For the second consecutive year, Bard junior Nick Chan has been named the Skyline Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year in voting conducted among the Conference’s six head coaches.
The Skyline coaches also selected Matt Bynon of Sage as the Rookie of the Year and Andrew Smith of Sage as Coach of the Year. In addition, Yeshiva received the Team Sportsmanship Award.
Chan ranks third in the conference in kills per game (3.70), sixth in service aces (0.36) and seventh in hitting percentage (.257). The outside hitter from Victor, N.Y., amassed 29 kills and 19 digs on Mar. 27 as Bard seized its third Skyline crown with victories over NYU-Poly (3-0) and Mount Saint Vincent (3-0). Chan was tabbed the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for his efforts. Bard (20-11) will face Rivier College on Friday, Apr. 1, in the opening round of the 2011 NECVA Championship.
Bynon leads the league and is among the national leaders in digs from his libero position with an average of 4.19 per game and ranks third on the team in assists with 22. The Burnt Hills, N.Y., resident garnered Skyline Rookie of the Week honors on Mar. 7 and All-Tournament distinction at the Bard Invitational (Feb. 25-26).
Smith led the second-year program to a 7-3 record in league play and the third overall seed at the Skyline Championship. The Gators finished the 2011 campaign with an overall mark of 14-12, which marked a nine-win improvement from a year ago. Now in his second season at Sage, Smith earned his bachelor’s of science in physical education in 2006 and his master’s degree in teaching (health education) in 2008 from SUNY Cortland.
The All-Conference first-team consists of Mount Saint Vincent teammates Chris Bacchi, David Guerrero and Michael Quinn; Andrew Cortrite and Elijah Strauss; and Sage’s Spencer Hilland and Ryan Wilkins.
On the second-team All-Conference are James Lukban and Thomas Poppenberg of NYU-Poly; Yeshiva’s Raphael Herskovits; Kevon Kareem Bruce of Purchase; Bard’s Max Howard; Kyle Ray of Sage; and Mark Sargente of Mount Saint Vincent.
2011 SKYLINE CONFERENCE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
First-Team
Chris Bacchi, Mount Saint Vincent - Junior, OH
Andrew Cortrite, Bard - Junior, LIB
David Guerrero, Mount Saint Vincent - Senior, OH
Spencer Hilland, Sage - Junior, MH
Michael Quinn, Mount Saint Vincent - Senior, S
Elijah Strauss, Bard - Senior, OPP
Ryan Wilkins, Sage - Freshman, OPP
Second-Team
Kevon Kareem Bruce, Purchase - Junior, OH
Raphael Herskovits, Yeshiva - Senior, MH
Max Howard, Bard - Senior, OH/OPP
James Lukban, NYU-Poly - Senior, OH
Thomas Poppenberg, NYU-Poly - Senior, LIB
Kyle Ray, Sage - Sophomore, S
Mark Sargente, Mount Saint Vincent - Junior, MB
Player of the Year: Nick Chan, Bard
Rookie of the Year: Matt Bynon, Sage
Coach of the Year: Andrew Smith, Sage
Tournament MVP: Nick Chan, Bard
Team Sportsmanship Award: Yeshiva