NORTH BOSTON, N.Y. – The Geneva College men's volleyball team was picked second in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) preseason poll released on Tuesday, as voted on by the coaches. Penn State Behrend, who the Golden Tornadoes lost to in the AMCC Championship match last season, was picked as the preseason favorite.
The men's volleyball team is coming off another strong season under the direction of Head Coach Curt Conser, entering his fifth season. Geneva finished last year 20-15 overall, 13-3 in the AMCC, and the Golden Tornadoes advanced to the AMCC championship match for the first time since the varsity program began four seasons ago.
Geneva will need to replace its top hitter from last year, Peter Barbato, who graduated after a standout career with the Golden Tornadoes. The men do have several key players returning, though, led by senior Byron Spear, who was a Second Team All-AMCC selection last year. Spear finished last season fourth in the AMCC with 301 kills, while also finishing fifth in the conference in digs (228) and sixth in blocks (76).
In addition to Spear, junior Carter Milroy is also back after earning Third Team All-AMCC honors last season. Milroy's 86 blocks were third in the AMCC, while his .312 hitting percentage (on 208 kills) was fifth in the AMCC.
Besides those two All-AMCC performers, Geneva also has several significant veterans returning. Graduate student Curtis Thomas is back after finishing third in the AMCC with 7.88 assists per set. Senior Jake Williams also returns for his final season at Geneva as one of the better all-around players in the conference. Last season he finished with 196 kills, 39 aces, a team-best 258 digs (second in the AMCC) and 33 blocks.
Junior Emerson Spear is back as one of the best middle blockers in the AMCC. Last year he led the conference with 103 blocks and 0.85 blocks per set. Sophomore Joshua Sangrey returns after sliding into the libero spot midway through the season and finishing with 213 digs. Seniors Devin Goodgasell, Wes Hoge and Matthew Slater are also back, along with sophomore Decker Milroy, who all saw time last year in the rotation.
In addition to returners, Coach Conser also has five newcomers joining the program this year.
The men, who have never finished lower than second in the AMCC regular season standings, begin their season this weekend with three matches at the Wittenberg Classic. Geneva opens with a match against Eastern Mennonite at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by two matches on Saturday against Roanoke and Wittenberg. Geneva's home opener is on Tuesday, January 31, when the Golden Tornadoes host Mount Union.
Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).
