Fishman caps rookie season as national ace leader, while several Gators also rank nationally
Indianapolis, IN – The Sage Colleges' men's volleyball team wrapped the most successful season in the program's four year history after a 30-7 campaign with the ECAC Division III North Championship crown and the 2013 Skyline Conference Runner-up title to their credit.
Along the way, the team collected numerous weekly and post-season honors as well. Named the 2013 Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year, sophomore outside Andy Fishman (Cornwallville, NY/ Cairo-Durham) finished the season as the national leader in aces per set average, marking the second time in the team's history they have produced a national statistical leader. The first player to earn this distinction was Matt Bynon in 2011 as he had a 4.19 digs per set average. He finished the season with a school-record 96 aces on the year, good enough for a 0.83 aces per set average.
Fishman led all Sage players with his single-season 403 kills and also ranks No. 15 in kills per set (3.5), while also ranking fifth in points per set (4.54) after amassing another Sage single-season record for most points (522.0).
Also ranked for the Gators in the final statistics release was junior middle hitter Connor Thompson (Delmar, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) as he ranked ninth nationally with his 1.05 blocks per set average. On the season, he led the Gators with 116 total blocks and became the program's all-time block leader with his 255 total blocks and 202 block assists. Thompson also ranks No. 47 in hitting percentage with his 0.300%.
Senior setter and the team's Gator Award winner as the Most Valuable Player, Kyle Ray (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) ranks No. 11 nationally with his 9.8 per set average. Ray, the team's first four-time letterwinner and a four-time team captain had 1,304 setting assists in 2013, while also establishing the program's career setting assist record with 2,910 career setting assists. Ray also holds the career service aces mark (98), the record for most sets played (397) and most career matches played (115). He also ranks No. 5 in career points with 513.5, while ranking No.3 in total blocks (105).
Sage's senior middle hitter Spencer Hilland (Slingerlands, NY/Bethlehem Central), who earned Most Valuable Player status at the 2013 ECAC Division III North Championship, finishes his outstanding career as a national leader as well. He checks in No. 32 with his 2.34 digs per set average (293), while also ranking 36th in blocks per set average (0.84) after connecting for 105 total blocks. He completes his career with a school-record for most kills (865), most solo blocks (68), and most career points (1,084.5). He ranks No. 2 in block assists (185), while ranking No. 2 as well in total blocks (253).
Junior outside Dylan Krowicki (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) was also among the Sage players also ranked as he was 41st in points per set average (3.47, 461.5). He also ranked No. 45 in kills per set average (2.81, 374). Krowicki capped his second season at Sage with 374 kills, 262 digs, 75 total blocks and a .264 attack%. He has 692 career kills, which is second all-time at Sage as well as 450 career digs and 104 total blocks. He also has 811.5 career points, which is also No. 2.
As a team, the Gators ranked No. 5 in the team statistics in both aces per set (1.84) and win-loss percentage (0.811). Sage is ranked in the Top 20 in five additional categories. The Gators finished the season ranked No. 14 in kills per set average (12.1), while ranking No. 15 in digs per set (10.41) and No. 16 in assists per set average (11.18) and No. 16 as well in blocks per set (2.15). Sage also ranked 20th in Division III with a 0.238 hitting percentage in 2013.
For the Gators, the 2013 season was a record breaking effort as interim head coach Sandy Augstein-Collins lead Sage to a pair of post-season tournaments, one ECAC Division III Championship title and was named the 2013 Skyline Conference Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year. Her selection as Coach of the Year in men's volleyball, comess on the heels of her selection as the 2012 Skyline Conference Volleyball Coach of the Year in the fall.
