Posted: Jul 25, 2014

Season In Review: Wells College Men's Volleyball

Every Friday throughout the summer of 2014, the Wells College Department of Athletics website will look back at the "year that was". Starting with field hockey on Friday, May 16, a comprehensive "season in review" for each of Wells' 14 NCAA Division III varsity sports will be posted, giving fans not only a look back but also a look forward to the upcoming season of play.

Field Hockey (05/16/14)
Women's Soccer (05/23/14)
Men's Soccer (05/30/14)
Women's Cross Country (06/06/14)
Women's Volleyball (06/13/14)
Men's Cross Country (06/20/14)
Women's Basketball (06/27/14)
Men's Swimming (07/04/14)
Women's Swimming (07/11/14)
Men's Basketball (07/18/14)

Completing their third season as a varsity program at Wells in 2014, the men's volleyball squad dramatically improved their fortunes from the previous season. With a 16-11 overall record, Wells doubled their win total from the previous season and also compiled five North Eastern Athletic Conference victories, an increase of three from the season prior.

STATISTICAL LEADERS


KILLS John Farruggia 211	ASSISTS Derek Nipps 732	SERVICE ACES John Farruggia 49	DIGS C.J. Bayly 269

POSTSEASON AWARD WINNERS


MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Derek Nipps	ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Liam Kaylor	EXPRESS AWARD C.J. Bayly

NOTABLES

HOLDING ALL THE ACES: Wells averaged 2.20 service aces per set across 95 sets played in 2014, leading all qualifying NCAA Division III teams in that statistic. En route to winning the College's first-ever team statistical title, three Wells student-athletes placed nationally within the top-40 in service aces per set. Sophomore John Farruggia (Leonardsville, N.Y.) led all NEAC men's volleyball players with .60 service aces per game.

ACES IN THE HOLE: The Express registered 10-plus service aces per match in eight separate contests in 2014 with a season-high of 17 service aces against Sarah Lawrence on Feb. 21. Additionally, Wells has recorded at least one service ace in 33-straight matches dating back to Mar. 22, 2013.

ALL-CONFERENCE: Three players from the men's volleyball team picked up North Eastern Athletic Conference All-Conference awards for their performance during the 2014 season. Farruggia and Derek Nipps (Turnersville, N.J.) each were tabbed as First Team All-Conference players while senior libero C.J. Bayly (Waymart, Pa.) earned placement on the league's Second Team. Farruggia becomes the program's first two-time All-Conference team selection, having claimed Second Team merits as a freshman in 2013.

ROOKIE: First-year middle hitter Alex Battey (Palmdale, Calif.) was selected as the league's Rookie of the Year following a vote of the conference's Head Coaches. He tallied 126 kills across 27 matches for the Express and was fourth in the conference with a .256 hitting percentage, committing only 47 errors in 309 total attacks.

DOUBLE-DIGIT STREAK: The Express rattled off an impressive 10-match winning streak spanning from Sat., Feb. 15 and ending with a 3-2, five-set loss to Hilbert on Sat., Mar. 22. Wells was a whopping 3-0 versus NEAC opponents during that timeframe.

CAN YOU DIG IT?: Wells ranked seventh nationally amongst NCAA Division III men's volleyball teams in digs per set, averaging 11.03 across 96 sets played. Bayly and Nipps each averaged more than two per set while Farruggia chipped in with 1.96/set. The former also led the NEAC in digs per set.

HAVING A SENIOR MOMENT: Bayly, the team's lone graduating senior student-athlete, was honored in a pre-game ceremony on Mar. 1. A three-year member of the squad, Bayly graduates as the all-time program leader in career digs (503), digs per set (2.05), sets played (245) and matches played (74). Originally a setter for the Express, he will graduate with 634 assist to his credit to place himself second all-time.