April 23, 2007

NEWARK, NJ - New Jersey Institute of Technology men's volleyball athletes Rodrigo Correa, Leonardo Paludo, Greg Wagner and Eduardo Welter were named to the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association all-Academic team for 2007, Sports Information Director Jenell Patton announced today.

Correa, a graduate of Colegio Objetivo High School in Brazil and Paludo and Welter, juniors who graduated from Escola Barao do Rio Branco High School in Brazil are all management majors while Wagner a graduate of Minnechaug Regional High School is a Computer Science major.

Correa, a sophomore setter, passed for a career-high 65 assists in a 3-2 win over East Stroudsburg on March 6. His 65 assists were the most assists in a single season game over the last two seasons. Correa ranks eighth in the conference with 991 assists in 86 games averaging 11.52 assists a game. A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Correa has a 3.96 cumulative GPA.

Paludo, a junior opposite hitter, one of the Highlanders offensive threats, ranks twelfth nationally in kills with (4.38) and thirteenth in services aces with 35. Paludo was named to the EIVA Hay Division I Player of the Week four times this season. He ranks fifth in the conference with 385 kills in 88 games. He posted a career-high 37 kills against East Stroudsburg on March 6 setting a single season match record over the last two seasons. His 37 kills in five matches' ties him for second with Paul Carroll from Pepperdine in the 30-Kill Club in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). A native of Balneario Camboriu, Brazil, he has a 3.56 cumulative GPA.

Welter, who played 13 games at the defensive libero position and 16 as an outside hitter, is ranked tenth nationally with 2.45 digs per game. He posted a season-high 20 kills against NYU on March 29 as the Highlanders clinched a berth for the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association playoffs. Welter ranks fourth in the conference with 201 digs. Welter's 17 digs' against Juniata in a three set match ties him for second with C.J. Macias from IPFW in the 15-Dig Club in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). A native of Balneario Camboriu, Brazil, he has a 3.90 cumulative GPA.

Wagner, a junior middle hitter, is ranked ninth nationally with a .456 hitting percentage. In the last five matches of the season, Wagner posted 41 kills on 53 total attempts and just two errors for a .763 hitting percentage. On April 9, when NJIT clinched first place with a 3-0 victory over New Haven Wagner was brilliant notching 9 kills on 9 attempts, against East Stroudsburg on April 11, he posted 7 kills on 7 swings and in a 3-2 victory over Mount Olive he hit a perfect 9-for-9. Wagner's season totals end with 232 kills, 44 errors and 419 attacks with a .449 hitting percentage. He holds a 3.81 cumulative GPA.

In order to be eligible for the honor, student-athletes needed a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 or higher, have reached at least sophomore athletic standing and participated in at least 60 percent of the games played.

Other institutions represented on the 13-player team included George Mason, Harvard, Penn State, St. Francis (NY), East Stroudsburg, Princeton, New Haven and NYU.