POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y – The No. 1 seed Vassar College men's volleyball team will host the 2017 United Volleyball Conference (UVC) tournament this weekend from Thursday, April 13
th to Saturday, April 15
th. For the first time in program history, the Brewers will host.
Earning a bye for the first round, the top-seeded Brewers will await the winner of Thursday's 5 p.m. matchup between No. 4 New Paltz and No. 5 MIT. NYU also has a quarterfinal-round bye, and will match up with the winner of Thursday's 7:30 game between No. 6 Nazareth and No. 3 Stevens. The winners of these semifinal matches will contest for the championship Saturday, April 15
th in Kenyon Hall.
All games will take place on the campus of Vassar College in Kenyon Hall. Daily admission into the event is $5 for adults and $3 for students (with ID). Children ages 12 and under are free.
No. 1 Vassar College (28-6, 8-0 UVC)
UVC Championships: None
UVC Tournament Appearances: 6 (2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011)
After going undefeated in conference play, the Brewers enter the tournament as the number one seed in conference, number two in the nation... The squad has picked up eleven wins over ranked opponents this season... They will await the winner of New Paltz/MIT, competing Friday at 2:30 p.m... 28 wins is the most Vassar has put up in a single season to date... Vassar has not yet competed in a UVC championship game... The Brewers have not finished first in conference since 2008 (while a part of the NECVA), losing to Springfield in the national title match... The Brewers lead the UVC in opponent hitting percentage (.147), opponent service aces (.72) as well as blocks (2.68 blocks/set).... Junior middle blocker
Matthew Knigge leads the UVC in hitting percentage (.432, 315 kills) and blocks (1.36 blocks/set)... Senior libero
Trey Cimorelli leads the UVC in digs (2.75 digs/set, 311 digs)... Junior setter
Zechariah Lee leads the UVC in total assists (1041 assists)... Coach
Richard Gary is in his inaugural season with the Brewers, coming from Wells College.
No. 2 New York University (16-9, 7-1 UVC)
UVC Championships: None
UVC Tournament Appearances: 6 (2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012)
NYU enters the tournament with only one conference loss, coming up short against Vassar, March 11... They will await the winner of the Nazareth/Stevens matchup, competing Friday, April 14th at 5 pm... NYU beat Stevens (3-2) February 15th and Nazareth (3-1) March 11th... NYU is seeking its first UVC championship as well after reaching the finals in 2014... The Violets are ranked fifth in team hitting percentage (.245), third in blocks (2.04/set), and second in opponent kills (9.79/set)...Freshman outside hitter standout Alex Li leads the UVC in kills per set (3.85, 316 total kills)... Defensively, the squad is lead by freshman Connor Keowen (192 digs, 2.11/set)... Three players have over 100 digs to date... The Violets rely on senior setter Derrick Chiu to spread the offense (755 assists, 9.32/set)... The squad is led by Jose Pina, in his 24th season as head coach.
No. 3 Stevens Institute of Technology (28-4, 6-2 UVC)
UVC Championships: 1 (2015)
UVC Tournament Appearances: 7 (2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011)
A familiar face in the UVC tournament, the Ducks are back, seeking their second championship... Stevens will face No. 6 Nazareth Thursday, April 13
th at 7:30 pm... Two years ago (2015), Stevens was crowned national champions... Outside of conference, Stevens has been nearly untouchable, dropping only to No. 7 Carthage (3/25) and No. 15 Dominican University (3/26)... Stevens leads the UVC in team hitting percentage (.310) and is tied with Vassar in opponent hitting percentage (.147)... Second in the UVC, the team puts up 2.32 blocks/set... Freshman hitter David Lehman is second in the conference in kills/set (3.29) and 10
th in hitting percentage (.302, 309 kills)... Senior outside Gabe Shankweiler leads the UVC in service aces (.60/set, 58 total)... Junior middle Thomas Burrell has posted 91 stops at the net (1.11 blocks/set)... Head Coach Patrick Dorywalski is in his 27
th season with the Ducks.
No. 4 New Paltz (22-7, 5-3 UVC)
UVC Championships: 2 (2016, 2014)
UVC Tournament Appearances: 7 (2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011)
The defending national champions look to repeat, coming in to the UVC tournament ranked fourth... The team is set to play No. 5 MIT Thursday at 5 pm... The team averages 12 assists/set, a conference best, while also holding opponent assists to 8.03... Also, leading the conference, New Paltz averages 12.82 kills/set, holding opponents to 8.69 kills/set... The Hawks rely on strong serving, averaging 2.17 aces/set, lead by senior Steven Woessner (.59) and junior Anthony Bonilla (.44)... Four hawks are on the top ten board for serving... Woessner is ranked fifth in hitting percentage (.379, 164 kills), while Bonilla is ranked fifth in kills/set (3.13)... Freshman setter Matthew Grace has stepped in and stepped up for the Hawks, leading the UVC in assists (9.83 assists/set, 973 total)... The Hawks are lead by Radu Petrus, in his 11
th season as head coach.
No. 5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (20-9, 4-4 UVC)
UVC Championships: None
UVC Tournament Appearances: 3 (2017, 2016, 2014)
After joining the UVC in 2014, the Engineers enter their third UVC tournament... MIT will face off with SUNY New Paltz, Thursday, April 13
th at 5 pm... The squad is ranked third in hitting percentage (.258) as well as assists (11.32/set)... 12.24 team kills/set is good for second in the conference... MIT leads the league in digs with (10.61 digs/set) led by senior Jordan Lucier (2.67 digs/set, 278 total)... Three Engineers stand in the top ten in digs, Lucier, as well as teammates Thomas Nelson and Suyash Fulay... Offensively, sophomore middle hitter Skyler Kaufman takes care of the ball, hitting .417 with 225 kills... Junior outside Tavish Smith puts down 3.21/set, with 292 kills to date... Head Coach Paul Dill is in his 14
th year with the Engineers.
No. 6 Nazareth College (21-12, 3-5 UVC)
UVC Championships: 3 (2013, 2012, 2011)
UVC Tournament Appearances: 7 (2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011)
Winning the first three UVC championships, the Golden Flyers are looking to break the semis for the first time since 2013... The squad will have to step up, having dropped matches to each team in the tournament already this season... The Golden Flyers will take on the Ducks of Stevens Thursday, April 13
th at 7:30 pm... Nazareth is ranked fourth in hitting percentage (.251), holding opponents to a .169 opponent hitting percentage... The squad is ranked fourth in almost every other team stat category... The Golden Flyers are lead by sophomore outside hitter Zachary Gillard (3.26 kills/set, 363 total), and senior hitter Kane Wittorff (.347, 215 kills)... Senior libero Tom Keisling leads the defense with 2.09 digs/set... At the net, Sean Dillon, puts down 0.89 blocks/set, good for fifth in the conference... Coach Cal Wickens is in his 13
th season with the Golden Flyers.
--VASSAR--
