Hall of Honor
The 2009 volleyball team captured the program's first-ever MAAC Championship to start one of the most dominant dynasties in MAAC volleyball history. One year removed from being the youngest team in the nation, the Purple Eagles capped off the 2009 season with the biggest turnaround in the nation with a plus-17 win increase from the previous season.
The Purple Eagles won a then-program record 23 matches, including a then-program record 14 conference matches. Niagara opened the season by winning the Niagara Invitational to improve to 3-0 for the first-time in program history.
Niagara entered the MAAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed. In the semifinals, the Purple Eagles eliminated the four-time defending champion Siena Saints in five sets to advance to the program's second-ever MAAC Final. Niagara swept the Marist Red Foxes in the MAAC Championship match. In the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, the Purple Eagles faced the No. 13 seed Michigan Wolverines in the 2009 NCAA Tournament First Round where they fell to the Wolverines in three sets.
The Purple Eagles finished the season second in the MAAC in hitting percentage (.220), opponent hitting percentage (.182), assists per set (12.19) and kills per set (13.35). Three Purple Eagles set single-season records. Michelle James, the career leader in assists, led the MAAC in assists with 10.61 per set and her 1,199 assists were a then-program record (now is third). Sam Morgan, the program's career leader in digs, set a then-program record with 613 digs; she led the MAAC in digs (613) and digs per set (5.19). Hannah Hedrick set a then-program record with 472 kills on a program record 1,305 attacks. Hedrick was third in the conference in kills per set (4.0) and points per set (4.43).
Niagara boasted the National Coach of the Year by College Volleyball Update and the MAAC Coach of the Year (Susan Clements), the MAAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, and Honorable Mention All-American (Hannah Hedrick) and the MAAC Setter of the Year (Michelle James). Niagara placed two on the MAAC All-Tournament Team (Amanda Wilken and Michelle James), two on the All-MAAC First Team (Hannah Hedrick and Michelle James) and one on the All-MAAC Second Team (Kari Honomichl). Seven Purple Eagles were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
Roster
1 Lisa Blich
3 Rebecca Suchy
4 Lauren Costello
5 Sam Morgan
7 Amanda Wilken
8 Kathy Bibler
10 Hannah Hendrick
11 Michelle James
13 Shannon Ryan
15 Kari Honomichl
