season's Region III Player of the Year and Liberty League Player of the Year registered a team- and Liberty League league-best .391 hitting percentage in 103 sets, which was also ranked 10th within Division III.
Tara Stilwell, an alumna of the program, returned to South Hill when she was named the ninth head coach prior to the 2024 season. Stilwell guided the Bombers to their third-straight Liberty League Championship and their ninth-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship. Ithaca defeated Lasell University and (RV) Smith College in the NCAA First and Second Rounds before falling to No. 3 Johns Hopkins in the Regional Championship match. IC finished the season with a 24–7 record and saw three student-athletes earn All-American honors: Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu and Naomi Clauhs received Honorable Mention recognition, while Wesley Slavin was named to the Second Team. Stilwell and her assistants Camryn Bancroft and Raytchelle Dos Santos Miranda earned Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
The last 13 NCAA playoff appearances came under former head coach Janet Donovan. Hired in 1992, Donovan helped the Bombers to back-to-back 37-13 records her first two years. Ithaca won its second straight Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championship in 1992, led by Laurie Roberts, who set a school record with 3,774 career assists. In 1993, the Bombers advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Donovan departed Ithaca after a 31-5 record in 2015, which resulted in the Bombers reaching the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
The 1994 team finished 53-4, setting a school record for wins, and made the program’s first trip to the NCAA Division III semifinals. The Bombers hosted the event in Ben Light Gymnasium. Tracy Swyers finished her career as the Bombers’ career leader in kills (1,659), while Lisa Black set the career digs record (1,644). All-American Melissa Kryz had a school-record 549 total blocks. Sindie Shollenberger set a record with 278 career service aces. Swyers was named a first-team All-American, and Black and Kryz picked up second-team All-America honors.
Bonnie McDowell, a first-team All-American in 1995, posted a school-record 614 kills and led the Bombers back to the national semifinals, where they finished fourth, ending the year with a 41-4 record. Teammate Heidi Nichols was named to the 1995 All-America second team. The following year Ithaca stretched its streak to four consecutive appearances in the NCAA playoffs and reached the 20-win level for the seventh straight year. Nichols again received All-America honors as a first-team selection.
The 1997 team went 32-6 and reached the championship match of the New York regional. Nichols became the program’s first volleyball athlete to be named a first-team All-American two years in a row and to receive three consecutive appointments to the All-America team. She was also named a second-team academic All-American and set Ithaca records for career kills (1,855) and blocks (671). Nichols, also an All-American high jumper with Ithaca’s track & field team, earned the NCAA’s Woman of the Year award for the state of New York—an honor encompassing Division I, II and III athletes. She was a 2010 inductee into the Ithaca Hall of Fame.
In 1998, the Bombers advanced to the NCAA regional championship match for the fourth time in five years. Eleven of their losses came to NCAA regional-qualifying teams. Freshman setter Jen Salmon was voted to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) all-region team. The next season the team recorded another 30 wins and captured the regional title, defeating Cortland, 3-2, in the regional championship match. In 1999 Salmon, along with teammates Robin Dalton, Rebecca Helmetsie and Jessica Raymond, were voted to AVCA all-region team.
The 2000 team was back in the NCAA regional championship match. Senior Stephanie Raefski was named to the District I All-Academic first team in addition to the AVCA all-region team with teammates Karen McCord, Salmon and Raymond. A year later the Bombers advanced to the regional finals for the fourth consecutive season. Salmon, Raymond and sophomore Janet Hammond were named to the all-region team. In 2002 Raymond earned her fourth straight all-conference recognition and became the program’s first All-American in five years. In 2003, two Bombers were named All-Americans as Julie Roth earned second-team honors and Hammond received honorable mention. Roth earned third-team All-America honors in 2004, along with freshman Katie Hause, who received honorable mention. The team finished 27-13 and won the Empire 8 championship. The Bombers repeated as the Empire 8 champions in 2005 and posted an overall record of 31-9. Seniors Andrea Blitz and Jen Cramer and sophomore Amanda Hubbard each received AVCA All-America honorable mention.
Hubbard received AVCA All-America honorable mention again in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, she led the Bombers to a 30-9 record and NYSWCAA and ECAC championships.
Ithaca won an ECAC Upstate N.Y. Championship in 2009 to end their season with three straight victories and a 26-17 record before returning to the NCAA tournament in 2010 on an automatic bid from winning the Empire 8 title. Senior Kate Thoene, who concluded her career ranked fourth on Ithaca’s all-time blocks list with 483 total blocks, led the Bombers to a 21-15 record in 2011. In the 2014 season, Ithaca returned to the ECAC Metro/Upstate Championship and claimed the title over Ramapo in five set to finish the year with a 25-11 record - the first winning season since 2011.
The 2015 season was a memorable one for the Bombers. Ithaca won its first Empire 8 title since 2010 and earned its first NCAA victory in 10 seasons with a sweep of Williams College in the first round. The Bombers won 15 straight matches at one point during the campaign, and prevailed in straight sets in 20 matches. Three different Bombers were named All-American at season's end - Joelle Goldstein, Kayla Gromen and Katie Evans.
Coach Nancy Hicks led Ithaca into its first varsity season in 1968 and guided the team again in 1970 and 1971. Barbara Blodgett took over in 1969. The 1971 season saw Ithaca make its first appearance in the postseason, a fourth-place showing in the NYSAIAW playoffs.
Sarah Rich guided the team from 1972 to 1977 and then again from 1979 to 1984. Jane Arnett was the school’s coach in 1978. Under coach Rich, the Bombers extended their season every year except for one, with three straight trips to the NCAA regionals (1982-84).
Rhonda Faunce, a four-year hitter for Ithaca, was a standout performer during Rich’s reign. Faunce, who set single-season Ithaca records for total blocks (207) and service aces (94), was the first Bomber volleyball player to earn All-America honors.
Coach Jane Jacobs picked up where Rich left off in 1985. During her three-year stint, the Bombers made two appearances in the NCAA playoffs. Jacobs compiled a 115-33 mark, and her 1987 team tied the school record for wins, going 44-9.
Denise Dewey, Cathy Franz, Michelle Holmes, Jocy Jones, and Adrian Warstadt were top players for Jacobs. Dewey held the Ithaca record for digs in a season (769) until 2003.
Sheila Deam directed the program from 1988-91. After two rebuilding seasons, she worked the program back into playoff contention with a 26-21 record in 1990 and a 32-15 mark in 1991. Ithaca won its first ECAC championship in 1991. Beverly Vosefski was one of the team’s top players during Deam’s tenure.
Updated: 7/21/2025
