Nationally-ranked NYU will look to defend its United Volleyball Conference Championship, as the 2024 season gets underway on Jan. 10-12, with several teams in action. Vassar College advanced to the 2024 NCAA Championship match, while NYU was a national semifinalist last season. The top six teams will advance to the 2025 UVC Championship Tournament, which will take place at the home of the regular season champion and top seed on April 11-13. The UVC Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2025 NCAA Division III Men’s Volleyball Championship.
   
Gavin Akoto, Vassar, Sr., MB, Justice, IL/Argo Community – Akoto slammed a career-high 178 kills in 2024 and led Vassar with a career-best 79 total blocks last season. He was named to the 2024 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team.
 
Andrew Kim, Hobart, Gr., OH, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Mission Viejo – Kim, the 2023 AVCA National Player of the Year, four-time AVCA All-American, two-time AVCA Regional Player of the Year, and four-time UVC first team All-Conference selection returns for his final season. He led the nation in kills per set (5.68) and points per set (6.43) last season and enters his final season with 1,463 career kills, 1,709 points and a .363 hitting percentage.
 
Krish Jain, SUNY New Paltz, Jr., MB, Hicksville, NY/Hicksville – Jain, a 2023 UVC Co-Rookie of the Year will look to lead the way after slamming 144 kills to go along with 87 blocks, while hitting .312 last season.
 
Zach Knudsen, NYU, Jr., L/DS, Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad – Knudsen, a two-time UVC Player to Watch was named the 2024 UVC Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year for the second straight season after averaging 2.48 digs per set. He was a 2024 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American.
 
Riley Oh, MIT, Sr., S, Irvine, CA/Orange Lutheran – Oh finished third in the UVC in 2024, averaging 9.54 assists per set and was sixth in the league with 2.11 digs per set.
 
Jordan Peiser, Elmira, Gr., RS, Great Neck, NY – Peiser was seventh in the UVC last season, averaging 3.24 kills per set, seventh with 3.81 points per set and ninth with 1.78 digs per set.
 
Ian Rauh, St. John Fisher, Sr., MB, Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park – Rauh, a 2024 AVCA Second Team All-American, returns after leading the UVC and placing second nationally with a .458 hitting percentage last season. He also averaged just under a block per set and averaged 2.42 kills per set.
 
Owen Wickens, Nazareth, Sr., OH/L, Rochester, NY/McQuaid – Wickens, a 2023 and 2024 AVCA First Team All-American and four-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.
 

Team Capsules (sorted by 2025 Coaches Preseason Poll Rankings)
 

NYU – 49 Points (7 First Place Votes)
Defending UVC Champion NYU is looking to duplicate its magical 2024 season, where they won 10 straight matches on their way to advancing to the NCAA National Semifinals. The Violets finished the season ranked fourth in the NVA/AVCA Division III National poll and begin the season ranked second in the 2025 Division III Preseason poll.  The Violets will be returning 14 players and six starters from last season, including each of their four all-conference selections. Zach Knudsen, the conference's two-time reigning Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year, is set to return for his senior season after an impressive junior year in which he averaged 2.48 digs per set. Sophomore Daniel Nguyen will also be back for the 2025 campaign after earning UVC Rookie of the Year honors in 2024. The sophomore setter was ninth in Division III last season in assists per set, averaging over 9.8. All -UVC First Team and UVC Second Team All-American selection, Ry Kagan will be crucial for the Violets at the net after tallying the second-most blocks per set in the conference (1.08). Lucas Osiecki comes back for his senior year following a strong 2024 in which he tallied almost 2.8 kills per set, good for 10th in the conference. Middle hitter Buddy Cohen averaged just over a block per set last season, while Luke Boyer and Emerson Evans are also key contributors for the veteran-laden Violets.
 
Vassar – 40 Points
Vassar followed up a banner 2023 season in which they finished 26-2 overall with a 25-match winning streak, and a No. 1 national ranking, while advancing to the NCAA National Semifinals by once again winning 26 matches and this time advancing to the NCAA National Championship match in 2024. The Brewers avenged a loss to NYU in the UVC Championship by winning a five-set classic against the Violets in the NCAA National Semifinal match. Head coach Richard Gary, who is currently tied for the most coaching wins in Vassar men’s volleyball history, returns 16 players and four starters from last season, including 2024 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team selection Gavin Akoto and former UVC Rookies of the Year Payne Lounsbery, Tucker Shearn and Tristan Cristofferson., While the Brewers will look to replace 2024 UVC Player of the Year and All-American Jacob Kim, several newcomers, including Henry Bonney, Shawn Zheng, Petar Miocinovic and Stuart Dow, who will look to make an immediate impact. Vassar begins the season ranked sixth in the AVCA/NVA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
Hobart – 34 Points (1 First Place Vote)
Hobart enjoyed a tremendous NCAA Division III debut season in 2024 under head coach Steve England, finishing 18-11 and advancing to the first round of the UVC Tournament. In addition, the Statesmen were nationally ranked for 11 weeks last season, jumping to as high as No. 13. Hobart, who opens the season ranked tenth nationally, returns 11 first-year players, including its entire starting lineup from last season. Graduate student Andrew Kim, the 2023 AVCA National Player of the Year, four-time AVCA All-American, two-time AVCA Regional Player of the Year, and four-time UVC first team All-Conference selection returns for his final season. He led the nation in kills per set (5.68) and points per set (6.43) last season and enters his final season with 1,463 career kills, 1,709 points and a .363 hitting percentage. Sophomores Daniel Sappia, Zach Farren and Aiden Kemora all enjoyed strong performances in their first collegiate action in 2024. Sappia was an All-UVC honorable mention selection. In addition, graduate transfer Benjamin Lincoln, a setter and first-year middle blocker Alain Malcolm will look to step right in for the Statesmen.
 
