Nationally-ranked Vassar College will look to defend its United Volleyball Conference Championship, as the 2024 season gets underway on Jan. 11-13, with several teams in action. Hobart College joins the UVC as the league’s eighth member this season. The top six teams will advance to the 2024 UVC Championship Tournament, which will take place at the home of the regular season champion and top-seed on April 12-14. The UVC Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2024 NCAA Division III Men’s Volleyball Championship.
   
Nick Gustafson, MIT, Gr., RS, San Diego, CA/Francis Parker – Gustafson earned All-UVC second team accolades in 2023 after finishing with 351 kills, 3.86 kills per set and 4.37 points per set. He was fifth in the league in both kills and points per set last season.
 
Andrew Kim, Hobart, Gr., OH, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Mission Viejo – Kim was the 2023 AVCA National Player of the Year, 2023 UVC Player of the Year and First Team All-American at Vassar. He finished in the top-10 nationally in hitting percentage (.406), kills per set (3.88) and points per set (4.60). Kim enters the 2024 season as a three-time All-UVC first team selection, three team AVCA All-American and is 48 kills shy of 1,000 for his career.
 
Jacob Kim, Vassar, Sr., S, Pleasanton, CA/Amador Valley – Kim earned AVCA All-America honors in 2023, leading the UVC and finishing fourth nationally with 10.24 assists per set. He was also named the 2023 UVC Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player. He helped lead Vassar to a .357 team hitting percentage, which led all of Division III.
 
Zach Knudsen, NYU, Jr., L/DS, Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad – Knudsen was named the 2023 UVC Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year after leading all UVC student-athletes with 2.68 digs per set. He recorded at least 10 digs in a match 10 times last season.
 
Edwin Sosa, Elmira, Jr., MB, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Centro de Excelencia Profesional – Sosa has hit .324 over his first two seasons with 307 kills, 93 blocks and 38 service aces. He had at least 10 kills in a match seven times in 2023.
 
Griffin Stella, St. John Fisher, Sr., MB, Churchville, NY/Churchville-Chili – Stella earned All-UVC second team honors and AVCA Honorable Mention All-America accolades in 2023. He was second in the UVC with a .454 hitting percentage and led the league with 104 blocks last season.
 
Owen Wickens, Nazareth, Sr., OH/L, Rochester, NY/McQuaid – Wickens a 2023 AVCA First Team All-American and three-time All-UVC first team selection slammed 417 kills, which led all of Division III. Wickens was also fifth nationally, averaging 4.30 kills per set and also fifth with 5.12 points per set in 2023.
 
Pat Wing, SUNY New Paltz, Sr., OPP, Massapequa, NY/Massapequa – Wing, a two-time UVC Player to Watch, enjoyed a tremendous 2023 season, earning First Team All-UVC accolades, AVCA All-North Region honors and garnered his second AVCA All-America honor. Wing was third in the UVC and eighth nationally in both kills (3.99) and points per set (4.63) in 2023.
   
Vassar – 44 Points (4 First Place Votes)
Vassar is picked to finish first in the UVC Preseason poll for the third straight season. The Brewers enjoyed their best season in program history in 2023, winning the UVC Championship, finishing 26-2 overall with a 25-game winning streak, and a No. 1 national ranking, while advancing to the NCAA National Semifinals. Despite the loss of 2023 AVCA Player of the Year Andrew Kim and three-time All-American Gavin van Beveren, the Brewers return 15 players from last year’s team, including senior setter Jacob Kim. Kim earned AVCA All-America honors in 2023, leading the UVC and finishing fourth nationally with 10.24 assists per set. He was also named the 2023 UVC Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player and helped lead Vassar to a .357 team hitting percentage, which led all of Division III. The Brewers have tremendous depth throughout the roster with former UVC Rookies of the Year, junior Payne Lounsbery and sophomore Tristan Christofferson in addition to former All-UVC selections, AJ Erickson and Colin Jones primed to enjoy breakout seasons. In addition, juniors Billy Fan and Gavin Akoto are looking to take on a greater role in 2024. Vassar begins the season ranked sixth in the AVCA/NVA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
NYU – 36 Points (2 First Place Votes)
NYU was nationally-ranked for all of the 2023 season, ascending to as high as seventh nationally late in the season. The Violets advanced to the opening round of the UVC Tournament. NYU returns junior libero/defensive specialist Zach Knudsen. Knudsen was named the 2023 UVC Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year after leading all UVC student-athletes with 2.68 digs per set. He recorded at least 10 digs in a match 10 times last season. In addition, junior outside hitter Luke Boyer and junior middle Ry Kagan will be counted on to help lead the offense. First-year setter Devyn Nguyen will be expected to step right in and contribute this season. NYU begins the season ranked ninth in the AVCA/NVA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll. Head coach Jose Pina won his 400th game last season and enters his 31st year at NYU.
 
St. John Fisher – 34 Points (1 First Place Vote)
St. John Fisher is looking to earn its second UVC Championship and make its third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2024. The Cardinals earned UVC runner-up honors and finished 24-8 in 2023 but will try to replace Josh Bigford, a four-time All-American and the first five-time All-UVC First Team selection in league history, who finished his career with 1,484 kills, 1731 points and 665 digs. Despite the loss of Bigford to graduation, head coach Matt Cohen returns a strong group of returners, including senior Jake Baker, a 2022 AVCA All-Region selection and classmate Griffin Stella, who garnered AVCA Honorable Mention All-America accolades in 2023. Stella was second in the UVC with a .454 hitting percentage and led the league with 104 blocks last season. In addition, junior libero/defensive specialist Trace LaRobardiere and junior setter Evan Ingerick return. First-year middle blocker Guillermo Perez will also be counted on to make an immediate impact. St. John Fisher begins the season ranked 11th in the AVCA/NVA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll.

