Springfield College

Season Outlook  

Springfield College head men's volleyball coach Charlie Sullivan has plenty to be excited about when looking towards the upcoming 2007 campaign. Sullivan has nine returning varsity players coming back from a 2006 team that had no one older than a junior on its roster. This is coupled with the fact that Sullivan, who is entering his ninth season directing the Pride, has recruited an additional nine freshmen for this year's squad, as Sullivan certainly has his sights set on challenging for yet another Molten Division III National Championship.

Commenting on the upcoming season, Sullivan said, "The program has set solid goals of capturing a Hay Division Championship and gaining a berth in the EIVA Division I postseason as well as the EIVA Division III Championship that will get us a spot in the Molten Division III National Championship."

Returning Players
Junior outside hitter Eric Palumbo (Chili, N.Y.) leads an SC group of veterans into the 2007 season, as Palumbo was named a 2006 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America First-Team selection and an Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) First-Team All-Star. Last season, Palumbo led the 10-15 Pride with 404 total kills, good for a 4.34 kill-per-game average and a final ranking of third in the EIVA.

Sophomores Ryan Fredrickson (Manahawkin, N.J.) and Andy Sipe (New Oxford, Pa.) each look to build upon very solid first-year campaigns, as both were named AVCA Division III All-America Second-Team honorees and EIVA Second-Team All-Stars. As a freshman, Fredrickson finished eighth in the EIVA in kills (340) and Sipe, a middle blocker, ended up seventh individually in blocks (110). SC also looks toward the continued improvement of junior setter Chris Shekell (Rochester, N.Y.) for the 2007 season, as Shekell finished seventh last year in assists (1,092) and was named an EIVA Second-Team All-Star.

Newcomers
No program has won more Molten Division III National Championships (four) than the Pride. SC has also finished No. 1 in the final AVCA Division III National Poll five different times (1996, '97, '01, '02, '03). With a strong 2007 recruiting class mixed in with a solid group of returnees, the Pride may be able to make the leap towards its fifth national title and sixth top final ranking.

Freshman Andrew Nally leads a group of nine first-years into the season. Nally, a native of Rochester, N.Y., and member of Pace Bootlegger, is looked upon as a potential immediate contributor to SC's program at the outside hitter position.

Commenting on the 2007 team as a whole, Sullivan added, "This year's group is exciting as no players graduated from last year's team, and we added a great first-year class."

Schedule
The Pride has been picked to finish third in the EIVA Hay Division according to the preseason poll, just where SC finished its regular season last year. Participating in the EIVA Hay Division this season, in order of preseason selections are; NJIT, NYU, Harvard, New Haven, and Sacred Heart.

Some of the highlights of the Pride's schedule, which is always built around facing strong opponents, includes a trip to the Ohio State University on Monday and Tuesday, January 15-16, as SC will host the 2007 Volleyball Hall of Fame-Morgan Classic later on in the season. This year's Morgan Classic will take place on Friday and Saturday, February 9-10, as the Pride will welcome Ball State University, UC San Diego (UCSD), and Rutgers-Newark to Blake Arena.

"As usual we are happy with our schedule. The Hall of Fame Classic will be competitive and we will open up our season against MIVA opponents Ohio State and Lewis," stated Sullivan in regards to the upcoming 2007 schedule.