Men's Volleyball Hits The Road To Start Season

Wildcats play four matches in three days this weekend

1/20/2022 2:50:00 PM

THIS PREVIEW HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THE CANCELLATION OF SATURDAY'S MATCH VS. VASSAR.

Match #1
Daemen Wildcats (0-0) vs. American International Yellow Jackets (0-1)
Friday, Jan. 21 | 6:30 p.m. | Springfield, Mass. | Henry A. Butova Gymnasium
Watch (NE-10 Now)
Live Stats

Match #2
Daemen Wildcats (0-0) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0, 0-0 EIVA)
Saturday, Jan. 22 | 12 p.m. | Fairfield, Conn. | Willam H. Pitt Center
Watch (NEC Front Row)
Live Stats

Match #3
Daemen Wildcats (0-0) vs. Princeton Tigers (1-3, 0-0 EIVA)
Sunday, Jan. 23 | 2 p.m. | Princeton, N.J. | Dillon Gymnasium
Watch (ESPN+)
Live Stats
Spectators limited to Princeton students, faculty & staff

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1. SEASON OPENERS
The Daemen men's volleyball team gets the 2022 season underway with three road matches in as many this weekend. The Wildcats will run the gamut in terms of opponents, facing a first-year Division II program (American International) and two Division I programs affiliated with the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Associations (Sacred Heart & Princeton). Daemen was supposed to open the season at home earlier this week against St. Francis (Pa.), but that match was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.

2. PERFECTION
Daemen is coming off a perfect 10-0 season in 2021. The Wildcats were the only NCAA Division I-II team to finish without a loss. They'll enter the 2022 season having won 12 straight matches dating back to early March 2020. Daemen's last loss was a 3-2 setback to Division III Wells on Feb. 29, 2020. Now entering their fourth season of existence, the Wildcats have won 19 of their last 21 matches and hold an all-time record of 28-24.

3. GUESS WHO'S BACK
Daemen returns virtually its entire roster from 2021, including their top hitter (Zach Schneider, 2.98 kills/set), top setter (Michael Krueger, 8.17 assists/set), top back row defender (Ryan Parker, 1.62 digs/set) and top net defender (Jake Couzens, 0.86 blocks/set). Schneider and Krueger were named to the Off the Block All-Independent Team while head coach Don Gleason was named the Off the Block Independent Teams Co-Coach of the Year last season. Additional key contributors returning include Robert Patzer (2.38 kills/set), John Jaworski (1.12 digs/set) and Henry Moffitt (0.86 blocks/set). Krueger (1,360 career assists), Moffitt and defensive specialist Jaden Gillette are set to become the program's first-ever four-year players and Daemen graduates.

4. SETTING THE TABLE
Daemen is expected to be without setters Michael Krueger and Gavin Musielak this weekend which will force fifth-year senior Robert Patzer into emergency action running the offense. Patzer, who normally plays the opposite hitter position, made an immediate impact in his first season with the Wildcats in 2021. He finished second on the team in both kills and digs per set. Patzer transferred to Daemen after a three-year career at Division III Wells where he was the North Eastern Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year in 2020.

5. THE SCHEDULE
This weekend's matches are the first of 20 on the schedule for the Wildcats leading up to the Independent Volleyball Association Tournament April 22-23 in Charlotte. The Wildcats make their home debut with two matches on Jan. 29, facing St. Francis Brooklyn and LIU as part of the Battle for N.Y., an event co-hosted with D'Youville. The matches kick off a nine-match home stand for the Wildcats - the longest in program history. Daemen's next road trip doesn't come until mid-March.

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCOUTING REPORT
The AIC Yellow Jackets are an independent member of NCAA Division II and are competing in their inaugural season. Hector Jose Reyes was named the program's first head coach last January, with oversight from Director of Volleyball Matt Cribbin who also serves as AIC's Head Women's Volleyball Coach.

The Yellow Jackets feature a nine-player roster for ths inaugural campaign - all freshmen. AIC dropped their opening match of the season, a 3-0 setback at Division III Endicott this past Tuesday. Outside hitter John Rivera Ortiz paced the Yellow Jackets with seven kills, three aces, three digs and two blocks.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL
Series Record: 0-0
At AIC: 0-0
Current Streak: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A

SACRED HEART SCOUTING REPORT
The Sacred Heart Pioneers are a member of NCAA Division I and the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. The Pioneers are led by veteran head coach Bob Bertucci who is in his fourth season at the helm. Before arriving at Sacred Heart, Bertucci held head coaching positions at Lehigh (women's), Temple (women's) and Rutgers (men's and women's).

The Pioneers return 15 players from their 2021 team that finished 1-19 overall. Among the returners are the Pioneers' top hitter (sophomore Mark Berry, 2.48 kills/set), top setter (sophomore Teddy Payne, 6.10 assists/set) and top net defender (sophomore Patrick Mucherino, 0.69 blocks/set).

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. SACRED HEART
Series Record: 0-0
At Sacred Heart: 0-0
Current Streak: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A

PRINCETON SCOUTING REPORT
The Princeton Tigers are members of NCAA Division I and the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. The Tigers are led by 12th-year head coach Sam Shweisky who has guided the program to a 127-142 record to date.

Princeton welcomes back 10 upperclassmen and was selected fourth in the EIVA preseason coaches' poll. Senior setter Joe Kelly, a two-time Second Team All-EIVA selection, headlines the Princeton returners.

Sunday's match is Princeton's 2022 home opener. The Tigers are coming off a four-match trip to Southern California where they dropped matches to USC (3-0), UCLA (3-0) and Pepperdine (3-0) before besting UC-Santa Barbara (3-1). Sophomore Ben Harrington leads the Tiger offense by producing 3.25 kills per set while Kelly is averaging 7.60 assists per frame.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. PRINCETON
Series Record: 0-0
At Princeton: 0-0
Current Streak: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A

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