2014 CUNYAC Tournament Finishes
Champion - #1 Baruch Bearcats
Runner-up - #3 York Cardinals
Semifinalists - #2 Hunter, #4 Brooklyn
Quarterfinalists - #5 CCNY, #6 Lehman, #7 John Jay, #8 Medgar Evers
The 2015 CUNYAC/Shleppers Men’s Volleyball season is about to kick off with majority of teams playing their first regular season contests this upcoming week. The reigning champions, the Baruch Bearcats, are viewed as the top CUNYAC team and are ranked #13 nationally. Their setter, Scott Standring, looks to start another solid year as he and Lehman’s Jaleel Lino were named CUNYAC Preseason Co-Players of the Year.
“We are very honored and hope we can attain that level of excellence through hard work,” said Baruch Head Coach Danial Levent.
Baruch looks to immediately face challenges as they open their season against No. 1 ranked Juniata. Last season the Bearcats (27-11) finished ranked No.12 overall but they come in this season being ranked No.13. The Bearcats looks to return two all-stars; Chris Kaimis a CUNYAC First Team All-Star and Scott Stranding a Second Team All-Star. Stranding led the conference in assists per set this past season averaging 9.3 per game. Baruch also comes in with some important recruits in sophomore Braden Carter (Royal High school) and freshman Jake Jacob Rubin (Cherry Hill High school). Baruch finished 14-0 last season in the CUNYAC and also won the CUNYAC Championship for the sixth straight year.
Scott Stranding comes in the season as one of Baruch’s key returners. The junior was named a 2014 CUNYAC Second Team All-Star and now Stranding is 2015 CUNYAC Preseason Co-Player of the Year. Stranding was also named to CUNYAC All-Tournament team in both 2012 and 2013 seasons. Additionally, Stranding was named the CUNYAC Rookie of the Year in 2013. The setter had 34 assists in a NCAA Elite Eight match in a sweep against Stevenson. Then in the NCAA Final Four he had all around game with 45 assists and nine digs against Springfield. The California native led the conference last season averaging 9.34 assist per set.
“I am grateful to be recognized as a quality player and hope to prove myself more throughout the year,” said Standring.
Jaleel Lino was named 2015 CUNYAC Preseason Co-Player of the Year. The sophomore was named to the CUNYAC All-Star First Team last season and was also named the team’s Rookie of the Year. The outside hitter’s career-high digs came last season in a rematch to Purchase where Lino had 52 digs, 26 kills and three services aces. The Toledo graduate led the conference with kills per set last season averaging 3.94. Lino was also ranked number one in the nation in kills averaging 5.33 and led the NCAA with 6.14 points per set.
“I am very humble and thankful for this accomplishment. It shows that hard work really does pay off,” said Lino. “This is an individual achievement but I have to share it with my team because without them I am nothing. This is extra motivation for us, as we are preparing for what is expecting to be a great season.”
Baruch will not have an easy time obtaining another CUNYAC Championship this year. The York Cardinals look to bounce back from their finals loss, and with the return of all-stars Ednar Geffrard, and Randy Adams they have a good chance of getting back to the championship game. Lexington Avenue rival Hunter pose as an obstacle every season. In 2014, they fell in the semifinals to York but the Hawks are looking to remind everyone who still holds the most titles. These three teams have been playing in the CUNYAC Championship game against one another for the last decade. Although Baruch is the favorite to start the season York and Hunter sit closely behind as contenders. If old foes weren’t enough there is some new blood entering the conference that may create a challenge. The College of Staten Island has moved up to Division III and is entering the league this year as the ninth member and will look to quickly show that they should not be taken lightly.
There will be strong competition at the top of the standings as we will see who can actually take hold of first place and stay there by the end of the season.
