Stevens Tech Tabbed Preseason Favorites in 2015 UVC Preseason Poll

1/6/2015 2:19:21 PM

ELMIRA, NY – For the second time in three seasons, the Ducks of Stevens Institute of Technology have been voted as the favorites by the coaches of the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) to win the Conference regular-season title in 2015. The Ducks claimed 64 points as well as eight first-place votes. SUNY New Paltz was the only other institution with a first-place vote as the Hawks checked-in at second by the slimmest of margins, edging third-place Nazareth College by just one point.

2015 United Volleyball Conference Preseason Coaches Poll

Team (First-Place Votes)	Points
Stevens Institute of Technology (8)	64
New Paltz (1)	49
Nazareth College	48
New York University	45
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	39
Elmira College	34
Vassar College	20
Penn State-Behrend College	17
Bard College	8

A Look at 2014
The 2014 men’s volleyball season was another strong one for members of the UVC. Seven UVC teams finished with a Top-15 national ranking according to the final American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) national poll of the 2014 season, headlined by NCAA Tournament Semifinalist and UVC Tournament Champion, SUNY New Platz, who ended the year with a No. 3 national ranking, the highest of any UVC affiliated institution. Of the seven nationally ranked teams from a season ago, six will be back under the UVC flag as the league has transformed from a 12-team conference to a nine-team conference following the departure of D'Youville College, Hilbert College, and Medaille College.

Preseason Honors
The UVC was well represented in this year’s Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Preseason All-American Team as seven UVC players from four institutions received honors. The Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Preseason All-American Team is in its second year of existence and in those two years, the UVC has had 14 Preseason All-American selections.

First-Team All-Americans
Outside attacker: Tim Ferriter, Stevens Institute
Middle attacker: Luke Lawatsch, Nazareth

Second-Team All-Americans
Setter: Christian Smith, SUNY New Paltz
Outside attacker: Chris Vaughan, Stevens Institute
Middle attacker: Daniel Smith, Stevens Institute
Middle attacker: Steven Woessner, SUNY New Paltz
Libero: Brendan Chang, MIT

Stevens Institute of Technology
2015 UVC Preseason Poll: 1
2014 Record: 22-10, 7-4 UVC
2014 AVCA Final Ranking: 6th
2014 UVC Tournament Finish: Semifinals

Last season, the Ducks of Stevens Tech pieced together their third consecutive 20-win season as they reached the UVC Tournament Semifinals and NCAA Division III Tournament Quarterfinals before being bounced by conference rival, SUNY New Paltz, in both tournaments. The Ducks defeated eight nationally ranked teams last year, with their best win coming against Rivier University, who was ranked second in the country at the time.

Stevens Tech will begin the 2015 campaign as early-season favorites to win the Conference, and for good reason as the Ducks return nearly everyone from last year’s 22-10 team, including four UVC All-Conference honorees and three AVCA All-Americans. AVCA First Team All-American Chris Vaughan will be back after producing 403 kills last season, making him just the seventh player in Stevens Tech history to record 400 or more kills.

AVCA Second Team All-Americans Gabe Shankweiler and Daniel Smith will also be back in 2015. Shankweiler, the 2014 UVC Co-Rookie of the Year, put away 395 kills last year, the eighth most kills in a single-season in program history. Smith led the Ducks with 116 blocks, 32 aces, and finished third in kills with 229. Also back for another go-around will be UVC First-Team setter Kevin Aeckerle, who finished his junior year with the sixth highest assists per set average in all of NCAA Division III men’s volleyball at 10.15.

SUNY New Paltz
2015 UVC Preseason Poll: 2
2014 Record: 32-4, 10-1 UVC
2014 AVCA Final Ranking: 3rd
2014 UVC Tournament Finish: Champions

SUNY New Paltz enjoyed one of their finest seasons in program history last year, highlighted with the school’s first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance as well as their first UVC Tournament Championship. The Hawks finished 2014 with 32 wins, the second-most wins in program history, and reached the NCAA Tournament Semifinals as the tournament’s second seed.

The Hawks return three UVC All-Conference selections, as well as two AVCA All-Americans, including 2014 UVC Co-Rookie of the Year Steven Woessner, First Team All-American Christian Smith, and UVC Honorable Mention Christopher Husmann. Woessner enjoyed a productive freshman year, finishing his rookie campaign with 198 kills, a team-high 50 aces, and a team-high 80 blocks. Smith served as New Patlz’s primary setter a year ago and will assume the same role again this season after logging 715 assists in 2014. Husmann finished with the team’s second-most kills and blocks a season ago with 273 kills and 72 blocks.

However, the Hawks will have to go on without AVCA All-American Tim Ferriter, who led the Hawks last season with 331 kills, as he transferred to Stevens Tech and will be playing for the Ducks in 2015.

Nazareth College
2015 UVC Preseason Poll: 3
2014 Record: 15-10, 10-1 UVC
2014 AVCA Final Ranking: T-13th
2014 UVC Tournament Finish: Quarterfinals

Following a 15-10 season and an early exit in the UVC Tournament, the Golden Flyers will be looking to bounce back in 2015. Last year, Nazareth began the season in good form but struggled down the stretch, finishing the year with one win in their final six games. 2010 was the last time Nazareth did not record 20 or more wins, however, the Golden Flyers went on to win the Division III Molten Championships the following season.