St. John Fisher – 29 Points
St. John Fisher is looking to earn its second UVC Championship and make its third trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2025. The Cardinals finished 25-6 in 2024 and were ranked as high as No. 5 in the AVCA national poll. Senior Ian Rauh, a 2024 AVCA Second Team All-American, returns after leading the UVC and placing second nationally with a .458 hitting percentage last season. He also averaged just under a block per set and averaged 2.42 kills per set. Rauh will be counted on to lead the Cardinals in 2025. St. John Fisher returns 18 student-athletes from last season, including senior libero/defensive specialist Trace LaRobardiere and senior setter Gavin Newman in addition to juniors Casey Jackson and Gabe LaRobardiere. Newman was second in the UVC in service aces per set (third nationally) and seventh in assists per set. First-year outside hitter Coleton Welter and setter Evan Hernandez will also be counted on to make an immediate impact. St. John Fisher begins the season ranked tied for 11th in the AVCA/NVA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
Nazareth – 25 Points
Nazareth won 20 matches, advanced to the UVC Semifinals and was ranked as high as No. 9 nationally in 2024. The Golden Flyers went 18-2 out of conference in 2024 and return an experienced group of veterans, paced by two-time AVCA First Team All-American Owen Wickens. Now a four-time All-UVC first team selection and three-time Empire 8 Player of the Year, Wickens, despite missing time due to injury, enjoyed a tremendous 2024 season, leading the nation with 81 service aces and 0.96 service aces per set to go along with 316 kills. He recorded 4.98 points per set, 12th nationally. Wickens enters his final season with 1,139 career kills and 1,456 points. Seniors Alex Bertino, Max Stuver, Andrew Bodensteiner and  Josh Weaver will look to lead Nazareth to a league title in 2025. Head coach Cal Wickens enters his final season behind the bench for the Golden Flyers with 417 career wins. He has served as Nazareth’s head coach since the program’s inception in 2005. Eben Meyer will take over as head coach for the 2026 season. Nazareth starts the year ranked 17th in the AVCA/NVA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
MIT – 20 Points
MIT advanced to the UVC Semifinals for the second consecutive season in 202 and used a late season surge to be ranked as high as No. 11 nationally. The Engineers return seven players from last season, including senior outside hitter Grant Oh, senior setter Riley Oh, junior middle hitter Michael Rini and junior defensive specialist Kevin Windisch. Grant Oh was named to the 2024 UVC Championship All-Tournament Team and finished the season in the top-10 among UVC student-athletes in kills and points per set. Riley Oh finished third in the UVC in 2024, averaging 9.54 assists per set and was sixth in the league with 2.11 digs per set. Rini was sixth in the league with a .393 hitting percentage in 2024, while Windisch was seventh in digs per set. Head coach Todd Elwell has brought in a strong group of talented newcomers, including Braeden Baker, Maddox Brandenburg, and Hansen Fan. MIT is ranked 20th in the AVCA/NVA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
New Paltz – 20 Points
SUNY New Paltz will look to get back to the UVC postseason 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. While New Paltz will look to replace three-time All-American Pat Wing, Junior Krish Jain, a 2023 UVC Co-Rookie of the Year will look to lead the way after slamming 144 kills to go along with 87 blocks, while hitting .312 last season. Junior setter Dan Shanley, sophomore setter Matt Marusza, graduate outside hitter Christopher Larkin, sophomore middle blocker Mike Handell and sophomore opposite hitter Michael Spiegel will be counted on to play a larger role in 2025. New Paltz begins the season receiving votes in the AVCA/NVA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
Elmira – 7 Points
Elmira won nine matches last season, including a three-set sweep over UVC Champion and NCAA Semifinalist NYU. The Soaring Eagles received votes in the AVCA Division III National poll as well during the season. Nine student-athletes and 10 newcomers will help carry the load for the Soaring Eagles this season. Senior middle blocker Edwin Sosa was fourth in the UVC with 285 kills in 2024, while hitting .294. Graduate student Jordan Peiser was seventh in the UVC last season, averaging 3.24 kills per set, seventh with 3.81 points per set and ninth with 1.78 digs per set. Senior Max Cohen was fourth in the UVC last season, averaging 9.12 assists per set. Sophomore Luke Jata added 153 kills in his debut last season and will be counted on to play a greater role in 2025. First-year Paten Buckwalter is expected to make an immediate impact for the Soaring Eagles.
 
Final 2024 UVC Standings
Vassar (26-8, 6-1 UVC) – NCAA Runner-Up
NYU (20-8, 5-2 UVC) – League Champions; NCAA Semifinalist
St. John Fisher (25-6, 5-2 UVC)
MIT (19-8, 4-3 UVC)
Hobart (18-11, 3-4 UVC)
Nazareth (20-6, 3-4 UVC)
New Paltz (17-13, 1-6 UVC)
Elmira (9-14, 1-6 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