NEWARK, NJ--The NJIT men's volleyball team will close out a four-match road trip this weekend when the Highlanders visit Charleston (WV) in EIVA Conference action.
Game Information
Game times are slated for 7pm on Friday, February 19 and 3pm on Saturday, February 20. The matches will be streamed live on the MountEast.com TV with in-game statistics available on www.NJITHighlanders.com.
First NVA/AVCA Top-15 Ranking
After a weekend split with No. 11 Penn State, the NJIT men's volleyball team has earned a well-deserved spot in the in the National Volleyball Association (NVA)/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division I-II Men's Coaches top-15 poll, marking the first time in program history.
In week four, NJIT (3-3) broke into the rankings at No. 15 receiving 29 votes.
This past weekend, NJIT split a weekend series at No. 11 Penn State. The Nittany Lions topped NJIT, 3-1, on Saturday but the Highlanders bounced back on Sunday and swept Penn State, 25-21, 25-22 and 25-9 to secure the win.
The win for the Highlanders marked the first time since 1998 NJIT defeated Penn State.
Weekly Honors
Senior outside Alvaro Gimeno racked up four individual weekly awards -- Sports Import/AVCA Player of the Week, EIVA Offensive Player of the Week, OffTheBlock National Attacker of the Week and VolleyballMag.com Player of the Night for his performance at No. 11 Penn State. Gimeno combined for 31 kills (4.43kps) and .644 hitting percentage in a weekend split with No. 11 Penn State.
Freshman Griffin Fieseler, a two-time OffTheBlock Freshman of the Week, led the Highlanders to a .390 team hitting percentage at No. 11 Penn State.
Preseason EIVA Coaches Poll
NJIT has been selected second in the 2021 Preseason Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) Coaches' Poll.
The Highlanders stood at 9-5 overall, 4-3 in the EIVA, when play was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. NJIT returns all seven starters led by Gimeno, who shared Co-Player of the Year honors in the EIVA.
Penn State is the favorite to return to the top of the EIVA this season and were a near-unanimous selection, earning five of the six votes from the coaches.
NJIT picked up the other first-place vote while George Mason captured third.
Team Statistical Leaders
Alvaro Gimeno | 3.95kps, .414 H%
Julian Meissner | 3.48kps, .294 H%
Jens Feldthus | 1.48dps
Martin de Chavarria | 1.10bps
Scouting the Golden Eagles
Charleston (WV) enters this weekend with an even 2-2 overall mark and 2-2 in EIVA action. The Golden Eagles are coming off a weekend sweep against Saint Francis U last weekend.
Junior Diego Villafane was named EIVA Defensive Player of the Week. The junior setter totaled five blocks including a pair of solo stuffs, 14 digs, an ace and four kills as the Golden Eagles earned a 3-2 win Friday and 3-0 victory Saturday.
He had two kills, seven digs and a solo block in each match. He also dished out 40 assists the first night and 32 the second, and of the four Golden Eagles who reached double digits in kills over the two matches, three hit over .500.
Next Up
NJIT will return home for a pair of matches next week when the Highlanders host Saint Francis U on Thursday, February 25 and Friday, February 26. Start times are slated for 7pm.
