Lasell Ranked 3rd in Preseason Polls

JERSEY CITY, NJ (www.necva.org)...Rivier College has been selected as the unanimous preseason favorite to win the 2010 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Division in a vote of the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) division's seven head coaches. Rivier received all seven first-place votes and the maximum of 49 total points.

The Raiders, ranked No. 1 in the NECVA Top 10 poll for much of the 2009 season, reeled off a 30-match winning streak before finishing the season 33-2 and 12-0 in the GNAC. Head Coach Craig Kolek's club returns five starters and 10 letterwinners. Middle blocker Matt Ferreira, the GNAC Player of the Year last year and a First-Team All-NECVA Conference and Second-Team All-America pick returns, as does outside hitter Jared Andreozzi, himself a First-Team All-GNAC, Second-Team All-NECVA and Second-Team All-America choice.

Also back is First-Team All-NECVA and First-Team All-GNAC setter Zach Hansen, and GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, Kyle O'Neill, who was First-Team All-GNAC and Second-Team All-NECVA at libero. Emmanuel College is projected to finish second in the GNAC, finishing with 39 points.

The Saints return all seven starters and 11 of 12 letterwinners from a team which was 19-14 overall and 9-3 in the GNAC. Coach Chris Wright's group back includes outside hitter Michael Townsend, a First-Team All-GNAC pick and one-time AVCA National Player of the Week, who ranks sixth nationally in aces and 12^th in kills last year.

Also returning are a pair of Second-Team All-GNAC recipients in middle hitter Keoni Rabaino and outside hitter Curtis Abram. 

Lasell College is slated to finish third, receiving 36 points in the poll. The Lasers, coached by Jonah Mytro, were 20-10 last year and 9-3 in the league, and return four starters. GNAC Rookie of the Year, Brendan McGourn, who made a name for himself at setter, is among those to be back. 

Johnson & Wales University was picked fourth, receiving 28 points. The Wildcats were 7-17 last year and 6-6 in the GNAC. Coach Scott Reslow has four starters back. Mount Ida College was selected fifth. The Mustangs, coached by Doug Porrell, received 21 points in the poll.

MIC was 8-18 last year and 4-8 GNAC.Emerson College was projected to place sixth. The Lions, coached by Craig Letourneau, received 16 points in the poll. In its first season of existence last year, Emerson was 4-14 and 2-10 in the GNAC, and returns all six of its starters and nine of 10 letterwinners. Albertus Magnus College was voted seventh, with seven points. The Falcons were 2-15 and 0-12 GNAC in their first season of varsity competition.

Coach Steven Wydra returns three starters from that club. The top two teams in the division will receive automatic berths into the 16^th annual and 2010 NECVA Championship tournament, which will be held from April 9-11.   

Article courtesy of NECVA communications.