The women’s volleyball team at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City is feeling inspired. A win over New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) to open the season was the burst of energy the Peacocks needed as the team went winless in 2023. Now under the leadership of new head coach Fernando Colon, the team has a fresh sense of purpose. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play opens this Saturday when Saint Peter’s takes on Merrimack College, and players and coaches are eager to forge a new identity.
Colon is a native of Hudson County, New Jersey, so he feels at home at Saint Peter’s. When he was a high school coach, several of his players went on to play for the Peacocks. Over the past 17 years, he has built his coaching resume at New Jersey colleges.
“I was up for the challenge to turn this program around,” said Colon. “Each college that I’ve coached at, I’ve brought them from pretty much the bottom to the top. That played a huge role in the [returning] players buying in. Saying it is one thing. It’s another when they see I’ve had success at the other colleges. From day one, the girls bought in and they’ve worked hard. I think we did a good job changing the culture.”
A key tenet to success is working hard with discipline, which will translate into results. That has led to a winning mindset and an optimistic beginning. The team has five freshmen, four of whom Colon recruited. Danielle Caligiuri received conference Setter of the Week honors last week. Colon said she is up for the challenge of building a new identity for the program.
“All the kids we brought in are super competitive and want to be part of history,” Colon said. “They want to cement their own legacy and be part of the players that turn this program around.”
He described the players on the team as a tight unit. They understand that unity is a key element to team success, and they embraced it. “We did a good job of establishing a family environment,” said Colon. “That’s something you need, especially when you hit adversity.”
Being in the area where he was born and raised means Colon expects to see familiar faces when home matches get underway starting Oct. 2 when Saint Peter’s faces Rider University. “I think we’re going to have a big crowd at our games,” he said.