March 28, 2011

Stokes, Ayala and Barahona Recognized by NECC

ATTLEBORO, Mass. - Southern Vermont College first year head coach, Joshua Stokes, earned top coaching honors being named the 2011 NECC Men’s Volleyball Coach of the Year. He led the Mountaineers to a fourth place finish with a 2-7 NECC record and a 5-18 overall record.  Stokes and the Mountaineers made their first ever  NECC men’s volleyball championship appearance with the no. 4 seed in the tourney.

 Southern Vermont was also honored as the 2011 NECC Team Sportsmanship Award recipients. The Mountaineers concluded conference play in fifth place with a 2-7 finish and a 5-18  mark for the season.

Voting for the All-NECC team and each of the major awards was conducted among all NECC men’s volleyball coaches.

Joining Talamantes and Rainey on first team were Newbury senior middle blocker Max Daley (Cranston, R.I.) and senior outside hitter James Beck (Havre De Grace, Md.),  Elms junior outside hitter Yonalvy Acosta (Holyoke, Mass.) and Daniel Webster junior outside hitter Chris Shannon (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.).

Five players received honorable mention honors including Southern Vermont freshman outside hitter Anthony Barahona (Eagle Rock, Calif.) and freshman setter Anthony Ayala (Pico Rivera, Calif.), Daniel Webster freshman outside hitter Joe Walz (East Longmeadow, Mass.), Lesley freshman outside hitter William Lau (Charlestown, Mass.) and Elms freshman setter Daniel Labron (San Juan, Puerto Rico).

 

2011 ALL-NECC MEN’S VOLLEYBALL FIRST TEAM


 Matt Talamantes, Newbury, junior

Bryson Rainey, Elms, freshman

Chris Shannon, Daniel Webster, junior

Max Daley, Newbury, senior

Yonalvy Acosta, Elms, junior

James Beck, Newbury, senior

 

2011 ALL-NECC MEN’S VOLLEYBALL HONORABLE MENTION


 Anthony Barahona, Southern Vermont, freshman

Anthony Ayala, Southern Vermont, freshman

Joe Walz, Daniel Webster, freshman

William Lau, Lesley, freshman

Daniel Labron, Elms, freshman

 

2011 NECC MEN’S VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Matt Talamantes, Newbury, SR (Los Angeles, Calif.)

2011 NECC MEN’S VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Michael Biuso, Newbury , SR (South Setauket, N.Y.)

2011 NECC MEN’S VOLLEYBALL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Bryson Rainey, Elms, FR (Brookline, Mass.)

2011 NECC MEN’S VOLLEYBALL COACH OF THE YEAR: Josh Stokes, Southern Vermont

2011 NECC MEN’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD:  Southern Vermont College