New Paltz Voted Preseason Favorite in 2016 Poll
For the first time, the Hawks of SUNY New Paltz have been voted as the favorites by the coaches of the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) to win the Conference regular-season title in 2016. The Hawks claimed 61 points as well as six first-place votes. Stevens Institute of Technology received two first place votes and checked-in at second by a slim margin, edging third-place Nazareth College by just two points.
2016 United Volleyball Conference Preseason Coaches Poll
| Team (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| New Paltz (6) |
61 |
| Stevens Institute of Technology (2) |
56 |
| Nazareth College (1) |
54 |
| Elmira College |
37 |
| New York University |
36 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
33 |
| Vassar College |
24 |
| Penn State-Behrend College |
15 |
| Bard College |
8 |
The UVC was clearly one of the deepest and most-talented volleyball leagues in all of Division III in 2015, evidenced by five teams being ranked in the final AVCA poll of the season and Stevens being crowned National Champions.
A season ago, the UVC had four 20-win teams, with seven teams winning at least 17 matches.
Those facts, coupled with the excitement surround the returning stars and bright new faces have campuses across the conference eagerly anticipating the start of the season. As the action begins, another action-packed spring of UVC volleyball is sure to transpire.
SUNY New Paltz
2016 UVC Preseason Poll: 1
2015 Record: 27-6, 7-1 UVC
2015 AVCA Final Ranking: 3rd
2015 UVC Tournament Finish: Runner-Up
SUNY New Paltz is coming off its second straight NCAA-Tournament semifinal appearance and wrapped up the 2015 campaign as the NCAA Division III statistical champions in assists per set (12.36) and kills per set (13.25),
The Hawks return three UVC All-Conference selections, as well as two AVCA All-Americans, including AVCA First Team All-Americans Christian Smith and Christopher Husmann, and UVC Second Teamer Steven Woessner.
Smith served as one of New Patlz's primary setters and outside hitters a year ago and will assume the same role again this season after logging 566 assists and 245 kills in 2015. Husmann finished with the most kills and blocks a season ago with 270 kills and 75 blocks. Woessner finished with 174 kills, a team-high 35 aces, and the second-most blocks (71).
Stevens Institute of Technology
2016 UVC Preseason Poll: 2
2015 Record: 31-4, 8-0 UVC
2015 AVCA Final Ranking: 1st
2015 UVC Tournament Finish: Champions
Stevens enjoyed its finest season in program history last year, highlighted with the school's first-ever NCAA Championship as well as their first UVC Tournament Championship. More impressively is that the team had only one loss within ranks of DIII, and recorded the second-most wins (31) in a season in program history.
The Ducks will have to do without several top players from a year ago, including AVCA Player of the Year David Evans. But back for another go-around will be First-Team All-American Tim Ferriter, Gabe Shankweiler and Chris Vaughan.
Ferriter finished with 247 kills, 25 service aces and 148 digs in 2015, while Vaughan appeared in 73 sets recording 172 kills, 19 service aces and 133 digs. Shankweiler had his 2015 season cut short due to injury but in 2014 he was the UVC Co-Rookie of the Year and put away 395 kills.
Nazareth College
2016 UVC Preseason Poll: 3
2015 Record: 28-7, 6-2 UVC
2015 AVCA Final Ranking: T-4th
2015 UVC Tournament Finish: Semifinals
Nazareth finished the 2015 season with a 28-7 record. After falling to New Paltz in the semifinals of the UVC Tournament, the Golden Flyers earned an at-large bid for the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championships. Following a thrilling five-set win over UC Santa Cruz in quarterfinal action, Nazareth fell in four sets to Springfield College.
The Golden Flyers return 13 players to the squad, including AVCA All-Americans Chris Mahan and Tim Zybrt. In addition, setter Jake Kemp was the Co-Rookie of the year in the UVC.
Mahan finished with 108 blocks and a .323 hitting percentage. Zyburt hit .358 as he led the team with 395 kills and finished third with 382 digs. Kemp stepped into the starting setter role and shined in his debut as he had 1029 assists on the season.
