NEWARK, NJ—Seven freshmen-to-be have signed National Letters of Intent to further their educations and form a new core of the men’s volleyball team at NJIT beginning in 2009-10, coach Ryan McNeil announced.
The incoming class of signees represents a recruiting effort that extended as far away as Europe and South America and as nearby as New Jersey.
Freshmen are certain to comprise more than half of the 2010 NJIT roster, with the seven signees likely to be joined by other freshmen whose names can not be released at this time due to NCAA rules regarding recruiting publicity. Five members of the 2009 team are expected to return in 2010.
The roster makeover is timely based on graduation of some multi-year starters and a bump in the road on the court in 2009 after four years of measurable growth for the program. In 2006, NJIT returned to the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association postseason playoffs for the first since 2000; the Highlanders were champions of the EIVA Hay Division in 2007; and, the Highlanders advanced to the EIVA playoff semifinals in 2008 before stumbling and missing the 2009 playoffs.
The seven new National Letter of Intent signees are: Doug Battersby (Ringwood, NJ/Don Bosco Prep); Stuart Herrmann (Monroeville, PA/Gateway Senior High School); Matthew Lui (Aiea, HI/Hawaii Baptist Academy, Honolulu); Christian Puszies (Hamburg, Germany/Doerpsweg Gymnasium); Brady Smith (Kurtistown, HI/Waiakea High School, Hilo); Andrei Stoyanow (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Novo Hamburgo); and, Kevin Van Oss (Dayton, OH/Archbishop Alter High School, Kettering).
Here is a closer look at the seven signees (listed alphabetically):
Doug Battersby (Ringwood, NJ/Don Bosco Prep; 6-5; S/RS) … one of the top high school players in New Jersey the past couple of years, Battersby received numerous honors for his play at setter for Don Bosco Prep of Ramsey, NJ ... As a senior, he was second-team all-state honoree in the Star-Ledger after being a third-team honoree as a junior … The Ledger also named him to its 2009 all-Bergen County first team … he was the 2008 North Jersey Player of the Year as selected by The Record of Hackensack, NJ … Battersby plans to major in architecture at NJIT … Ryan McNeil on Battersby: “Doug runs a good offense. With his size, he could hit or set for us”.
Stuart Herrmann (Monroeville, PA/Gateway Senior HS; 6-8; M) … Herrmann was a two-year captain and three-year letterwinner for his Western Pennsylvania high school … he got a perfect 800 score on the math section of the SAT and was honored by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review newspaper as one of 10 Outstanding Young Citizens from the city’s eastern suburbs … he plans to major in mechanical engineering and will enroll in NJIT’s Albert Dorman Honors College … Ryan McNeil on Herrmann: “He gives us a true middle with his height and he will be a great asset for us with a chance to be a solid four-year player.”
Matthew Lui (Aiea, HI/Hawaii Baptist Academy; 6-1; S) … one of two Hawaiians joining the NJIT program, Lui was one of seven players named to the state Division II all-tournament team in 2009 after earning the same honor in 2008 … He had 33 assists as Hawaii Baptist won the 2009 state championship match … he plans to major in civil engineering at NJIT … Ryan McNeil on Lui: “He’s very athletic and he knows the game very well. He should push for the starting setter position.”
Christian Puszies (Hamburg, Germany/Doerpsweg Gymnasium); 6-5; OH) … brings experience in both indoor volleyball and beach volleyball in his native Germany, where he was in 10th place in the national indoor championship in 2008 and 19th in the 2008 national beach championship … plans to major in business at NJIT … Ryan McNeil on Puszies: “He will come in with a lot of experience and a good club background. He’s one of the players I’m looking to bring us back to the winning side.”
Brady Smith (Kurtistown, HI/Waiakea HS; 6-0; L/S) … one of two Hawaiians joining the NJIT program, he was first-team all-Big Island Interscholastic Federation honoree in 2009 for Waiakea HS of Hilo … libero is expected to be his primary position … undecided as to his major at NJIT … Ryan McNeil on Smith: “He’s very quick with great ball control. He should provide a lot of stability for us on the passing side.”
Andrei Stoyanow (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Novo Hamburgo; 6-2; OH/S) … his presence will assure NJIT of having at least one Brazilian on it men’s volleyball team since Ryan McNeil became head coach in 2005 (three starters on NJIT’s 2008 EIVA semifinalists hailed from Brazil) … he played on teams that won the state junior championships in 2004, 2005, and 2006 and the Porto Allegre Volleyball Cup 2003 to 2007 … plans to major in business at NJIT … Ryan McNeil on Stoyanow: “He comes from a solid club environment and he turned down some good opportunities in Brazil to pursue college in the United States.”
Kevin Van Oss (Dayton, OH/Archbishop Alter HS, Kettering; 6-8; OH) … all-league and all-region first team playing for Archbishop Alter High near Dayton, OH … he recorded 426 kills his last two years in high school, despite missing part of his senior season with a broken right hand … he plans to major in biology at NJIT … Ryan McNeil on Van Oss: “Kevin comes from a good volleyball background ant at 6-8, he’ll be great for blocking on the outside. He will be a real asset for our program and he will continue to develop.”