BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott men's volleyball program has been ranked No. 4 overall in the 2020 National Volleyball Association (NVA)/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Preseason Poll, as announced by the organization today. This is the highest ranking the Gulls have ever achieved in program history.
Meanwhile, defending NCAA Division III national champion SUNY New Paltz topped the poll with 368 points behind 20 first place votes (FPV). Springfield (331, 2 FPV) and Stevens (324, 2 FPV) followed SUNY New Paltz on the poll in the next two spots, respectively, while Endicott checked in at fourth via 270 votes, which included receiving its first-ever first place vote.
Rounding out the top-10 were Carthage, Benedictine (Ill.), Southern Virginia, UC Santa Cruz, Rivier, and Arcadia.
Overall, Endicott has been nationally ranked 53 times in program history. The Gulls have been ranked inside the top-10 on 23 occasions and have been positioned as high as fifth overall prior to today.
2019 YEAR IN REVIEW
The 2019 campaign (26-7 overall, 13-1 NECC) was a banner year for Endicott as the Gulls captured their sixth New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) title with a 3-1 road victory over then-No. 5 Elms on April 13.
Endicott followed up that win with an NCAA Tournament first round triumph against St. Joseph's (L.I.), 3-1, before the eventual NCAA Tournament champion, SUNY New Paltz, knocked off the Gulls in the quarterfinals by a 3-2 score.
Endicott's 26 wins in 2019 also ranks second-most in program history behind the 2010 campaign (28-8).
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott will open up its 2020 season against UC Santa Cruz and Keuka in the Johnson & Wales University (JWU) Tournament on Friday, January 24 at 4 and 6 PM, respectively.
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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)