Southern Connecticut volleyball fell just short of the NCAA Championships in 2025 ... and that left the Owls hungry in the offseason. SCSU is off to a good start again in 2026, running out to a 6-2 beginning behind a veteran core that includes fifth-year Sydney Bennett. The right side has been playing her best volleyball over the last year-plus, serving as a blocking force on the pin and an efficient offensive weapon.
Bennett missed a full season earlier in her career to a torn ACL. It was certainly a setback, but it was also an experience that informed her academic pursuits. Bennett is a biology grad now working on a masters in public health with a future eye toward med school. She has interest in orthopedics or pediatrics and has set herself up nicely, not just as a decorated volleyball player, but as a well-awarded student, having claimed the Northeast 10 President's Award in the spring of 2026.
Bennett talks about all those things and how she made her way to Connecticut fron Florida.
NE10 NOW: The Podcast chats regularly with student-athletes across the Northeast 10 about their success on and off the field, giving fans a chance to get to know the people behind the jersey numbers, stats and starting lineups. New episodes drop on YouTube, featured on NE10 social media channels and on Northeast10.org.
2026 - 2027 Interviews
Ep. 1: AIC Football's Hardley Gilmore
Ep. 2: Bentley Soccer's Sydney DeRoche
Ep. 3: SCSU Volleyball's Sydney Bennett
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
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