New York, N.Y. – Junior outside hitter Bez Arslani of Kean has been named the 2014 Skyline Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year in voting conducted among the Conference’s eight head coaches.
The Skyline coaches also selected Ahjon Petty of Ramapo as Rookie of the Year and Kean’s Charlie Ginex as Coach of the Year.
Arslani ranks fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.290), sixth in points (4.14 ppg.) and seventh in kills (3.35 kpg.) as the Cougars compiled a perfect 14-0 mark in Skyline play and secured their third consecutive league crown. A three-time Player of the Week honoree in 2014, the Wayne, N.J., native was tabbed the Most Outstanding Player of the 2014 Skyline Championship after amassing 21 kills in Kean’s 3-1 win over Ramapo in the finals on Apr. 12.
A two-time Player and Rookie of the Week selection, Petty is second in the league in points (4.61 ppg.) and fourth in kills (3.90 kpg.). The freshman middle blocker from Piscataway, N.J., boasts a .276 hitting percentage and a team-high 40 service aces as the Roadrunners posted a 12-2 record in conference play and 25-11 overall mark.
Arslani and Petty are joined on the first-team All-Conference by Michael Fox and Tommy Rosario of Kean; Mount Saint Vincent’s Tyler Cucullu; Sheldon Coure of NJCU; Ramapo’s Mike Kane; and Dylan Krowicki of Sage.
The All-Conference second team consists of Kevon Kareem Bruce of Purchase; Mount Saint Vincent’s Jacob Johnson; Ron Dunn and Ed Jedziniak of Kean; Cory Gransbury of Sage; Fild Kroqi of NYU-Poly; and Gary Preston, Jr. of NJCU.
In his first season at Kean, Ginex guided the 12th-ranked Cougars to a perfect 14-0 record in Skyline play and the program’s third consecutive league championship. At 26-7 overall, Kean earned the No. 6 overall seed in the 2014 NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship and will face Juniata on Apr. 25 in the quarterfinals. Ginex earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health and Exercise Science from Rowan University in 2000.
2014 SKYLINE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
First-Team
Bez Arslani*, Kean - Jr., OH, Wayne, N.J.
Sheldon Coure, NJCU - Fr, MH, Torrance, Calif.
Tyler Cucullu, Mount Saint Vincent - Fr., OPP, Henderson, Nev.
Michael Fox, Kean - Sr., L, East Brunswick, N.J.
Mike Kane, Ramapo - Sr., MB, Toms River, N.J.
Dylan Krowicki, Sage - Sr., OH, Little Falls, N.Y.
Ahjon Petty, Ramapo - Fr., MB, Piscataway, N.J.
Tommy Rosario, Kean - So., MB, Belleville, N.J.
Second-Team
Kevon Kareem Bruce, Purchase - Sr., OH, Hayes, Jamaica
Ron Dunn, Kean - Jr., S, Collingswood, N.J.
Cory Gransbury, Sage - Sr., L, Round Top, N.Y.
Ed Jedziniak, Kean - Jr., RS, Hillsborough, N.J.
Jacob Johnson, Mount Saint Vincent - Fr., OH, Henderson, Nev.
Fild Kroqi, NYU-Poly - Sr., OH, Bronx, N.Y.
Gary Preston, Jr., NJCU - Sr., S, North East, Md.
*Player of the Year: Bez Arslani, Kean
Rookie of the Year: Ahjon Petty, Ramapo
Coach of the Year: Charlie Ginex, Kean
Tournament MVP: Bez Arslani, Kean