AVCA Release
 
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Out of 28 teams in the region, the Nichols men's volleyball program saw the most student-athletes named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III All-Northeast Region team, with three Bison receiving the honors, the association announced Tuesday.
 
Luis Martinez, Carlos Mercado, and Tanner Soracco each earned the all-region nods after boosting Nichols to its first-ever New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship on Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 win over Endicott. The NECC title capped off what was a historic year for the Bison, led by second year head coach Casey Fitzpatrick. The squad's 2023 accomplishments include finishing with its best overall record of 22-8 (.733), landing in the top 15 in the AVCA Coaches Poll for the first time in February (after earning its first victory over a nationally-ranked opponent in No. 14 Lasell), garnering its first regional ranking, and seeing six student-athletes selected to All-NECC teams. The team's .277 overall hitting percentage currently sits at No. 16 in the country.
 
Martinez and Soracco add the all-region accolades to their First Team All-NECC selections from a week ago, while Mercado adds the all-region selection to his Second Team honors at the conference level.
 
Martinez was a force on the right side for the Bison, as the graduate student recorded 275 kills through 89 sets for 3.09 kills per set, good for third and fifth in the conference, respectively. The Bayamon, P.R. native also tacked on 130 digs, 34 aces, and 30 total blocks in his first season on The Hill.
 
Soracco was a two-way threat all year at the middle position for the Bison and proved that by finishing with 229 kills and 81 total blocks (17 solo), good for the most by any player in the conference. His .84 blocks per set stand at 39th in the nation, and second in the conference, following championship weekend. The Oxford, Conn. native finished with the conference's third-best hitting percentage, as the junior swung at a .341 clip. Soracco also tacked on 114 digs and 33 service aces.
 
In his first season in Dudley, Mercado finished second in the conference in kills with 285 in a monster year for the graduate student. The outside hitter from Barranquitas, P.R. notched 2.94 kills per set, hammered home 36 aces, recorded 116 digs, combined for 18 total blocks, and dished out 91 assists. Mercado had a monster stretch in the two matches of the NECC postseason, as his 37 kills at a .334 clip helped him earn Tournament MVP honors.

AVCA Northeast Region Team
 

Jarrett Anderson	Springfield College	RS	Sr.
James Bajor	New Jersey City University	OH	Sr.
Marcello Cappuccio	Regis College	L	Sr.
Sam Etter	Wentworth Institute of Technology	OH	So.
Andrew Finnegan	Ramapo College	OH	Gr.
Jesus Garcia	Lasell University	S	Sr.
Clint Johnson	St. Joseph's University New York	S	Jr.
Nikolas Kasprzak	Endicott College	MB	Gr.
Luis Martinez	Nichols College	RS	Gr.
Carlos Mercado	Nichols College	OH	Gr.
Dylan Mulvaney	Springfield College	S	Fr.
Hunter Oshman	Wentworth Institute of Technology	RS	Sr.
Jordan Shinault	Lasell University	RS	So.
Tanner Soracco	Nichols College	RS	Jr.

Northeast Region Player of the Year: Jarrett Anderson, Springfield College, RS, Sr.
Northeast Region Newcomer of the Year: Dylan Mulvaney, Springfield College, S, Fr.
Northeast Region Coach of the Year: Charlie Sullivan, Springfield College