No. 1 seed New York University and No. 2 seed Nazareth University advanced to the 2025 UVC Championship match after winning their respective UVC Semifinal matches from the John A. Paulson Center on the campus of NYU on Saturday, April 12. The defending champion Violets began the day by defeating No. 5 seed SUNY New Paltz in three sets, while the Golden Flyers outlasted No. 3 Vassar College in a five-set thriller.
 
NYU and Nazareth will meet for the 2025 UVC Championship on Sunday at 2 p.m. Earlier in the season, NYU defeated Nazareth in three sets in Rochester, NY on March 23 by scores of 25-20, 25-21, 25-20. Emerson Evans had 10 kills, while Devyn Nguyen had 31 assists and nine digs for NYU. Owen Wickens had a match-high 14 points and eight digs for Nazareth. The 2025 UVC Champion will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Men’s Volleyball Championship Tournament. NYU is looking to win its second straight UVC title and third as a league member, while Nazareth is attempting to win its fourth league title and first since 2013. The Golden Flyers won the first three UVC Championships in 2011, 2012 and 2013,
 
The NCAA Division III Men’s Volleyball Selection show will take place Monday, April 14 at 10 a.m. First and quarterfinal action will take place April 17-19 at campus sites. The championships will conclude with the semifinal and final rounds April 25 and 27 at the Cregger Center in Salem, VA. 
 
NO. 1 NYU 3, NO. 5 SUNY NEW PALTZ 1 (25-23, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19)
Top-ranked NYU remained unbeaten on the season, improving to 24-0 after defeating SUNY New Paltz (14-14) in four sets in the first UVC Semifinal. The Violets won by scores of 25-23, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19.
 
The Violets (24-0, 8-0) beat the Hawks (14-14, 4-4) in four sets: 25-23, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19.

The first set was thrilling as both teams fought to gain a lead. NYU was able to wedge a three-point lead at 21-18 with a kill from Emerson Evans assisted by Devyn Nguyen. New Paltz closed the gap to within a point but the Violets finished the set with a kill from Lucas Osiecki, setting the tone for the next set. 

In the second set, New Paltz led until Bennet Tchaikovsky forced an early Hawks timeout at 8-6 due to pressure from his serve. The Hawks regained the serve out of the time out through a strategic tip off the hands of the Violets block. NYU gained momentum as they strung together points through hustle plays led by Nguyen and strong defense at the net. NYU reported five blocks in the second set alone. 

The third set began with a kill from team captain, Buddy Cohen. That energy persisted as the Violets created a four-point gap at 5-1 until a mis-serve which gave New Paltz the serve. The Hawks closed the gap to 6-5, then Tchaikovsky subbed in to serve and forced a Hawks timeout.

The break successfully froze Tchaikovsky, but the Violets remained unfazed earning points to bring the score to 13-8 after which New Paltz took another timeout.

The Hawks returned to the court and strung together five consecutive points, eliminating the Violet lead at 13-13. Then two points,  a setter dump, and a block flipped the momentum to favor the Hawks as they took the lead for the first time in the set 17-15.

The Violets responded to their lead, tying up the score at 18-18. The teams went back and forth until the Hawks concluded the set with a block at 25-23, extending the match to a fourth set. 

The final set saw NYU take an early lead with a 7-2 start, forcing a New Paltz timeout.  They held onto this lead and won the match at 25-19.

Nguyen had an amazing match, showcasing why he was selected as UVC Co-Player of the Year as a sophomore. He had two kills, 43 assists, and nine digs. Evans and Osiecki were a force on offense, posting 18 and 17 kills, respectively. 

Zach Knudsen was key in the back row for the Violets. He started the NYU offense with a great first ball off the serve. His defense was strong, and he recorded 14 digs in the match. Cohen had four blocks. 
 
Matt Teplansky and Nikko Tenedorio had nine kills apiece to lead New Paltz, who had its season end with a 14-14 mark. New Paltz advanced to the UVC Semifinal match after defeating No. 4 seed St. John Fisher University in five sets on Friday evening.
 
NO. 2 NAZARETH 3, NO. 3 VASSAR 2 (25-23, 25-27, 27-25, 21-25, 15-10)
No. 2 seed Nazareth (19-10) advanced to its first UVC Championship match since 2013, outlasting No. 3 seed Vassar (22-6) in five sets, 25-23, 25-27, 27-25, 21-25, 15-10 in the second UVC semifinal Saturday.

