Players To Watch
St. John Fisher
Avery Kielbasinski, Fr., OH – Kielbasinski, the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and an All-UVC honorable mention, has slammed 199 kills (2.93 per set) while hitting .255, tallied 14 service aces and recorded 27 total blocks, including four solo, for 228.5 total points (3.36 per set) while playing in 68 sets across 25 matches this season. Kielbasinski has recorded 15 or more kills in four matches and 15 or more points in five matches. He set season highs with 17 kills and 19.5 points in a five-set contest against Thiel on Jan. 31.
Gabe La Robardiere, Sr., OH – An All-UVC honorable mention, La Robardiere La Robardiere, who's played in 88 sets across 28 matches, leads Fisher with 202 kills (2.30 per set), a .297 hitting percentage and 239.5 total points (2.72 per set), all of which mark career highs. He set season highs in kills (15) and points (17) in a five-set victory over Roanoke on Jan. 31. La Robardiere also ranks second on the team with 48 total blocks, including seven solo and 41 assists. He had two block solos in a five-set win over Elizabethtown on March 14 and in a four-set win over SUNY Potsdam on April 4.
Luke Zimmermann, Fr., L/DS – The third different player in program history to be named E8 Defensive Player of the Year, Zimmermann leads the Cardinals with 218 digs and averages 2.69 per set, the second most in the United Volleyball Conference. He's had 10 or more digs in nine matches and 20 or more in two of them. His 23 digs in a five-set match against SUNY New Paltz on Feb. 13 marked the most by a UVC player in a match this season.
NYU
Emerson Evans, Jr., OH – Evans, named UVC Player of the Year on Thursday, is enjoying a tremendous season for the Violets, as he leads the UVC in both kills and points per set. He is seventh nationally, averaging 4.14 kills per set and is tenth in Division III with 4.8 points per set. Evans has recorded at least 10 kills in a match 16 times this season, including nine matches with at least 20 kills. Evans has also added 141 digs (1.83 per set) and 46 blocks (0.6 per set), while hitting .282 this season.
Charlie Clifford, Fr., OH – The UVC Rookie of the Year, Clifford is second on NYU behind Evans and is fifth among all UVC student-athletes, averaging 3.17 kills per set and sixth with 3.64 points per set, while hitting .292. He also leads the Violets with 25 service aces to go along with 24 blocks. A native of Glen Ellyn, IL, Clifford has recorded at least 10 kills in a match 15 times this season, including a season-high 22 in a five-set win over Hobart on March 28.
Devyn Nguyen, Jr., S – Nguyen, a first-team All-UVC honoree, leads the conference and ranks second in Division III with 10.31 assists per set. He has amassed 856 total assists this season while playing in 83 sets across 22 matches.