New Paltz – 33 Points
SUNY New Paltz will look to get back to the top of the UVC standings after winning regular season titles in 2021 and 2022. The Hawks, who won NCAA Division III national titles in 2017 and 2019., returns 11 players from last season’s squad that went 5-1 in league play. Senior Pat Wing returns after earning First Team All-UVC accolades, AVCA All-North Region honors and was an AVCA Second Team All-America selection. He is a two-time All-American, also having earned first team accolades in 2022. Wing was third in the UVC in both kills and points per set in 2023. Sophomore Krish Jain, a 2023 UVC Co-Rookie of the Year is back to make a greater impact after slamming 119 kills to go along with 64 blocks, while hitting .349 last season. Senior outside hitter AJ Fitzgerald and sophomore libero/defensive specialist Luke Hofer are back and set to play a larger role in 2024. New Paltz begins the season ranked tenth in the AVCA/NVA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
Nazareth – 28 Points (1 First Place Vote)
Nazareth won 20 matches and was ranked as high as No. 9 nationally in 2023. The Golden Flyers went 19-1 out of conference in 2023 and return an experienced group of 12 players, paced by AVCA First Team All-American Owen Wickens. Now a three-time All-UVC first team selection and two-time Empire 8 Player of the Year, Wickens enjoyed a tremendous 2023 season, slamming 417 kills which led all of Division III. Wickens was also fifth nationally, averaging 4.30 kills per set and also fifth with 5.12 points per set. Wickens also recorded 189 digs and 57 service aces to go along with 128 assists and 39 blocks. He also earned AVCA All-Region honors for the third straight season. Juniors Alex Bertino, Max Stuver, Andrew Bodensteiner and  Josh Weaver will all look to play a greater role in 2024. Newcomers Tristen Henderson and Joe Selinger are set to make an immediate impact. Head coach Cal Wickens enters the season three wins shy of 400 for his career. He has served as Nazareth’s head coach since the program’s inception in 2005. Nazareth starts the year ranked 13th in the AVCA/NVA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll.

MIT – 22 Points
MIT advanced to the UVC Semifinals in 2023, winning its first league postseason match in program history. In addition, MIT defeated three nationally-ranked teams over the final two weeks of the regular season. The Engineers return 14 players from 2023, including Nicholas Gustafson, Grant Oh, Riley Oh and Dylan Ryan. Gustafson earned All-UVC second team accolades in 2023, slamming 351 kills, while placing fifth in the league with 3.86 kills per set. Senior setter Max Turner finished third in the league last season, averaging 9.81 assists per set. Senior middle hitter Phillip Johnson averaged a block per set last season, tied for third in the league. His 91 total blocks were also third. Sophomore defensive specialist Kevin Windisch will also look to play a larger role for the Engineers in 2024. MIT is receiving votes in the AVCA/NVA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
Hobart – 20 Points
Hobart is making its NCAA Division III debut under head coach Steve England, who previously led St. John Fisher as the Cardinals made their Division III debut in 2018, culminating with a UVC Championship in 2022. Hobart makes its debut with 13 first-year players, three returning students and graduate transfer Andrew Kim, who was the 2023 AVCA National Player of the Year, 2023 UVC Player of the Year and First Team All-American at fellow UVC institution Vassar. Kim put together an incredible 2023 season finishing in the top-10 nationally in hitting percentage (.406), kills per set (3.88) and points per set (4.60). He enters the 2024 season as a three-time All-UVC first team selection, three team AVCA All-American and is 48 kills shy of 1,000 for his career. First-year student-athletes Daniel Sappia and Aiden Kemora will also look to make an immediate impact along with several teammates. The Statesmen play their first two matches on Jan. 11 vs. SUNY Potsdam and Nichols.
 
Elmira – 7 Points
Elmira enjoyed a strong 2023 season, winning 13 matches, while advancing to the UVC Tournament for the second consecutive season. The Soaring Eagles received votes in the AVCA Division III National poll as well during the season. Four student-athletes and five highly touted newcomers will help carry the load for the Soaring Eagles this season Despite the loss of Oscar Munoz Trinidad and All-UVC first team selection Alberto Mauricio, Elmira will be a contender to take its first league title. Junior middle blocker Edwin Sosa was ninth in the UVC with a .287 hitting percentage in 2023, while adding 161 kills. Sophomore libero Alex Vega was second in the league in digs per set last season, while Jordan Peiser and Max Cohen will also look for an increased role this season. Cohen was fourth in the UVC last season, averaging 9.4 assists per set. First-year outside hitter Luke Jata will look to make an immediate impact for Elmira.
 
Final 2023 UVC Standings
Vassar (26-2, 6-0 UVC) – League Champions
New Paltz (20-9, 5-1 UVC)
St. John Fisher (24-8, 3-3 UVC)
MIT (16-14, 2-4 UVC)
Elmira (13-9, 2-4 UVC)
NYU (12-10, 2-4 UVC)
Nazareth (20-6, 1-5 UVC)
 
ABOUT THE UNITED VOLLEYBALL CONFERENCE
The United Volleyball Conference (UVC) is a volleyball-specific conference that features eight member institutions. The conference was founded in 2010 and began play in January of 2011. The UVC holds fair play and respect among its competitors to the highest regard and seeks to distinguish itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices.
 
For more on the UVC visit www.theuvc.org