MONTCLAIR, N.J. – Montclair State University volleyball hit an uptick in 2024. This fall, they are chasing the record books.
The Red Hawks are off to their second-best start in program history and the best since 1998. At 6-0, it’s been a collective effort early on.
“We’re playing together as a team,” said sophomore outside hitter Camryn Muuss. “We’re just starting off with a really positive energy this year and we’re coming off really confident, which is helping us a lot.”
Camryn Muuss, 2024 NJAC Rookie of the Year, hopes to get the team a step closer to a conference title. Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
How could the Red Hawks not be confident? Outscoring their opponents by over 100 points, they have amazed in every facet of the game. On the heels of a remarkable season that saw Montclair State achieve its best winning percentage since 2016, the program is honoring its past success while keeping it in the rearview.
“Last year was, I think, very successful,” head coach Eduardo Stawinski said. “And I think it’s just a carryover. We had a lot of new pieces last year. We added a lot of new pieces this year. So that’s kind of just the mindset. As much as it was a successful year last year, got to wash it down, got to grow from it and then try to figure out how this team is going to click this year.”
Head Coach Eduardo Stawinski addresses the team during practice. Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
And clicking they are. The team has maintained pure dominance through its first 20 sets, winning 18 of them. Once again, the story surrounds new faces and young contributors.
For the second consecutive year, the New Jersey Athletic Conference’s first Rookie of the Week award has gone to a Red Hawk, Lucy Cornelius. A freshman from Washington, Cornelius has swiftly overtaken Montclair State’s setting duties, ranking third in the conference in assists per set. Four other first-year players have seen the floor this season. The class as a whole has left their head coach impressed.
Lucy Cornelius took home the NJAC's first edition of Rookie of the Week in 2025. Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
“None of them look like freshmen, to be quite honest,” Stawinski said. “You oftentimes have younger players take a while to get used to the fast pace of the game, but they just fit in right away. They look comfortable on the court. The one thing that’s really stood out, they’re ready to play. When you call their numbers, they’re ready to go in and perform on the court, which is a really good thing to have.”
“I also think they just bring a great new voice and a great new perspective to the team that you don’t normally see,” said Muuss. “They’re just very vocal, and I appreciate that from them, because coming in as a freshman, it’s not very easy to just be loud and come in very vocal, but I think they do a really good job of that and just expressing themselves.”
Muuss, who earned an All-American honorable mention as a first-year phenom last fall, would know best. But after having surgery on her knee last winter, this season is meaningful from a different aspect.
“It’s still a mental thing,” Muuss said. “Wanting to be better than you were, and not being able to be at your full physical ability sometimes is, you know, difficult. But I know that I can play volleyball, and I know that I can do well, so I think that pushing through and knowing what I’m capable of is really getting me through this. I think I’m just being pretty strong about it.”
Bound for a tournament at New York University this weekend, the Red Hawks will see the toughest tests of their young season. Ranked opponents Christopher Newport and the hosting Violets await, but Stawinski could not be giddier.
“I’m just excited to play top-level teams,” Stawinski said. “I think that’s shown the growth of this program through the years. We used to not be in these tournaments, and now to get those invites to go to these events and play some top-level teams is quality. It’s going to be tough, but I think that’s just the cool part about where we are right now.”
A magical 2024 season ended in a gut-wrenching NJAC semifinal loss. For the returning players, the goal has manifested itself. Six games into 2025, the Red Hawks’ mentality seems to be in the right place.
“You know, we stay together,” said Muuss. “I think that’s going to push us through a little bit further than we were last year. And although we did have good communication last year, I just think that we’re just more vocal this year. We’re hungry for this title.”
