Shenendehowa Plainsmen pair Barletta, Kinkaid, among six newcomers to UAlbany women’s volleyball roster

ALBANY, N.Y. — The University at Albany women’s volleyball program and head coach Josh Pickard have announced a class of six recruits ahead of the 2024 season.

“This class brings us a great amount of depth at several positions,” Pickard said.

“These players will step into our gym and compete, which is something we are always looking for. We want to raise our level of play every day and this group can do it in all areas of the game. Off the court, we have a great group of people, people we are proud to add to the UAlbany volleyball family,” Pickard added.

Hailing from three different countries, the incoming class will head to the USA from all over the world. With two heading west from Cyprus and Croatia, the Great Danes will welcome four players from three states, including two locals from Clifton Park.

Kasia Barletta

DS/L | 5-4 | Clifton Park, N.Y. | Team LVC | Shenendehowa High School

Quick Facts: The 2023 New York Section II Player of the Year, Barletta reached 2000 career digs in her senior season after hitting 1000 career digs as a sophomore. The two-time NYS Class AA First Team All-State honoree was named Suburban Council First Team and a Times Union First Team All-Star after her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons.

Pickard on Barletta: “Kasia is joining us from right up the road. Both her and Sabrina [Kinkaid] played for a very well-respected Shenendehowa High School program as well as LVC in the club ranks. It’s hard to talk to anyone in the area who doesn’t know about Kasia and has great things to say about her on the court. She passes and reads on defense well. She is the type of player that others want to play with.”

Sabrina Kinkaid

MB | 6-2 | Clifton Park, N.Y. | Team LVC | Shenendehowa High School

Quick Facts: A member of a NYSPHSAA State Champion team, Kinkaid’s high school team was a three-time sectional and regional champion. The two-time Times Union All-Star (First Team and Second Team) was named a NYS Suburban Council First Team All-Star for both her junior and senior seasons. With her club team, Team LVC, Kinkaid earned AAU Junior National Volleyball Championship 17U Aspire All-Star honors.

Pickard on Kinkaid: “Sabrina comes to us from right up the road and can play two front row positions. She continues to grow every day and hits a heavy ball. We are excited to see her grow in our gym and make her presence known. Sabrina has won a state championship at the high school level and we are excited for her to bring that experience to our gym.”

Dora Filipovic

OH | 6-1 | Zagreb, Croatia | HAOK Mladost |​​Gymnasium Lucijan Vranjanin | Tyler Junior College/Seward County CC

Quick Facts: Spending one season each playing for Tyler JC in Texas and Seward County CC in Kansas, Filipovic comes to UAlbany as a junior. While at Tyler, she tallied a .249 hitting percentage in 34 matches, 100 sets, while adding 41 blocks and 35 digs. Continuing her career at Seward County, she compiled 3.01 kills per set with 262 kills in 87 sets (25 matches). Often seeing time in all six rotations, she added 203 digs, 23 service aces, and 23 blocks. She earned at least 10 kills in 20 matches, with a career-high 27 kills, throughout two seasons at the junior college level.

Pickard on Filipovic: “Dora comes to us after a great career at the junior college level. She is a six-rotation outside with a good size who has a strong arm. Her ability to be an asset in both the front and back row will make her a valuable addition to the team.”

Nia Gibson

OH/RS | 6-1 | Bowie, Md. | Paramount 18 Walter | Elizabeth Seton High School

Quick Facts: A three-time WCAC award winner, Gibson earned Second Team All-WCAC honors twice. Seeing her third as an Honorable Mention, she was named the Elizabeth Seton Coaches Award winner. While in high school, Gibson also ran track.

Pickard on Gibson: “Nia is a fantastic player at the net. She has a real knack for finding the ball on defense and can take away a lot of the court from attackers. She is still scratching the surface on what she is capable of and continues to grow every day.”

Kiki Provatas

DS/L | 5-6 | Palm Harbor, Fla. | OTVA | Calvary Christian High School

Quick Facts: A four-year varsity team member, Provatas was named all-county after the conclusion of all four seasons. Twice named First Team All-County, she concluded her high school career as the PCAC Senior All-Star MVP. Also a beach volleyball player, Provatas earned a spot on the All-American national watchlist twice (2022-23) and the AVCA national watchlist once (2021).

Pickard on Provatas: “Kiki is a player who came on our radar late but has an excellent background both in club and HS volleyball. She has a great tenacity for both serve receive and defense and we are excited about the depth she brings to our backrow.”

Maria Olga Siapani

S | 5-8 | Limassol, Cyprus | Lemesos Volleyball | The Grammar School of Limassol

Quick Facts: A member of the U18 Cyprus Indoor Volleyball Champion team for three years in a row, Siapani was chosen as the best U18 athlete by the Cyprus Olympic committee twice (2021, ‘22). She added two championship titles with her school team, The Grammar School of Limassol with two third-place finishes in the Panhellenic School Championship (2022, ‘23). Also a beach volleyball player, she has three gold medals from the Pancyprian Women’s Championships. An athlete on the world stage in both indoor volleyball and beach volleyball, she has five top-ten finishes outside of her country – two in world competition and three in European competition.

Pickard on Siapani: “Maria extends the great relationship that UAlbany has with Cyprus to the volleyball program. She comes from an exceptional volleyball family and has great experience both on the court and on the beach. Her ability to locate hitters and put the ball right where they need it will make her a great asset to the team.”