The New York University men’s volleyball team has secured a spot in the Division III NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row, according to an April 13 announcement.
This achievement marks continued success for the Violets, who finished their regular season with a 19-6 record and reached the United Volleyball Conference Semifinals. The team will face conference rival SUNY New Paltz on Friday, April 17, in Springfield, Massachusetts. The match time is yet to be determined.
“It’s an honor to make it to the NCAA Tournament for a third straight year,” Head Coach Jose Pina said. “This is a great achievement for both the program and the guys on the team.”
The Violets are currently ranked ninth nationally and have recorded victories over teams such as New Jersey City University, Stevens Institute of Technology, and California Lutheran University—all of which also qualified for this year’s tournament. NYU previously played against SUNY New Paltz in late March and lost in four sets.
Junior right side hitter Emerson Evans commented on facing SUNY New Paltz again: “New Paltz is definitely a tough first round game, but I think it’s a chance for revenge. It hurt us losing to them at home, so I’m excited for a second opportunity against them.”
In addition to their tournament berth, four NYU players—Evans, Charlie Clifford, Devyn Nguyen, and Bennet Tchaikovsky—were named Region 2 American Volleyball Coaches Association selections. Evans was recognized as Region 2 Player of the Year while Clifford received Region 2 Rookie of the Year honors.
