Gatto begins first varsity season guiding Niagara Wheatfield

Overview

• Laura Gatto moves into her first season as Niagara Wheatfield's head coach after coaching at the modified and JV levels in the program.
• Niagara Wheatfield finished 14-5 in 2025-26.
• The roster includes five seniors: Kiara Humphrey, Aiyana Printup, Marissa Selak, Emma McDonald and Nina Scirri.
• Niagara Wheatfield opens Sept. 3 at Lockport and hosts Niagara Falls on Sept. 8, with consecutive home dates against Grand Island and Kenmore East on Sept. 15-16.

Niagara Wheatfield's 2026 girls volleyball season begins with a new voice leading the varsity program.

Laura Gatto is taking over as head coach after working her way through multiple levels of the program. "I was the modified coach for 1 year, the JV coach for 2 years and now this is my first year as the head coach," Gatto said.

That makes this preseason a transition point, but Niagara Wheatfield is not starting from scratch. The program went 14-5 in 2025-26, following a 13-6 season in 2024-25 and a 15-4 season in 2023-24. Those recent records set the backdrop for a group looking to establish itself under Gatto.

The senior class gives Niagara Wheatfield players in several areas of the rotation. Kiara Humphrey and Emma McDonald are defensive specialists, Aiyana Printup works in the middle, Marissa Selak gives the roster a senior setter, and Nina Scirri adds a middle/right-side option. The junior class adds more pin and front-row pieces, including outside hitters Kendra Rogers and Makayla Stewart, OH/RS Kaleigh Kendrick and middle Amari Baker.

Niagara Wheatfield opens Sept. 3 at Lockport before hosting Niagara Falls on Sept. 8 and visiting CSAT on Sept. 10. Grand Island visits Sept. 15, followed by Kenmore East on Sept. 16. The schedule closes with an Oct. 15 trip to North Tonawanda and an Oct. 20 home match against Lewiston-Porter.