JERSEY CITY, NJ (www.necva.org)...Stevens Institute of Technology, the defending NECVA Conference champions, and 2009 Division III Molten national runner-up, has been selected as the 2010 preseason favorite to win the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) Metro Division in a vote of the division’s 10 head coaches. In perhaps the league’s most difficult division, four schools received at least two first place votes.
The Ducks received 91 of a possible 100 points and three first-place votes. Stevens was 26-7 last year and 8-1 in the league. Long-time head coach Pat Dorywalski returns to the court, but loses much of last year’s team to graduation. Stevens will have three starters back and nine letterwinners, highlighted by AVCA Second-Team All-American Brandt Grobeis at setter. SteFan PremDas and John Dennan also return, but Stevens loses First-Team All-America selections Andrew Cranford and Joe Trinsey; Cranford was the 2009 National Player of the Year.
Vassar College, the 2008 NECVA conference champion, was picked second. The Brewers received 87 points and two first-place votes. Vassar, led by first-year head coach Antonia Sweet, is also heavily hit by graduation as the Brewers—19-8 last year and 7-2 in the NECVA Metro—return just two starters and six letterwinners. However, one of those starters is Phil Tully, a First-Team All-America, First-Team All-NECVA and First-Team All-NECVA Metro selection at hitter. Second-Team All-Metro choice Evan Fredericksen is also back, but Second-Team All-America choices John Kessenich and Scott Leserman are among the losses.
Ramapo College, the 2009 Metro Division champion, was selected third, receiving two first-place votes and 81 total points. Coach Don Vanderbeck returns four starters but just 6 of 24 letterwinners. Outside hitter Jeff Elsasser and Kurt Backlund will help lead the Roadrunners, who graduated Shane Donahue, TC Elsasser, Tom Kohler and Jairo Sierra.
While SUNY New Paltz was voted fourth—just one point behind Ramapo with 80—the Hawks tied
New Paltz received three first place votes but is projected to finish fourth.
Stevens for most first place votes, receiving three. Coach Radu Petrus has the most talent returns as five starters and nine letterwinners are back from a club which was 22-13 and 6-3 in the league. Among the standouts back are Kevin Stross, the Metro Division Rookie of the Year at middle hitter, and a pair of Second-Team All-Metro winners in Daniel Liberto (right side/middle blocker) and Jake Moore (middle hitter).
New Jersey City University, guided by third-year head coach Carlo Edra, was voted fifth and received 60 points. The Gothic Knights were one of three schools in the conference last year that won 20 matches but did not make the NECVA Tournament [along with Lasell and Stevenson]. NJCU was 20-16 last year and 5-4 in the league and returns five starters and eight letterwinners. Second-Team All-Metro selection Chris Edra returns at libero to solidify the defense. NJCU also returns both starting middles and its setter, but will have new starters on the outside and right side.
Bard College and the College of Mount Saint Vincent tied for sixth place in the poll, each garnering 45 points.
CMSV was sixth in the final standings last year with a 15-14 ledger and 4-5 in the league. Jason Torres enters his first year as head coach of the Dolphins.
Mike Abalos is in his third year at Bard. The Raptors were seventh in the league in 2009, owning a 16-16 record, 3-6 in the Metro Division.
Polytechnic Institute of New York University was voted eighth in the poll, with 27 points. Jacqueline Goldstein will serve her first season as head coach of the Blue Jays. NYU-Poly was 2-23 last year, 0-9 in the league.
Yeshiva University was slated to finish ninth. The Maccabees were 11-14 and 1-8 Metro in 2009 and will be led by first-year head coach Arnold Ross. Yeshiva received 19 points in the poll.
The Sage Colleges are one of two first-year programs in the NECVA [Regis College]. The Gators received 15 points and picked 10th in the poll. Sage will look to head coach Andy Smith to build a foundation off success on the Troy, New York campus.
The top two teams in the division will receive automatic berths in the 16th annual and 2010 NECVA Championship tournament, which will be held from April 9-11.
—www.necva.org—
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RANK
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SCHOOL (1st place votes)
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POINTS (out of 100)
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1.
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Stevens (3)
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91
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2.
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Vassar (2)
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87
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3.
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Ramapo (2)
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81
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4.
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SUNY New Paltz (3)
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80
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5.
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New Jersey City
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60
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6t.
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Bard
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45
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6t.
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Mount St. Vincent
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45
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8.
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NYU-Poly
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27
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9.
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Yeshiva
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19
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10.
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Sage
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15
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