Coventry Volleyball Player Continues Career at Curry

A year ago, Courtney DiBiasio led the girls’ volleyball team in kills (115) and digs (129). The senior outside hitter earned First Team All-State honors.

Now, as a freshman on the Curry College volleyball team, DiBiasio is once again leading the way in kills and digs.

DiBiasio was recruited heavily to play for the Division III school, located in Milton, Mass. Only in its second year of existence, the volleyball program needed players capable of making an immediate impact.

“With Courtney’s excitement, energy level and ability, I thought she could add a strong component to our young program,” said Curry coach Roberta Stannard. “I am always looking for very competitive players with great attitudes. She exudes a love of the game on the court.”

DiBiasio also considered attending Mitchell College and Western New England College. The coaches of all three schools saw the former Oaker play in person for Coventry or for DiBiasio’s club team, the Rhode Island Blast.

After an official overnight visit in which she stayed with two of the volleyball captains, DiBiasio was convinced that Curry was the right choice for her.

“When I arrived on campus for the first time, I knew instantly that I could call this place home,” recalled DiBiasio. “I like the location, how it’s only about an hour away from Coventry and five minutes from Boston. Curry also had my major, communications with a concentration in journalism, so that influenced my decision as well.”

DiBiasio’s incredible athletic ability enabled her to excel in high school and continue her success in college. She uses her court presence and quickness to frustrate opponents on defense. But at 5’1”, it’s her 33-inch vertical leap that allows her to be a surprisingly strong hitter.

“Her jumping ability is something that blew our minds from her freshman year,” said Coventry coach Leo Bush. “She’s small, but she can finish off plays with her unsuspecting power and shot selection.”

Although Stannard only had an opportunity to watch DiBiasio play as a back row specialist for the Blast, she did see her hitting prowess on film and had no reservations of using her in the front row against much taller opponents.

“Height doesn’t mean anything if you can execute and make the point,” stated Stannard. “It also helps if you have a vertical leap like Courtney’s that matches even the best of players.”

One of three freshmen in the starting lineup, DiBiasio is taking advantage of her athleticism and playing time. She was named the Commonwealth Coast Conference Rookie of the Week for the period of Sept. 5-11.

“I had no idea that I was awarded Rookie of the Week until a teammate posted a link to the press release on my Facebook wall,” said DiBiasio. “I was absolutely thrilled. I didn’t even know such an award existed.”

On Oct. 11, DiBiasio had perhaps the best performance of her young college career. In a 3-1 win against Ana Maria College, the Coventry native had a match-high 20 kills, while also collecting 22 digs and three aces.

Despite her impressive statistics, the outside hitter puts a lot of pressure on herself to perform even better.

“Courtney is working on not being too hard on herself,” explained Stannard. “Dwelling on an error will change the way a player performs if they can’t let go of a particular play. She’s learning to accept it, fix it and move on. She’s doing well at adjusting to this.”

Another adjustment is handling a lack of team success. As of Oct. 18, the Colonels were 4-15 overall and 0-5 in conference play. A year ago, DiBiasio helped lead Coventry to a 13-1 regular season record and a trip to the state finals.

“As a team, we’re less experienced than many of our opponents,” said DiBiasio. “We’re just trying to win as many games as we can.”

Thanks to the relative proximity to home, DiBiasio’s family has been able to support her college volleyball career in person.

“Whether it’s my mom, dad and sister or just my dad, they have come to every single one of my games,” stated DiBiasio. “My parents like being able to say that I’m a starter as a freshman on a college volleyball team.”

DiBiasio has also maintained a relationship with her former team.

“When Coach Bush found out that I was named Rookie of the Week, he sent an e-mail congratulating me,” said the freshman. “I’ve also kept in touch with several of my former teammates.”

DiBiasio credits her experience at Coventry for her current success and reminisces about the closeness she had with her high school team.

“Coventry is where my volleyball career started, where I worked hard every day to get to the position I’m at now,” explained DiBiasio. “I had great chemistry with my teammates and my coaches.”

Now, as one of the building blocks of a program that is in its infancy, DiBiasio is in a great position to once again be a part of something special.