The upcoming week has huge postseason implications for the State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team as it faces two of top United Volleyball Conference programs in No. 8 Vassar College and NYU, which could determine who could serve as hosts for the conference tournament.
 
On Wednesday night, the No. 11 Hawks travel to the Violets Brooklyn Athletic Facility to take in the first match for both teams since March 11 of 2020 where SUNY New Paltz won in five sets in the Hawk Center. The Hawks are 9-5 all time against NYU dating back to 2002.
 
The Violets enter Wednesday's match 8-8 overall and 3-2 in the UVC. They ranked as high as fourth in the AVCA national poll but slipped from the AVCA top-15 since March 1. In their last match, they lost to No. 6 Stevens, 3-0. Nonetheless, NYU has the depth and talent to rebound back into contention.
 
As a team, the Violets are averaging 11.5 kills, 10.7 assists, 1.2 aces per set respectively. Defensively, they have averaged 7.3 digs and 2.1 blocks per set. Individually, outside hitter James Haag (6'4, Macungie, PA) leads NYU with 163 kills and 20 service aces. Junior outside Gautham Dasari (6'5, Cupertino, CA) follows with 114 kills. Freshman libero Zach Knudsen (6'0, Carlsbad, CA) has 103 digs, senior setter Ryan Whealen (6'5, Fenton, MO) has 455 assists, while two senior middle hitters, Tyler Flood (6'8, Downers Grove, IL) and Owen Wahlgren (6'7, Corona del Mar, CA) pace the team in blocks with 42 and 37, respectively.
 
Following its matchup with NYU Wednesday, SUNY New Paltz will travel across the Hudson to face the No. 8 ranked Brewers. The defending UVC Champions, which they won in the Hawk Center in five sets in a condensed 2021 season, boast a record of 14-4 overall and 5-1 in the UVC with their only loss in conference coming against St. John Fisher College, whom the Hawks defeated earlier in the year.   
Vassar is averaging 12.4 kills, 11.4 assists and two aces per set, while defensively it averages eight digs and just more than two blocks per set.
 
Leading the Brewers is junior outside Andrew Kim (6'3, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) with 195 kills, junior opposite Adam Gulick follows with (6'6, Buffalo, NY) with 144 kills. Sophomore setter Jacob Kim (6'4, Pleasanton, CA) leads the team with 575 assists, while three are tops in aces in Kim (21), junior middle blocker Gavin Van Beveren (6'7, Alpharetta, GA) (20) and freshman outside/libero Payne Lounsbery (6'0, Long Beach, CA) (19). Van Beveren also leads the team in blocks (56), while sophomore middle Colin Jones (6'6, San Diego, CA) follows with 33. 
The Hawks begin their quest to host the UVC Tournament after a two-week layoff. Currently standing at 15-4 overall and a perfect 3-0 in the UVC, matches against NYU and Vassar weigh heavy on their chances to get another match in the Hawk Center. Last time they played on their home court, they defeated Division I St. Francis College-Brooklyn, 3-2.
 
As a team, SUNY New Paltz is averaging nearly 12 kills, 11 assists and two aces per set, while defensively averaging about nine digs and two blocks per set.
 
Junior middle Pat Wing (6'4, Massapequa, NY) and senior outsides Chris Shanley (6'3, Smithtown, NY) and Brendan Spulnick (6'4, Clifton Park, NY) leads the Hawks offensively with 152, 138 and 123 kills, respectively. Senior setters Kyle Shaffer (6'4, Smithtown, NY) and Cam Clark (6'2, Farmington, NY) have 422 and 233 assists each, while senior libero Dan LaRosa (6'0, Lake Grove, NY) leads the team with 165 digs, while Wing and senior middle John Ronan (6'6, Massapequa, NY) are tops in blocks with 43 and 38, respectively.
 
The Hawks have three away scheduled matches left in the regular season, including a non-conference rematch at Springfield College, followed by weekend matches against UVC foes Elmira and Nazareth College. The UVC Championship Tournament begins April 9 on the campus of the top seeded team.

Preview featuring Hawks Senior Libero Dan LaRosa


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