St. John’s Volleyball Storms Into Final 16

Joanne Persico-Smith started the St. John’s volleyball program 14 years ago as a labor of love. As time has passed, the Red Storm program started the slow climb from doormats to Big East champions.
Moreover, the good times do not seem to be ending any time soon for Persico-Smith and the 12th-seeded Red Storm. St. John’s advanced to the Sweet 16 regional in Gainesville, Florida with a come-from-behind victory over Delaware, on Saturday night at the Carnesecca Arena.
In defeating Delaware in four sets, 23-30, 30-28, 31-29, 30-23, after dispatching LIU-Brooklyn last Friday night, St. John’s has advanced to the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 for the first time in school history.
Throughout the growing pains of building the program, Persico-Smith has maintained her enthusiasm. Her passion for the game has been transmitted towards her team and throughout the school - two enthusiastic crowds showed up over the weekend to lend their support toward the program.
“It is a dream come true and I am blessed to be here,” the coach said. “Since the first day I arrived on campus, everyone has been as supportive as a family and that is what St. John’s is.
“What really makes this special are all the people that have been here since the beginning that were here tonight,” she continued. “This is just a great moment that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
The program has written new chapters each year that have earmarked further success for the program. The Red Storm (33-3) won their first Big East regular season title last year. They shared the co-Big East championship and won the post-season tournament title this fall.
Big East Player of the Year Hui Ping Huang was critical in the Delaware victory, piling up a match-high 24 kills. Senior outside Latoya Blunt added 20, senior setter Wioleta Leszczynska had 58 assists and Big East Libero of the Year, junior Lena Yee, added a season-high 30 digs.
“Other people were up and down,” Persico-Smith said, “but our libero was fantastic.” St. John’s played the comeback card after losing the first game to Delaware and being down 18-10 in the second game. After a few strategic moves by Persico-Smith, which included playing Huang outside and relying more on secondary hitters Dana DeMayo and Valeria Kovaleva, the tide turned.
“I knew that we had to play one point at a time,” Leszczynska said. “Once we started getting points back and got closer to Delaware we started to get our confidence back. I never believe that it is over. I always try to think positively. Even if we are down by a lot, we know we can come back.”
The magic carpet ride continues Friday for St. John’s when they take on heavily favored USC in Gainesville, FL. No matter the result, the fairy tale script has been completed.
“It is amazing,” Blunt said. “Never in a million years did I think we would be at this point. I am just glad that we are here with this team and I would not change a thing.”