Nazareth graduate student Owen Wickens recorded a match-high 18 kills, 11 assists, two aces and four digs while Alex Bertino added 15 kills and nine digs. Andrew Bodensteiner registered seven kills and three blocks along with Ryan Murphy finishing with seven kills, five aces and four blocks. Josh Weaver tallied six kills and nine digs while AJ Burda garnered 37 assists, 13 digs and two kills.

In the opening set, Vassar took an early 5-3 lead following a kill and a solo block from senior Billy Fan. Nazareth battled back to go ahead 14-12 on back-to-back winners from Owen Wickens. Aces from Andrew Bodensteiner and AJ Burda along with a kill from Alex Bertino to extend the lead to 19-15. Following an ace from sophomore Armaan Desai to even it at 20, the Golden Flyers pulled ahead 23-21 on a kill from Bodensteiner and a block from Max Stuver and Bodensteiner. Senior Tobias Clark's winner drew Vassar within 24-23 but a kill from Bertino clinched the opening set for Nazareth.

Nazareth pulled ahead 12-7 in the second set before Vassar drew within 13-12 on a block from sophomore Armaan Desai and Birnbaum and then tied the set at 15 on a kill from Fan. After the Golden Flyers extended the lead back to 23-20, Vassar used a kill from Birnbaum, an ace from Desai and a block from senior Gavin Akoto, Birnbaum and Fan to tie it at 23. Vassar completed the second set comeback following a triple block from first year Henry Bonney, Fan and Akoto along with Akoto collecting a solo block to take the second set 27-25.

Nazareth raced out to a 5-1 lead after two kills from Quinn Ringstad and a winner from Bertino along with a block from Ringstad and Murphy. Nazareth's lead expanded to 17-11 and 20-12 before the Brewers collected three straight points on a kill and a solo block from Bonney and a block from Clark and Akoto. Back-to-back kills from Desai and first year Petar Miocinovic put Vasar ahead 25-24 but Nazareth used two kills from Murphy and a Vassar error to earn the third set victory

In the fourth set, back-to-back winners from Birnbaum and Clark put Vassar ahead 19-16 and a solo block from Fan increased the Brewers lead to 22-18. Two kills from Stuver and an ace from Wickens cut the advantage down to 23-21 until Fan buried a kill and a Nazareth error sent the match to a fifth set.

Nazareth took a 4-1 lead to begin the fifth set after a kill from Ringstad and an ace from Wickens. Vassar drew back even at five on a solo block from Fan and a block from Akoto and Bonney. The Golden Flyers advantage expanded to 10-7 on a Bertino winner and kills from Wickens and Stuver. Birnbaum's kill put the Brewers within 11-9 before the Golden Flyers used two kills from Stuver and one from Burda to clinch the five-set victory.

Birnbaum led Vassar with 17 kills and seven blocks. Billy Fan added 11 digs and seven blocks as well.
 
Vassar advanced to the UVC Semifinals after sweeping No. 6 seed Hobart College in three sets on Friday night. The Brewers could get an at-large berth in the upcoming NCAA Tournament as they entered the day ranked ninth in the current NCAA National Power Index.

2025 UVC Championship Schedule (All matches at NYU)

Friday, April 11 – First Round
No. 5 SUNY New Paltz defeated No. 4 St. John Fisher University, 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 27-29, 26-24, 15-9) – BOX SCORE
No. 3 Vassar College defeated No. 6 Hobart College, 3-0 (25-18, 27-25, 25-15) – BOX SCORE

Saturday, April 12 – Semifinals
No. 1 NYU defeated No. 5 New Paltz, 3-1 (25-23, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19) – BOX SCORE
No. 2 Nazareth defeated No. 3 Vassar, 3-2 (25-23, 25-27, 27-25, 21-25, 15-10) – BOX SCORE

Sunday, April 13 - Championship
No. 2 Nazareth at No. 1 NYU – 2 p.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS

ABOUT THE UNITED VOLLEYBALL CONFERENCE
The United Volleyball Conference (UVC) is a volleyball-specific conference that features nine 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