Men's Volleyball 2020 Season Review

4/29/2020 2:00:00 PM

QUICK HITS

The 2020 season marked the second in the history of the Daemen men's volleyball team.
The Wildcats doubled their win total from 2019, finishing with a 12-7 overall record when the season was prematurely ended by the COVID-19 pandemic; 10 matches at the back end of the Wildcats' 2020 schedule were lost.
The Wildcats enjoyed a seven-match winning streak in February, a span that included a thrilling 3-2 win over Lincoln Memorial.
Newcomers Zach Yerington and Zach Schneider proved to be the team's offensive catalysts.

SCHEDULE / RESULTS

ROSTER

STATISTICS

DON GLEASON // HEAD MEN'S VOLLEYBALL COACH

Don Gleason was introduced as the first head coach of the Daemen men's volleyball team on May 5, 2017.
Gleason guided the program through its inaugural season in 2019, winning six matches with a roster comprised entirely of first-year collegiate players.
In 2020, Gleason's team doubled their win total despite the season being cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before coming to Daemen, Gleason spent time assisting at Stony Brook, Buffalo, Yale and Southern Cal.

Head Coach Don Gleason

On August 19, 2019, head coach Don Gleason announced an ambitious early season schedule that would have the Wildcats hosting Division I powers UCLA, Pepperdine & Harvard.

ICYMI - @UCLAMVB head coach John Speraw had some very complimentary things to say about @DaemenMVB head coach Don Gleason ahead of their match on Jan. 2... pic.twitter.com/Uztpzm6OFU
— Daemen Wildcats (@DaemenAthletics) December 21, 2019

NEWS: @DaemenMVB's Gillette Named To Erik Shoji Award Watch List https://t.co/5D0Y1HXHMy
— Daemen Wildcats (@DaemenAthletics) December 27, 2019

AMHERST, N.Y. - Sometimes when you lose to Goliath, there's still some positives to take away from the experience.

That was exactly the case tonight as the Daemen College men's volleyball team opened just the second season in program history with blue blood UCLA visiting a sold out Lumsden Gymnasium. Sure, the 19-time national champs knocked off Daemen in straight sets (25-16, 25-16, 25-17), but the Wildcats were good enough to show the promise that's enveloping their program. FULL RECAP

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. - Although it won't go down as an official "W" in the win column, the Daemen College men's volleyball showed some poise in rallying past Brock University 3-2 in exhibition action tonight at Bob Davis Gymnasium. Daemen, which is at the outset of just the second season in program history, fell behind 2-0 to the host Badgers (15-25, 23-25), but managed to win three-straight sets (25-21, 25-21, 15-11) to grab the victory. FULL RECAP
AMHERST, N.Y. - Playing their second nationally-ranked opponent in as many regular season contests already this season, the Daemen College men's volleyball team was again impressive, albeit in defeat, as they fell to No. 8 Pepperdine University in straight sets (25-19, 25-20, 25-15) before a near capacity crowd at Lumsden Gymnasium tonight. FULL RECAP
AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College men's volleyball team capped off its season-opening stretch of games against high-profile Division I opponents with a 3-1 loss to Harvard University (21-25, 25-17, 25-23, 26-24) tonight at Lumsden Gymnasium tonight. FULL RECAP

Thanks for the support! https://t.co/J8VNEQ2534 pic.twitter.com/8AkO7hxLC7
— Daemen Men's Vball (@DaemenMVB) January 16, 2020

Freshman outside hitter Zach Schneider made an immediate impact and led the team with 196 kills. He recorded double-doubles against Harvard and D'Youville.

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Daemen College men's volleyball team went on the road to pick up their first win of the season today, defeating crosstown rival D'Youville College in straight sets (25-12, 25-23, 25-15) at the College Center Gymnasium. FULL RECAP
AMHERST, N.Y. - Freshman outside hitter Zach Schneider (Lockport N.Y.) continued his solid rookie season, leading the Daemen College men's volleyball team to a 3-1 win (25-23, 23-25, 25-14, 25-18) over visiting Wittenberg University tonight at Lumsden Gymnasium. The match was the second of five to be played at Lumsden Gymnasium this weekend. Wittenberg fell in four sets (25-16, 25-14, 24-26, 25-19) to fellow NCAA Division III member St. John Fisher College in today's opening match. FULL RECAP
AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College men's volleyball team earned a split of two home matches today, falling 3-1 to St. John Fisher (24-26, 28-26, 25-20, 25-18) before defeating Alderson Broaddus University in straight sets (25-6, 25-13, 25-15). Today's matches were played as part of the Daemen quint-match, an event that featured five total contests played at Lumsden Gymnasium this weekend. FULL RECAP

Sophomore Jahari Winkfield led the Wildcats with 35 blocks in 2020, including a program-record 9 in a win over Urbana on Feb. 9

