Posted: Apr 02, 2009

Men's Volleyball Has Four Named All-NECVA New England

MEN'S VOLLEYBALL HAS FOUR PLAYERS NAMED ALL-NECVA NEW ENGLAND DIVISION
Bravo Named Player Of the Year; Sanchez Velez Garners Rookie Of The Year Honors

JERSEY CITY, NJ, April 2, 2009 - The North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) announced its 2009 All-Division award winners on Thursday, April 2 and Elms College had four players honored.

The Blazers had all four of its award winners named First Team NECVA All-New England Division, including sophomore outside hitter Alberto Bravo (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) and freshman outside hitter Sequiel Sanchez Velez (San Sebastian, Puerto Rico), who were named New England Player and Rookie of the Year, respectively.

The two were also named Second Team All-NECVA.

Bravo, who was named NECVA New England Rookie of the Year as a freshman last season, garnered New England Player of the Year honors in 2009.

Heading into the NECVA Tournament, Bravo has hammered down 430 kills in 30 matches and is 89 kills away from breaking his own single-season, team-record of 519 set in 2008. He currently ranks eighth nationally in Division III in kills.

Sanchez Velez, meanwhile, became Elms College's second straight New England Division Rookie of the Year winner, as he pounded out a staggering 326 kills in just 24 matches and heads into the NECVA Tournament 10^th nationally in that category.

Junior setter Ivan Andujar (Carolina, Puerto Rico) and senior libero Marc Carrasco (Tucson, AZ) joined Bravo and Sanchez Velez as First Team All-New England selections.

Andujar, who became the first player in Elms College history to surpass 3,000 career assists earlier this season, currently ranks 17^th nationally in assists (9.85 per set) and 13^th in aces (0.51). Andujar, a Second Team All-New England selection last year, heads into the NECVA Tournament just 73 assists shy of surpassing 1,000 for the second straight season.

Carrasco will conclude his career as Elms College's all-time leader in digs and is just 63 digs shy of becoming the first player in program-history to surpass 1,000 for his career. He will also graduate among the program's top 10 all-time leaders both in kills and points, and enters the NECVA Tournament 13^th nationally in digs per set (2.95), as he currently leads the Blazers with 273 digs in 29 matches.