Story courtesy of Christa Parulis-Kaye, NECC Assistant Commissioner for Media Relations

For Immediate Release:
Friday, March 26, 2010

ATTLEBORO, Mass. – All five sponsored programs were represented on the 2010 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Men's Volleyball All-Conference Team, it was announced today by Commissioner Del Malloy. In addition to the All-NECC honors, four separate major individual award winners and the team sportsmanship award were also voted upon and selected this week.

Newbury College senior outside hitter Mark Thomas (Wilbraham, Mass.), a sport management major, was named the 2010 NECC Men's Volleyball Player of the Year.  In NECC play, Thomas played in 26 matches and was the true leader for the Nighthawks, leading the team with 340 kills (.362 attack percentage) and also recording 20 assists (0.22 per set), 29 service aces (0.33), 78 digs (0.88), 90 blocks (1.01), and 26 block solos. In conference play, Thomas hit .611 with 87 kills (4.14 kills per set), 23 digs (1.10), 22 blocks and 29 service aces.

Lesley University sophomore outside hitter Scott Wheeler (East Hampton, Conn.) nabbed the 2010 NECC Men's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Year for his first season of collegiate play. Wheeler, a management/sport management major,  played 20 matches with 65 sets, notching 161 kills (2.48), 16 service aces, 139 digs (2.14), 15 blocks and nine assists. In NECC action, he had 79 kills (2.82), 76 digs (2.71), nine blocks and eight service aces.

Elms College sophomore setter/outside hitter Mike Martin (Enfield, Conn.) nabbed the 2010 NECC Men's Volleyball Rookie of the Year for his first season of collegiate play. Martin, an education major, played 26 matches with 81 sets, notching 56 kills (0.69), 20 service aces, 120 digs (1.48), 45 blocks and 409 assists (5.05). In NECC action, he had 37 kills (0.84), 72 digs (1.64), 19 blocks and 15 service aces.

Daniel Webster College coach, Braden Zamore, earned top coaching honors. Zamore was named the 2010 NECC Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year, several months after being named 2009 NECC Women's Volleyball Coach of the Year.  He led the Eagles to a second place finish with a 6-2 NECC record and an 8-11 overall record.  He finished conference action with a .750 NECC winning percentage, garnering the #2 spot in the 2010 NECC Men's Volleyball Championship.

The Mountaineers of Southern Vermont College, led by head coach Carmine Garofalo, were honored as the 2010 NECC Team Sportsmanship Award recipients. The Mountaineers concluded conference play in fifth place with a 0-10 finish and a 1-19 mark for the season.

Voting for the All-NECC team and each of the major awards was conducted among all NECC men's volleyball coaches.

Joining Thomas on first team were fellow Nighthawks  junior setter Matt Talmantes (Los Angeles, Calif.) and senior outside hitter Josh Aberly (Palatine, Ill.);  Daniel Webster teammates sophomore outside hitter Chris Shannon (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) and senior setter Eric Smith (Clay, N.Y); and Elms sophomore outside hitter Yonalvy Acosta (Holyoke, Mass.).

Six players received honorable mention honors including Wheeler and Martin; Wheeler's teammates from Lesley senior middle hitter Nick Assad (Andover, Mass.) and junior middle hitter Zachary Almeida-Beers (Rehoboth, Mass.); Martin's teammate freshman outside hitter Stephen Cameron (Newington, Conn.) from Elms; and Southern Vermont junior outside hitter Jullian Amaral (New Bedford, Mass.).

2010 ALL-NECC MEN'S VOLLEYBALL FIRST TEAM

Matt Talamantes, Newbury, junior
Mark Thomas, Newbury, senior
Chris Shannon, Daniel Webster, sophomore
Josh Aberly, Newbury, senior
Yonalvy Acosta, Elms, sophomore
Eric Smith, Daniel Webster, senior

2010 ALL-NECC MEN'S VOLLEYBALL HONORABLE MENTION

Scott Wheeler, Lesley, senior
Stephen Cameron, Elms, freshman
Mike Martin, Elms, sophomore
Amaral, Southern Vermont, junior
Nick Assad, Lesley, senior
Zachary Almeida-Beers, Lesley, junior

2010 NECC MEN'S VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Mark Thomas, Newbury, SR (Wilbraham, Mass.)
2010 NECC MEN'S VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Scott Wheeler, Lesley, SR (East Hampton, Conn.)
2010 NECC MEN'S VOLLEYBALL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Mike Martin, Elms, SO (Enfield, Conn.)
2010 NECC MEN'S VOLLEYBALL COACH OF THE YEAR: Braden Zamore, Daniel Webster College
2010 NECC MEN'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD:  Southern Vermont College