NEWTON, Mass. – The Mount Ida College men's volleyball team is hoping that through a balance of veterans leading the charge and youngsters stepping into increased roles, they can rise up and make some noise in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) in the 2014 season.
The Mustangs were picked eighth in this year's GNAC Men's Volleyball preseason poll, receiving 22 votes from coaches across the conference after finishing last year's season with six wins, two of them in GNAC play.
The goal is to increase last year's win total and to try to make their first postseason appearance by finishing as one of the top six teams in the conference standings, according to third year Head Coach Craig Martin.
"We have a solid group of guys, and as long as we can stay healthy, we have a chance to be competitive," said Martin.
One of the strongest facets of the team already in place is the camaraderie, which Martin says is great, with all the players focused on the same goal, and the less experienced guys already buying in.
There are plenty of younger players on this year's team, which features four seniors and no true juniors, along with six sophomores and two freshmen.
Two of those seniors, who figure to play important roles, are captains Nick Schibi (Torrington, Conn.) and Nick Melillo (North Haven, Conn.), with Schibi being the only player on the roster who is entering his fourth year of playing for the Mustangs.
Schibi, who racked up 121 kills a season ago, will play both outside and middle hitter in Martin's offense and according to his head coach, is versatile and open to switching positions and doing whatever it takes to help the team win games. Melillo, who did not start playing volleyball until sophomore year of college, has picked up the game well and continues to ask questions to improve his skills.
Stepping into starter's roles at outside hitter will be sophomores James Ames (West Hartford, Conn.) and Dennis Miranda (Hialeah, Fla.), who each saw limited minutes as freshmen, where Ames piled up 49 kills in 19 matches. This year, the two of them will be looking to prove that they can get the job done in a more prominent position.
Miranda was also a back-up setter last season, but this year will make way for sophomore Brady Rodriguez (Longwood, Fla.) and transfer from Southern Vermont Michael McCullough (Southborough, Mass.).
Rodriguez recorded 752 assists in 27 matches last year, good for 8.17 assists per set. His consistency, along with the addition of McCullough, will allow Martin to run either a 5-1 or 6-2 offense this year, and Rodriguez may see some time as a hitting option as well.
Freshman Corey Brindamour (Barrington, R.I.) will see some significant time as a defensive specialist. He has already filled in well in the preseason and will continue to build on his work, as he looks to become an anchor of the back row down the road for the Mustangs.
For the second year in a row, Mount Ida will start the season at the SUNYIT Tournament in Mercy, N.Y. While Martin doesn't believe that the team needs to bond because of their already strong report with each other, he admits that it's always nice to start the season on the road.
"SUNYIT is a well-run tournament, because you play two teams the first day and then you get reseeded and play some more really competitive games for your team's level on the second day," said Martin, whose squad will face the hosts SUNYIT at 6:00 pm on Friday night before meeting Bard at 8:00 pm.
This year's schedule includes several teams from New York, including a trip to York College and a tri-match at Regis against Sarah Lawrence and St. Joseph's (Brooklyn).
The Mustangs open their home schedule on January 29th against Regis and start their GNAC schedule on Feb. 19th at home against Johnson & Wales.