Men's Volleyball | 4/9/2026 9:59:34 AM
The Empire 8 Conference announced its 2026 Men’s Volleyball All-Conference awards on Thursday, April 9. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches.
Junior outside hitter Luke Jata of Elmira College was named the 2026 Empire 8 Player of the Year. Jata, a native of Smithtown, NY, led all Empire 8 student-athletes with 3.91 kills and 4.4 points per set in 2026. He slammed 317 kills to go along with 28 service aces, while hitting .229. A model of consistency, Jata recorded at least 10 kills in a match 21 times and had nine kills in three more matches. He hit .457 with a season-high 20 kills against John Jay College on Feb. 7. Jata was the Empire 8 Player of the Week on March 9.
First-year standout Luke Zimmerman of St. John Fisher was named the 2026 E8 Libero/Defensive Player of the Year. Zimmerman, a native of Rochester, NY, has recorded 218 digs and 2.69 digs per set in 2026. He has recorded at least 10 digs in a match nine times in 2026, including a season-high 23 against nationally-ranked SUNY New Paltz on Feb. 13.
St. John Fisher outside hitter Avery Kielbasinski earned 2026 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year honors. Kielbasinski, a four-time Empire 8 Rookie of the Week, led the Cardinals with 2.93 kills and 3.36 points per set, while hitting .255 on the season to date with 199 kills to go along with 27 blocks. A native of Jamesville, NY, Kielbasinski recorded at least 10 kills in a match nine times this season.
The St. John Fisher coaching staff, led by head coach Matt Cohen and assistant coach John McCarty, was named the 2026 Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year. The Cardinals defeated all five Empire 8 teams during the season to claim the league title and enter the postseason with a 19-10 overall record. It is the third time that Cohen and his staff have been honored in the last four seasons.
Russell Sage junior Dylan Fox garnered All-Empire 8 first team accolades for the second straight season. Jata, setter AJ Burda and middle blocker Ryan Murphy of Nazareth University in addition to senior outside hitter Gabe La Robardiere and Kielbasinski of St. John Fisher rounded out the 2026 All-E8 first team selections.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2026 Men’s Volleyball Tomorrow’s Leaders Team. This team honors a student-athlete who has emerged as a leader not only on the field of play, but in the classroom and in the community. In addition, they “compete with honor and integrity” and have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.
“Developing character and integrity is a hallmark of the Empire 8,” said E8 Executive Director
Chuck Mitrano. “This series is proof that Empire 8 and our member institutions are committed to intercollegiate athletics’ important role in higher education.”
2026 Empire 8 Men’s Volleyball All-Conference Selections
Player of the Year: Luke Jata, Jr., OH, Elmira
Libero/Defensive Player of the Year: Luke Zimmerman, Fr., L/DS, St. John Fisher
Rookie of the Year: Avery Kielbasinski, Fr., OH, St. John Fisher
Coaching Staff of the Year: St. John Fisher, led by Head Coach Matt Cohen
Empire 8 First Team
Luke Jata, Jr., OH/RS, Elmira (Smithtown, NY/Hauppauge)
AJ Burda, Sr., S, Nazareth (Fairport, NY/Fairport)
Ryan Murphy, So., MB, Nazareth (Penfield, NY/Penfield)
Dylan Fox, So., OPP, Russell Sage (Albany, NY/Colonie Central)
Gabe La Robardiere, Sr., OH, St. John Fisher (North Syracuse, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse)
Avery Kielbasinski, Fr., OH, St. John Fisher (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt)
Empire 8 Second Team
Gabriel Staron, Jr., OH/RS, Elmira (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park)
Anthony Ruggiero, Fr., OH, Hartwick (Schenectady, NY/Guilderland)
Andrew Baaki, So., MB, SUNY Poly (Amsterdam, NY/Notre Dame-Bishop Grimes)
Jordan Prusky, Fr., MB, SUNY Poly (Cohoes, NY/Shaker)
Joshua Slater, Sr., S, SUNY Poly (Albany, NY/Colonie)
Luke Zimmerman, Fr., L/DS, St. John Fisher (Rochester, NY/McQuaid)
Empire 8 Third Team
Sean Frawley, Fr., RS, Nazareth (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool)
Thomas McNulty, Sr., L/DS, SUNY Poly (Port Jefferson Station, NY/Comsewogue)
Quincy Slayton, Fr., OH, SUNY Poly (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit Valley)
John Lindheimer III, So., OH, Russell Sage (Albany, NY/Colonie)
Aiden Calhoun, Sr., S, St. John Fisher (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake)
Casey Jackson, Sr., OH, St. John Fisher (Rochester, NY/Spencerport)
Empire 8 Tomorrow’s Leaders Team
Nick Rohman, So., S, Elmira (Levittown, NY/Division Avenue)
Nate Roorbach, Fr., S, Hartwick (East Aurora, NY/East Aurora)
Michael McGlynn, So., MB, Houghton (Brockville, Ontario/Ange-Gabriel)
Gavin Sweet, Sr., L/DS, Nazareth (Glenville, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake)
Forest Chaput, Sr., L/DS, SUNY Poly (Old Chatham, NY/New Lebanon)
Marcus Gentile, Sr., MH, Russell Sage (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem)
Jack DeMaria, Sr., L/DS, St. John Fisher (Bellrose, NY/St. Mary’s)