Despite going 1-5 at the tail end of the season, the Golden Flyers did claim the UVC regular season title and will return a slew of players from that team, including UVC All-Conference First Team honorees Luke Lawatsch and Tim Zyburt. Lawatsch, who was also an AVCA Second Team All-American, logged 171 kills last season but his biggest contributions came on the defensive side of the ball as he produced 97 blocks for a 1.13 blocks per set average, the ninth-best average in the country. Zyburt on the other hand was Nazareth’s go-to guy on offense in 2014 as he turned in a team-high 290 kills.

New York University
2015 UVC Preseason Poll: 4
2014 Record: 18-11, 5-6 UVC
2014 AVCA Final Ranking: T-13th
2014 UVC Tournament Finish: Runner-Up

Despite posting a 5-6 regular season mark in UVC action, the Violets earned the eighth, and final spot in the UVC Playoffs. Once they got to the tournament however, NYU hit their stride and marched all the way to the UVC Tournament Finals. NYU’s thrilling tournament run would come to halt as they fell in straight sets to NCAA Tournament Semifinalist SUNY New Paltz.

The Violets will have to do without a pair of UVC All-Conference honorees in Connor Mortland and Nick Capriccio. However, NYU does return two of their top four hitters in Chase Klein and Phil Bueno, who combined for 525 kills to make up nearly 40 percent of the Violets’ kills.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2015 UVC Preseason Poll: 5
2014 Record: 24-7, 8-3 UVC
2014 AVCA Final Ranking: 8th
2014 UVC Tournament Finish: Quarterfinals

MIT enjoyed another successful season as the Engineers posted their 10th consecutive 20-win season, one that resulted in the program’s first-ever trip to trip to the NCAA Tournament. As first-year members of the UVC in 2014, MIT qualified for the UVC Tournament but were eliminated from the Conference Championship by Stevens Tech in the quarterfinals.

The Engineers return three of their top four hitters in Alex Klein, Martin Krasuski, and Andrew Busse, who accounted for nearly 50 percent of MIT’s total kills last season. MIT also welcomes back AVCA First Team All-American and UVC Libero of the Year Brendan Chang, whose 3.25 digs per set last year ranked second in all of NCAA Division III men’s volleyball.

Elmira College
2015 UVC Preseason Poll: 6
2014 Record: 24-10, 8-3 UVC
2014 AVCA Final Ranking: 10th
2014 UVC Tournament Finish: Semifinals

In their fourth year of existence, Elmira turned in their best season in program history after finishing with program-high 24 wins and reaching the UVC Tournament Semifinals for the first time. Elmira fell victim to NYU’s hot run in the UVC Tournament but still finished the year with a top-10 national ranking.

The Soaring Eagles return the majority of their squad from a season ago but will have to do without AVCA First Team All-American and 2014 UVC Player of the Year Michael Vellutato. Of their returners, Elmira will rely heavily on Erik Griffin who claimed UVC All-Conference Second Team honors last year after leading the Soaring Eagles in kills with 377.

Vassar College
2015 UVC Preseason Poll: 7
2014 Record: 10-21, 3-8 UVC
2014 AVCA Final Ranking: N/A
2014 UVC Tournament Finish: N/A

Vassar ended the 2014 campaign with a 10-21 record, their first sub .500 season since 2007. The Brewers will rely on their one-two punch of Reno Kriz and Colin White-Dzuro in 2015. Kriz, who set a program record last year for most sets played with 115, led the Brewers with 424 kills last season, the fifth-highest kill total in Vassar history. White-Dzuro will once again set-up the Vassar attack after handing out 857 assists last season, the 13th-highest total in program history.

Penn State-Behrend College
2015 UVC Preseason Poll: 8
2014 Record: 15-10, 5-6 UVC
2014 AVCA Final Ranking: N/A
2014 UVC Tournament Finish: Quarterfinals

Penn State-Behrend turned in a 15-10 record last season and qualified for the UVC Tournament as the seventh seed, much of that success coming as a result of their versatile offense which saw six players log 100 or more kills. Unfortunately for the Lions, their top two kill-leaders, Nathan Steele and Grant Kocher, will not be back this season, nor will their starting setter Colin Ingram. Penn State-Behrend does however return their backup setter in Mitch Farabaugh, who as a freshman dished out 301 assists. Also look for Josh Oertly and Kevin Smith to be big contributors this season on the defensive side after both players tied for the team-lead in blocks with 75.

Bard College
2015 UVC Preseason Poll: 9
2014 Record: 8-24, 2-9 UVC
2014 AVCA Final Ranking: N/A
2014 UVC Tournament Finish: N/A

The Raptors produced eight wins last season, including a pair of conference victories. Bard lost their top hitter and setter from a season ago but return seven of nine players from the 2014 squad, including a pair of defensive minded players in Alex Adams and Daniel Gagne. Adams led the Raptors with 71 blocks last season and finished second on the team in kills with 196, while Gagne had the third-most digs with 199.

Dates to Remember
The UVC Playoffs will be held on the campus of the highest seed based on the regular season standings. This year’s tournament format will differ from past years as the 2015 UVC Playoffs will run over the course of three days with the quarterfinals beginning on April 10th, followed by the semifinals on April 11th, and concluding with the championship game on April 12th.