Final AVCA Top 15 Poll LEXINGTON, Ky. – After advancing to the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Semifinals for the second consecutive season, the State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team has ended the year ranked No. 3 in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Men's Coaches Top 15 Poll, announced on Tuesday.
The Hawks earned 210 total points after going 27-6 this season as New Paltz trailed first-time national champion No. 1 Stevens and No. 2 Springfield in the poll. Five of the Hawks' six losses this season came at the hands of the Ducks and the Pride, who played in the national title match on Sunday, April 26.
Not only did the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) have three national semifinalists (No. 4 Nazareth) this year, but the league had five teams represented in the final Top 15 poll: No. 1 Stevens, No. 3 New Paltz, No. 4 Nazareth, No. 9 NYU and No. 11 Elmira.
This season, the Hawks earned three AVCA national awards as junior setter
Christian Smith and junior middle blocker
Christopher Husmann were named First Team All-Americans while assistant coach
Tony Bonilla was named the Assistant Coach of the Year.
