Men's Volleyball | 3/31/2020 9:56:23 AM
Nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College won three of four individual honors, as the Empire 8 Conference announced its 2020 Men’s Volleyball All-Conference awards on Tuesday, March 31. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
Josh Bigford of St. John Fisher was named the 2020 Empire 8 Player of the Year. Bigford, a sophomore outside hitter, helped lead the Cardinals to their best start in program history at 15-4 overall. Bigford, the 2019 Empire 8 and UVC Rookie of the Year, was 15th nationally with 4.00 kills per set and 17th in Division III with 4.58 points per set. Yesterday, Bigford was also named the UVC Co-Player of the Year.
David Ceruqa of St. John Fisher earned his second E8 Libero/Defensive Player of the Year honor. Cerqua, a junior, was fourth nationally with 3.15 digs per set. On Jan. 25, Cerqua recorded a Division III national match-high 33 digs in a five-set win over Wentworth Institute of Technology. Cerqua compiled at least 10 digs in 11 different matches this season.
Elmira’s Tyler Anderson was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. Anderson led the Soaring Eagles with 175 kills in 2020 to go along with 31 blocks and 53 digs and 16 service aces. He was a three-time Empire 8 Rookie of the Week.
The St. John Fisher coaching staff, led by head coach Stephen England, was named the 2020 Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year. The Cardinals were in the midst of their finest season in program history with a 15-4 mark and ascended to as high as No. 7 in the NVA/AVCA Division III National poll. On Feb. 29, St. John Fisher knocked off No. 1 NYU in five sets for its first win over a top-ranked opponent in program history.
Bigford, Anderson, senior Shane Wenz of Sage and the Nazareth trio of seniors Joe Crosby, Sean Dillon and junior Antonio Sargent all earned Empire 8 First Team honors. Wenz slammed 298 kills and was 17th nationally with 3.97 kills per set. Crosby was among the top-20 nationally with a .382 hitting percentage, while Antonio Sargent led the Golden Flyers with 263 kills and Dillon added 207, while hitting .304 with 52 blocks.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2020 Men's Volleyball Sportsman of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.
2020 Empire 8 Men’s Volleyball All-Conference Selections
Player of the Year: Josh Bigford, So., OH, St. John Fisher
Libero/Defensive Player of the Year: David Cerqua, Jr., L/DS, St. John Fisher
Rookie of the Year: Tyler Anderson, Fr., RS/OH, Elmira
Coaching Staff of the Year: St. John Fisher, led by Head Coach Stephen England
Empire 8 First Team
Tyler Anderson, Fr., RS/OH, Elmira
Joe Crosby, Sr., MB, Nazareth
Sean Dillon, Sr., MB/RS, Nazareth
Antonio Sargent, Jr., OH, Nazareth
Shane Wenz, Sr., MH/OH, Sage
Josh Bigford, So., OH, St. John Fisher
Empire 8 Second Team
Luke Milligan, Fr., OH/RS, Elmira
Scott Sanders, Sr., MH, Sage
Matt Broderick, Sr., MB, St. John Fisher
David Cerqua, Jr., L, St. John Fisher
Martin Hackford, Jr., OH, St. John Fisher
Paul Hackford, Jr., S, St. John Fisher
Empire 8 Honorable Mention
Garrett Coleman, Sr., S/RS, Elmira
Eric Jackson, Fr., OH/RS, Elmira
Matt Straney, Sr., MB, Elmira
Seth Terzo, Fr., L, Nazareth
Luis Vazquez, Sr., L/S, Nazareth
Ryan Jennings, Jr., S/OPP, Sage
Jarod Martel, Sr., OH, Sage
Eric Bentivegna, So., MB, St. John Fisher
Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year
Alex Adelman, L/DS, So., Elmira
Joe Crosby, Sr., MB, Nazareth
Jarod Martel, Sr., OH, Sage
Matt Broderick, Sr., MB, St. John Fisher