2014-15 CUNYAC Preseason Poll Results
|
Place
|
School
|
Points
|
|
1
|
Baruch
|
63
|
|
2
|
Hunter
|
56
|
|
3
|
York
|
40
|
|
4
|
Brooklyn
|
37
|
|
5
|
CCNY
|
35
|
|
6
|
Lehman
|
32
|
|
7
|
John Jay
|
29
|
|
8
|
Staten Island
|
20
|
|
9
|
Medgar Evers
|
12
|
2014-15 CUNYAC Preseason Player of the Year Results
|
Player of the Year
|
School
|
Year
|
Position
|
|
Jaleel Lino
|
Lehman
|
Jr.
|
OH
|
|
Scott Standring
|
Baruch
|
Jr.
|
S
|
|
Honorable Mentions
|
School
|
Year
|
Position
|
|
Edner Geffrard
|
York
|
Sr.
|
OH
|
|
Chris Kaimis
|
Baruch
|
Sr.
|
MB/OH
|
Team-by-Team (Ordered by Tournament Finish)
Champion - #1 Baruch Bearcats
|
Last Season
|
|
|
Overall Record
|
27-11
|
|
CUNYAC Record
|
14-0
|
|
Postseason Finish
|
CUNYAC Champions, NCAA Play-In
|
|
Coach Information
|
|
|
Head Coach
|
Danial Levent
|
|
Alma Mater
|
Baruch
|
|
Year of Graduation
|
2009
|
|
Year at Institution
|
2nd
|
|
Record at Institution
|
27-11
|
|
Overall Record
|
27-11
|
|
Associate/Assistant Coaches
|
Assistant Coach: Gabe Rivera
|
|
This Season
|
|
|
Key Player(s)
|
Chris Kaimis (Sr., 6-2, MB/OH, CUNYAC 1st Team All-Star), Scott Standring (Jr., 6-1, S, CUNYAC 2nd Team All-Star), Yanni Malo (Jr. MB, 6-4, CUNYAC Championship MVP), Brady Ambro (OH, Jr., 6-2)
|
|
Returner(s)
|
Brendan Murphy (L, So, 6-2), Taylor Higgs (Jr., L, 6-1), Brian Coniglio (Jr., 6-3, S)
|
|
Important Recruit(s)
|
Braden Carter (MB, 6-9 ), Jake Jacob Rudin (6-3, OH)
|
|
Games to Watch
|
vs #1 Juniata Jan. 24
vs Hunter Feb. 16 & Mar. 31
vs #3 Springfield Mar. 26
vs #11 NYU Feb. 24
|
The Baruch College Bearcats are ranked No. 13 in the Preseason Division III Coaches Poll conducted by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (A.V.C.A.).
Last year, the Bearcats (27-11) finished ranked at No. 12. They have been ranked every week since 2009.
Juniata is the top ranked team, followed by Stevens, Springfield, SUNY-New Paltz and Carthage in rounding out the top five.
Seven of the 15 teams in the current national rankings are on the Bearcats' schedule for the upcoming season.
They will be quickly put to the test with their season-opener on Saturday, January 24, with matches versus No. 1 Juniata and No. 10 Elmira at the Juniata Tri-Match in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
Runner-up - #3 York Cardinals
|
Last Season
|
|
|
Overall Record
|
20-18
|
|
CUNYAC Record
|
10-4
|
|
Postseason Finish
|
Lost in Championship
|
|
CUNY Postseason
|
|
|
Number of CUNY Championships
|
1
|
|
Last CUNY Championship
|
1996
|
|
CUNY Finals Record
|
1-6
|
|
Last CUNY Final
|
2014
|
|
Post-CUNYAC Postseason
|
|
|
Number of NCAA Tournament Appearances
|
0
|
|
Number of ECAC Tournament Appearances
|
1
|
|
Number of ECAC Tournament Titles
|
0
|
|
ECAC Tournament Record
|
0-1
|
|
Last ECAC Tournament
|
2013
|
|
Coach Information
|
|
|
Head Coach
|
Andre M. Titus, Jr
|
|
Alma Mater
|
York
|
|
Year of Graduation
|
1984
|
|
Year at Institution
|
16
|
|
Record at Institution
|
|
|
Overall Record
|
|
