Erskine Men's Volleyball Tops Preseason Coaches' Poll

Erskine Men's Volleyball Tops Preseason Coaches' Poll

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HIGH POINT, N.C. – Entering their third year of existence, the Erskine Men’s Volleyball Team has lofty expectations of establishing a dynasty by repeating as conference champions and returning to the NCAA National Tournament this year.

 

Last year Erskine (21-7, 12-2) surpassed everyone’s expectations, winning over twenty games and capturing both the league regular season and tournament titles. Erskine was eliminated in the national tournament by Stanford University.

 

The Flying Fleet return six starters, including three all-conference players, from last year’s championship squad. The three returning all-conference players will give the Fleet one of the league’s best offenses. Junior Mike Michelau, an outsider hitter, headlines the returning group, earning 1st Team All-Conference for the second straight year while also garnering American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Honorable Mention All-American honors. He is the first Erskine volleyball player, male or female, to earn the distinction from the AVCA. Michelau led the Fleet in kills, averaging over four kills per set.

 

Joining Michelau on the outside is sophomore Roberto Perez. Perez garnered Freshman All-American distinction by Off the Block while being voted Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year. He also earned 2nd Team All-Conference honors in the process.

 

The Flying Fleet also return 2nd Team All-Conference honoree and former Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year Mike Kawa. Kawa, who played middle hitter the last two years, is moving to the opposite hitter position. Kawa led the team in blocks while knocking down close to three kills per set.

 

Erskine welcomes several new faces, including Head Coach Cole Tallman. Tallman is familiar with Conference Carolinas, having coached the men’s volleyball team at the University of Mount Olive.  At UMO, Tallman won four conference titles and finished second twice. For his career, Tallman has been named Coach of the Year sixteen times and is currently just nine wins away of 800 victories for his career.

 

Mount Olive posted an overall record of 15-11 last year and finished third in the Conference Carolinas standings with a 10-4 mark. The Trojans advanced to the championship match of the Conference Carolinas Tournament for the fourth time in the five-year existence of the tournament.

 

The Trojans return three starters from last year's squad. Setter Quaid Marin averaged 10.2 assists per set and earned All-Conference Carolinas honors. Outside hitter Mike Mann recorded a .299 hitting percentage last season. Libero Josh Donahue, who twice reached the 20-dig mark, earned "Off The Block" National Freshman of the Week Honorable Mention during the 2014 season.

 

After seeing its streak of three straight Conference Carolinas Championships end last year, the Pfeiffer Falcons have been picked to finish third in the conference. The Falcons return every starter from a team that went 10-4 in conference play a season ago.

 

Among the top returners is setter David Specian who has been named to the First Team All-Conference for the past two seasons. Specian has led the team in assists each of his first three seasons and finished sixth in the nation with 10.74 assists per game in 2013.

 

Also named to the 2014 First Team All-Conference was Sonny Hirini who led the Falcons with 302 kills and finished the season with a .251 hitting percentage and 54 total blocks.

 

Fabio Diniz (Second Team) and Michael Brewer (Third Team) were also All-Conference performers and return for the talented Falcons. Diniz led Pfeiffer with 90 blocks and 21 aces and Brewer was second on the team with 238 kills. 

 

Conference Carolinas Men’s Volleyball Preseason Poll

(# of First Place Votes in Parenthesis)

 


Erskine

78

(6)

Mount Olive

70

(1)

Pfeiffer

68

(2)

Barton

57


Limestone

56


King

44


Lees-McRae

37


Belmont Abbey

34


North Greenville

21