Elmira College
2016 UVC Preseason Poll: 4
2015 Record: 20-14, 4-4 UVC
2015 AVCA Final Ranking: 11th
2015 UVC Tournament Finish: Quarterfinals
EC is coming off its second consecutive 20-win season (20-14) in 2015, which saw the Purple and Gold qualify for the UVC Tournament for a fourth consecutive year. Elmira picked up three wins against nationally-ranked opponents a year ago and climbed as high as 10th in the national rankings, before concluding the program's fifth season as the country's 11th-ranked team.
The Soaring Eagles will see the return of its two most productive outside hitters in AVCA All-American Erik Griffin and UVC honorable mention selection Mike Ellison.
Griffin was the go-to man offensively for the Purple and Gold. He totaled 439 kills in 2015 and averaged 4.14 kills per set, both of which broke the Elmira College single-season records of 420 and 3.66. Ellison, despite missing seven matches mid-season with a sprained ankle, finished second on the team with 255 kills.
New York University
2016 UVC Preseason Poll: 5
2015 Record: 17-11, 5-3 UVC
2015 AVCA Final Ranking: 9th
2015 UVC Tournament Finish: Semifinals
The New York University men's volleyball team, which finished last season ranked No. 9 in the final AVCA poll with a 17-11 overall record, has again been ranked No. 9 heading into the 2016 season.
The 2015 Violets were led offensively by outside hitters Nick Benson and Chase Klein. Benson led the Violets in kills (318), kills per set (3.74), points (360.5), and points per set (4.24) in addition to finishing third in service aces (17) and digs (111). Klein led the Violets in service aces (24) and placed second in kills (268), kills per set (3.05), points (314), points per set (3.57), and digs (113).
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2016 UVC Preseason Poll: 6
2015 Record: 18-11, 2-6 UVC
2015 AVCA Final Ranking: N/A
2015 UVC Tournament Finish: N/A
MIT ended the 2015 campaign with an 18-11 record, their first sub 20-win season since 2004.
The Engineers return seven players from the 2015 roster but will have to do without four of their five top hitters from a year ago. MIT will look to Martin Krasuski to lead the offensive attack as he totaled 229 kills and 43 blocks. MIT also welcomes back versatile Brendan Chang who can split time at libero and setter. Chang dished out 971 assists and collected 168 digs.
Vassar College
2016 UVC Preseason Poll: 7
2015 Record: 18-13, 3-6 UVC
2015 AVCA Final Ranking: N/A
2015 UVC Tournament Finish: Quarterfinals
Following an 18-13 season and an early exit in the UVC Tournament, the Brewers will be looking to go farther in 2016.
Vassar returns two All-Conference honorable mention players in Zechariah Lee and Trey Cimorelli. Lee was named the Co-Rookie of the Year as he totaled 823 assists for an average of 9.14 per set. He also served up 61 service aces.
Cimorelli averaged 2.49 digs per set and had an impressive .940 serve receive percentage.
Penn State-Behrend College
2016 UVC Preseason Poll: 8
2015 Record: 13-14, 1-7
2015 AVCA Final Ranking: N/A
2015 UVC Tournament Finish: N/A
Penn State-Behrend turned in a 13-14 record last season and much of that success came as a result of middle hitter Trenton Munk who earned UVC All-Conference honors. Munk ranked third in the UVC in blocks (106) and fifth in hitting percentage (.379). He also led the team with 221 kills.
Bard College
2016 UVC Preseason Poll: 9
2015 Record: 9-21, 0-8 UVC
2015 AVCA Final Ranking: N/A
2015 UVC Tournament Finish: N/A
The Raptors produced nine wins last season and return ten players from the 2015 squad including Alex Adams and Tyler Zowaski. Adams led the Raptors with 57 blocks last season and finished second on the team in kills with 166, while Zowaski had the most digs with 265.
Dates to Remember
The UVC Playoffs will be held on the campus of the highest seed based on the regular season standings. The 2016 UVC Playoffs will run over the course of three days with the quarterfinals beginning on April 8th, followed by the semifinals on April 9th, and concluding with the championship game on April 10th.