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)