In his second year at the helm, Mount Ida College men’s volleyball Head Coach Craig Martin and his program are looking to take their first steps toward a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play-off berth. A mix of six returners and eight talented newcomers, Mount Ida has high hopes of breaking into the top six in league standings this season despite their critics.
Martin and the Mustangs, who were picked to finish last in the league standings this year after a dismal 1-23 overall record in 2012, are hungry to prove their doubters wrong with a slew of hungry freshman and the return of senior and two-time third team All-GNAC outside hitter Spencer Hastings (Orlando, FL/Timber Creak).
Seniors
Hastings has been the back bone of the Mount Ida men’s volleyball team since he arrived on campus four years ago. As captain, he will undoubtedly set the tone for younger players showing them what it takes to be successful at the collegiate level. Hastings continued to lead the Mustangs offensively last year and will do so this coming season compiling 257 kills on 677 attempts with a kills per set average of 3.67. Hastings also led his squad in service aces (24), digs (111), solo blocks (23) and total blocks (36). He was 11th overall in the GNAC for kills and fifth in kills per set. Hastings, who has compiled 777 kills throughout his career, is slated to become the third player in the history of the program to eclipse 1,000 kills joining Tim Hughes (1,791) and Thomas Belton (1,020).
Senior libero Ricky Oliveira (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) also returns to his starting position in the back row. Oliveira’s passing and defense should help the Mustangs run their offense and keep balls in play. He was third on the team in digs last year (101) averaging 1.58 digs per set with Head Coach Martin’s expectations even higher for the coming season with a better supporting cast around him.
Juniors
Four junior players return to the Mustangs after learning a plethora of knowledge, both physically and mentally, during last season’s transition. All four should make more of an impact on the success of the program through the year. Outside hitter Nick Schibi (Torrington, CT/O. Wolcott Regional Voc. Tech.) will continue to chip in for Mount Ida and was third on the team last season in kills (70) and second on the squad in digs (102) adding 1.57 digs per set. Middle hitters Nick Melillo (North Haven, CT/North Haven), Ryan Furlow (Milford, CT/Joseph A. Foran) and Kenny Jean (Dorchester, MA/Brighton) will be in the mix for Martin and his squad both improving drastically throughout their experience last year and will contribute wherever needed.
Newcomers
The freshman class is led by middle hitter Justin Rhoden (Corona, CA/Corona Centennial) and setter Brady Rodriguez (Longwood, FL/Bishop Moore). They will be joined by a slew of new players from around the country as they lay the foundation for the future of Mount Ida Volleyball. Defensive Specialist Jimmy Wessel (DeKalb, IL/DeKalb), opposite hitter Jadon Jahnsen Tuiolosega (Riverside, CA/West Valley), outside hitter James Ames (West Hartford, CT/Conard), setter Dennis Miranda (Hialeah, FL/Westland Hialeah), defensive specialist Sadeeq Poindexter (Plantation, FL/McArthur) and outside hitter/middle hitter Jamal Leary (Dorchester, MA/Madison Park) round out the freshman class. This group will be relied upon heavily both in practice and games as they are thrown into the caldron quickly during their first season at the college level. The added ball control, blocking ability and offense will be a surprise to many opponents who handled the Mustangs with ease last season.
Mount Ida men’s volleyball kicks off the 2013 season in New York this weekend and will participate in the SUNY-IT annual tournament this Friday.