HOBOKEN, N.J. (4/18/2025) – Following their play-in round victory over Randolph-Macon on Thursday evening, the Nichols College men's volleyball program will next take on No. 3 Stevens Institute of Technology in the NCAA DIII Tournament First Round on Friday at Canavan Arena.
It is the second meeting all-time between the two programs, as well as this season.
The Bison advanced following a four-set, 3-1 (25-18, 25-19, 18-25, 25-20) victory over the Yellow Jackets, marking the program's first ever NCAA Tournament victory. The only other time the two programs met was back on January 17
th in what was Nichols' season opener, where the Ducks took the win in straight sets over the Bison, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-22) at The Clash at Kean tournament in Union, New Jersey.
The three-peat New England Volleyball Conference Champion Bison enter Friday's first-round matchup with a 20-14 (6-0 NEVC) record, while the Ducks hold a 25-4 (8-0 MAC) mark on the season, having respectively won their fourth consecutive Middle Atlantic Conference title.
Nichols hits the floor Friday with a .241 combined hitting percentage as a unit, fresh off a victory that featured a number of strong performances. Graduate student right side hitter
Tanner Soracco led the attack against the Yellow Jackets with 13 kills on a .478 clip, along with seven digs, with classmate outside hitter
Jack Normandin following suit with his fourth double-double of the season, scoring 12 kills with 14 digs. Freshman
Bradyn Pomainville was also a standout performer in the win, logging six total blocks at the net.
Both Soracco and Normandin garnered All-NEVC First Team recognition this season, alongside senior middle blocker
Dylan Knapp. Knapp currently ranks as Nichols' top hitter (per total attempts), heading into Friday with a .331 clip. Normandin remains the leader for the Bison in kills (307), service aces (43), while Soracco ranks first in team digs (210).
Stevens, who presently ranks at the No. 3 team in the nation per the most recent AVCA weekly poll, is no stranger to success with four players owning over 100 kills this season. Leading the Ducks into the match is senior outside hitter Koby Sherman, who was tabbed the MAC Player of the Year for the third straight season, in addition to being named to the All-MAC First Team and AVCA All-Region III.
Sherman enters the tournament with 283 kills, 63 digs, 48 total blocks and a .342 attack percentage.
Sherman is joined on the podium by All-MAC Second Team honorees Tyler Hoke, Jesse Knuckles and Joshua Levandoske, as well as honorable mention Greg Li.
Stevens is in pursuit of its third national championship title in the past three seasons.
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