POTSDAM, N.Y.—SUNY Potsdam senior men's volleyball player
Matt Kilinski (Greenfield Center, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) has been selected as the New England Volleyball Conference's Athlete of the Year, as well as first team All-NEVC. Bears sixth-year head coach
Josh Stokes is the conference's coach of the year. Junior
Duncan Tenhagen (Buffalo, N.Y./West Seneca West) earned a spot on the second team and sophomore
Jack Orrange was named to the all-sportsmanship team.
Kilinski, a middle hitter, leads the team in kills (240) and is second in service aces (25) and digs (121). He ranks third in the NEVC in kills-per-set (3.20) and seventh in kills. Kilinski is Potsdam's all-time blocks (165) and solo blocks (51) leader and ranks second in kills-per-set (2.43). He ranks third on the program's all-time list in kills (627) and aces (66) and is seventh in digs (210). Kilinski was second team All-NEVC last season.
Stokes has guided the men's program since its inception in 2020. His Bears have reached the postseason in every one of their four full campaigns. Potsdam has also improved or matched its win total every year. This season the Bears have established program records for overall (18) and conference victories (5) and are currently on a program best 12-match winning streak.
Tenhagen, an outside hitter, has bolstered the Bears with his consistent play. He is first on the team in digs (163) and second in kills (209). He ranks seventh and 10th in the NEVC in those respective categories. Tenhagen is Potsdam's all-time service ace leader (106) and is second in kills (668), digs (530) and digs-per-set (1.89). He holds the Bears record for kills in a five-set match (29) and a three-set match (19). Tenhagen was also second team a year ago.
Orrange has seen action in 24 of the Bears' 25 contests this season. The middle hitter/libero is fourth on the team in digs this spring with a career-high 95. He also has 10 kills, nine assists, three blocks and two aces.
The Bears are 18-7 this season with a 5-1 record in NEVC play. They are the No. 2 seed in this weekend's conference tournament at Nichols College in Dudley, Mass. On Saturday night at 7 p.m., Potsdam will face the winner of Wednesday's No. 3 Endicott College – No. 6 Russell Sage College quarterfinal matchup. The winner will advance to the NEVC Championship contest at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
