The 2011 NECC All-Conference Men’s Volleyball Team Announced

Talamantes, Biuso, Rainey and Stokes Earn NECC Top Honors

ATTLEBORO, Mass. – All five sponsored programs were represented on the 2011 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Men’s Volleyball All-Conference Team, it was announced today by Commissioner Del Malloy. In addition to the All-NECC honors, four separate major individual award winners and the team sportsmanship award were also voted upon and selected this week.

Newbury College senior setter Matt Talamantes (Los Angeles, Calif.), a communications major,  was named the 2011 NECC Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year.  In NECC play, Talamantes played in 26 matches and was the true leader for the Nighthawks, leading the team with 222 assists (8.88 assists per game) while also sporting a .426 attack percentage and 35 digs (1.40 digs per game). He tallied 857 sets prior to the conference tournament including his 5,000^th career assist this past week. Talamantes led the team to their second consecutive NECC Championship title.

Newbury College senior Libero Michael Biuso (South Setauket, N.Y.) was named the 2011 NECC Men’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Year. Biuso, a communications major,  played 26 matches in conference play tallying 63 digs (2.42 digs per game). He has totaled 273 digs for the season and picked up his 1,000^th career dig earlier in the 2011 cam paign. He was an instrumental part of the Nighthawks second consecutive NECC title.

Elms College freshman middle hitter Bryson Rainey (Brookline, Mass.) nabbed the 2011 NECC Men’s Volleyball Rookie of the Year Award for his first season of collegiate play. Rainey, a Psychology major, played 28 matches notching 83 kills (2.96 per game), 77 digs (2.75 per game), 14 blocks, and an impressive .307 attack percentage.

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

2011 NECC POY, Matt Talamantes	2011 NECC Defensive POY, Michael Buiso	2011 NECC ROY, Bryson Rainey	2011 NECC COY, Josh Stokes	2011 Team Sportsmanship Award: SVC