April 4, 2006
BEVERLY, MA - Endicott College has grown immeasurable over the last 13 years and the athletics department has been at the forefront of that growth.
From a two-year women's program to the frontrunners of the Commonwealth Coast Conference, it has been the individual student-athletes leading the way. However, the recognition has not always followed suit.
The Division III athletic community is finally starting to see the Gulls as a quality athletic program with tremendous student-athletes.
Dan Coleman (Millis, MA/Millis) is getting his just reward and helping to cement the reputation of the men's volleyball program as a top-notch club.
The freshman, from Millis, Massachusetts, became the first freshman All-American in school history, making the AVCA Division III Men's Volleyball First All-America team after just one season of Division III collegiate competition. He is also the first men's volleyball player in EC history to earn AVCA First- Team All-America honors.
Coleman was a standout outside hitter at Millis High School, but Endicott head coach Tim Byram needed a libero and Coleman relished the role from his first match. Coleman was named the NECVA New England Rookie of the Year and earned First-Team All-New England honors.
"The conversion to libero has been seemless," Byram noted. "He was one of the top outside hitters in the state at the high school level and his athleticism and quickness are what make him a great volleyball player.
Coleman established the school record for digs in a season, recording 512 in 113 games played. The old record was 299 digs in 120 games, set by Craig Steszewski in 2004. Coleman also set, and reset, the school record for digs in a game on separated occasions. His season-high for digs came on February 21, 2006 at Newbury College when he came away with 38 digs in just three games.
Aside from averaging 4.53 digs per game, Coleman slugged 43 kills, had seven aces and recorded two blocks.
"Dan has been a tremendous asset to the program. I knew he was a solid athlete but would do well here but I had no idea that he would have the kind of freshman season he did and be in the running for these honors as a freshman," said Byram, who is in his sixth year at Endicott.