MUNCIE, Ind. - The Daemen College men's volleyball team's first win against a Division I opponent will have to wait for another day as the Wildcats fell 3-0 tonight against Ball State University at Worthen Arena. FULL RECAP
URBANA, Ohio. - The Daemen College men's volleyball team took both games of a tri-match hosted by Urbana University here this afternoon. After defeating the host Blue Knights 3-1, the Wildcats rallied to post the biggest win in the two-year history of their program with a thrilling 3-2 win over Lincoln Memorial University. All three schools are NCAA Division II independents in men's volleyball. FULL RECAP

Wow, what a match! @DaemenMVB rallies for the reverse sweep against Lincoln Memorial. Zach Yerington finishes with 30+ kills - one of the top individual performances in the country this season! pic.twitter.com/QdNW7yims6
— Daemen Wildcats (@DaemenAthletics) February 9, 2020

Audio: @@DaemenMVB coach reacts to opposite Zach Yerington's 36 kill performance in upset win https://t.co/FhbmXsALVL pic.twitter.com/eWOw7Buslw
— Off the Block (@offtheblock11) February 10, 2020

Zach Yerington's 36 kills - the most for any Division I/II men's volleyball player in a single match this season - led to a pair of accolades

YERINGTON EARNS PAIR OF WEEKLY HONORS FROM OFF THE BLOCK BLOG

WNY NATIVE'S ACCOLADES INCLUDES NATIONAL OPPOSITE OF THE WEEK

AMHERST, N.Y. - Zach Yerington (Hamburg, N.Y.) of the Daemen College men's volleyball team has earned two weekly honors from Off The Block, a website that specializes in the coverage of collegiate men's volleyball. The 6-foot-5 graduate student was named the Independent Teams Player of the Week as well as the National Opposite of the Week. FULL RELEASE

Freshman Ryan Parker put down five service aces to lead Daemen past Medaille on Feb. 23, establishing a new team record for aces in match. Parker totaled 62 kills and 74 digs in his rookie season.

AURORA, N.Y. - The Daemen College men's volleyball team ran its winning streak to four-straight matches following wins over SUNY Potsdam and host Wells College here tonight during day one of the Wells College Classic Tournament. The Wildcats posted a 3-0 (25-16, 25-20. 25-12) win over SUNY Potsdam and then rallied for a 3-2 (25-22, 16-25, 22-25, 25-18, 16-14) win over Wells. FULL RECAP
AURORA, N.Y. - The Daemen College men's volleyball team completed a perfect weekend and ran its winning streak to five-straight matches by posting a 3-1 (25-17, 25-21, 21-25, 25-21) victory over Penn State Altoona here today during second-day action of the Wells College Classic Tournament. FULL RECAP
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Daemen College men's volleyball team ran its winning streak to seven straight matches following wins over Medaille College and Elmira College here today during a tri-match hosted by Medaille. The Wildcats outlasted the host Mavericks 3-0 (27-25, 26-24, 25-15) and then capped the day with a 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-15) victory over Elmira. FULL RECAP

Congratulations to Michael Krueger who surpassed 1,000 career assists in our win yesterday vs. Elmira! pic.twitter.com/oG1Wnb5BG3
— Daemen Men's Vball (@DaemenMVB) February 24, 2020

Freshman John Jaworski appeared in 61 of a possible 70 sets this season playing a variety of positions

AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College men's volleyball team saw their seven-match winning streak come to an end as they dropped a pair of five-set matches to Wells College this afternoon at Lumsden Gymnasium. FULL RECAP

What a kill from @DaemenMVB's John Jaworski! #SCTop10 @ESPNAssignDesk pic.twitter.com/LOKaeXcUvG
— Daemen Wildcats (@DaemenAthletics) February 29, 2020

AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College men's volleyball team returned to winning form this evening with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-18) victory over Urbana University tonight at Lumsden Gymnasium. FULL RECAP
AMHERST, N.Y. - Freshman Zach Schneider (Lockport N.Y.) and graduate student Zach Yerington (Hamburg, N.Y.) accounted for 29 of the team's 42 kills, as the Daemen College men's volleyball team posted a 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 32-30) victory over St. Francis College—Brooklyn today at Lumsden Gymnasium. FULL RECAP

Sophomore Michael Krueger (above) and freshman Gavin Musielak were the team's primary setters in 2020. Krueger appeared in 55 sets and totaled a team-high 456 assists.

Zach Yerington and Zach Schneider were named the 2020 Off the Block/Frisco Mo All-Independent Team, recognizing the best players during the regular season from NCAA Division I-II men's volleyball teams that are competing without a conference affiliation. The seven independent teams this season were Daemen, Alderson Broaddus University, Lincoln Memorial University, St. Francis College—Brooklyn, Tusculum University, Queens University of Charlotte and Urbana University.

Launching our Daemen At A Distance feature with @DaemenMVB head coach Don Gleason who discusses his team's 2020 season, the impact felt by COVID-19 and the approach he's taking to support student-athletes.

FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/e6c7uCZ5zI pic.twitter.com/k7kcaUCkws
— Daemen Wildcats (@DaemenAthletics) April 1, 2020

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