Men's Volleyball | 4/19/2022 12:54:00 PM
Following a trip to the NCAA Division III Championship tournament for the time in program history, St. John Fisher College's Josh Bigford and David Cerqua were among the elite players named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Teams on Tuesday.
Bigford, who received his third consecutive All-America accolade, was included on the 2022 AVCA All-America First Team. Cerqua collected second-team honors.
Bigford, who was elected both the AVCA North Region and UVC Player of the Year this spring, was named First-Team All-America for the second time in his career. Bigford's incredible 2022 campaign saw him rank among the conference leaders in hitting percentage (.316) and kills per set (3.46). In total, the Cicero, New York, native amassed 345 kills, 160 digs, 43 total blocks, and 32 aces. Bigford also became the first player in team history to surpass 1,000 kills and is fourth among active players in Division III with 1,160.
One of the most talented and decorated liberos Division III has ever seen, Cerqua finished his illustrious career with a second All-America award after earning first-team honors in 2020. An All-United Volleyball Conference (UVC) selection and this year's UVC Libero of the Year, Cerqua led the conference and ranks 27th nationally with 2.54 digs per set. After five years in a Cardinal and Gold uniform, the Baldwinsville, New York, native ranks third all-time in Division III history with a remarkable 1,293 digs.
Bigford and Cerqua were key for the Cardinals and helped lead Fisher to five nationally-ranked victories, including wins over No. 9 Vassar and No. 6 SUNY New Paltz en route to the program's first-ever UVC Championship. Overall, the Cardinals set a new single-season record for wins in 2022 and ended the year 24-8.
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The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
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