|
Associate/Assistant Coaches
|
Tracey Marshall, Wolfgang Lucena
|
|
This Season
|
|
|
Key Player(s)
|
Edner Geffrard, Randy Adams, Sebastien Francois
|
|
Returner(s)
|
Edner Geffrard, Randy Adams, Sebastien Francois, Paramvir Singh
|
|
Important Recruit(s)
|
Akeem George, Anson Webb, Frederis Tapia
|
|
Games to Watch
|
1/21 vs. #2 Stevens
2/7 CUNYAC opener vs. Medgar Evers/ Lehman
2/11 Rematch of CUNYAC Championships at Baruch
|
|
Projected Milestones
|
Edner Geffrard-1,000 careeer kills (895 currently)
|
Semifinalist - #4 Brooklyn Bulldogs
|
Last Season
|
|
|
Overall Record
|
16-15
|
|
CUNYAC Record
|
8-6
|
|
Postseason Finish
|
CUNYAC Semifinals
|
|
Coach Information
|
|
|
Head Coach
|
Joseph Contello
|
|
Year at Institution
|
First
|
|
Associate/Assistant Coaches
|
Assistant Coach - Mateusz Gotowicki
|
|
This Season
|
|
|
Key Player(s)
|
Yeiky Rivera, Marvin Pelayo, Ryan McLaughlin, Moaz Ali Choudhary, Dickson Feng, Dmitriy Brener, Kevin Bautista
|
|
Important Recruit(s)
|
Yeiky Rivera, Marvin Pelayo, Ryan McLaughlin, Moaz Ali Choudhary, Dickson Feng, Dmitriy Brener, Kevin Bautista
|
Quarterfinalists - #5 CCNY Beavers - Release
|
Last Season
|
|
|
Overall Record
|
9-20
|
|
CUNYAC Record
|
5-9
|
|
Postseason Finish
|
CUNYAC Quarterfinals
|
|
CUNY Postseason
|
|
|
Number of CUNY Championships
|
3
|
|
Last CUNY Championship
|
2002
|
|
Coach Information
|
|
|
Head Coach
|
Andrijana Todorovic
|
|
Alma Mater
|
Faculty of Sport and Physical Education University - Belgrade, Serbia
|
|
Year of Graduation
|
2014
|
|
Year at Institution
|
1
|
|
Record at Institution
|
0-0
|
|
Overall Record
|
0-0
|
|
Associate/Assistant Coaches
|
Nicholas Siriban, Brian Lim, Jia Zuen Liu
|
|
This Season
|
|
|
Key Player(s)
|
Anthony Reyes (S), Leonel Pascual (MH), Oleksandr Boychuk (L)
|
|
Returner(s)
|
Anthony Reyes (S), Leonel Pascual (MH), Oleksandr Boychuk (L)
|
|
Important Recruit(s)
|
|
|
Games to Watch
|
3/4 CCNY at Brooklyn - rematch of last year's CUNYAC tournament match
|
|
Projected Milestones
|
Anthony Reyes - 2000 career set assists (Current 1649)
|
Quarterfinalists - #7 John Jay Bloodhounds
|
Last Season
|
|
|
Overall Record
|
7-15
|
|
CUNYAC Record
|
3-11
|
|
Postseason Finish
|
Lost in Quarterfinals
|
|
CUNY Postseason
|
|
|
Number of CUNY Championships
|
0
|
|
Post-CUNYAC Postseason
|
|
|
Number of NCAA Tournament Appearances
|
0
|
|
Number of NCAA Tournament Titles
|
0
|
|
Coach Information
|
|
|
Head Coach
|
Eder Mathelier
|
|
Alma Mater
|
City Tech
|
|
Year at Institution
|
2nd
|
|
Record at Institution
|
7-15
|
|
Overall Record
|
7-15
|
|
Associate/Assistant Coaches
|
Jason Dibelius, Johnny Santana
|
|
This Season
|
|
|
Key Player(s)
|
Jack Palleschi, Nicholas Anderson, Yevgeniy Remennik
|
|
Returner(s)
|
Jack Palleschi, Nicholas Anderson, Yevgeniy Remennik, Eric Li, Ernesto Brook, Carmelo Cintron Jr., Tyreke Moses, Kendal Jordan
|
|
Games to Watch
|
2/7 vs. Hunter college & City College (CCNY)
3/4 vs. Lehman College
3/19 vs. York College
|