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About The Team 

In 2012, the Elms College men’s volleyball team made history not only for the Blazers’ program, but for the entire sport of men’s volleyball.

The 2012 campaign saw Elms win nine of its final 11 matches of the regular season and secure the second seed in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship tournament. The Blazers downed No. 3 Southern Vermont College in the semifinals, 3-1 and bested top-seed and host Endicott College, 3-1 in the championship match to secure its second NECC title in four years and punch its ticket to the first-ever NCAA Division III Championship in the sport.

Elms was tabbed as the ninth seed in the inaugural NCAA postseason tournament and drew a first round match with Baruch College. The play-in match between the Blazers and Bearcats was the first-ever NCAA tournament contest and Baruch prevailed, 3-0.

Fourth-year head coach Sheila Gisbrecht was selected as the 2012 NECC Coach of the Year while sophomore middle hitter Bryson Rainey (Brookline, Mass.) was named First Team All-NECC. Rainey, the 2011 NECC Rookie of the Year and a first team selection a year ago, posted a .312 hitting percentage averaging 2.45 kills per set and 2.08 digs per set during conference action this season.

Senior middle hitter Yonalvy Acosta (Holyoke, Mass.), junior outside hitter Stephen Cameron (Newington, Conn.) and sophomore setter Daniel Lebron (San Juan, Puerto Rico) were each named Honorable Mention All-NECC.

Acosta averaged 2.45 kills per set and finished with 93 total kills during the conference play in 2012 and tied for the team-high in blocks with 27. Cameron, who was named the conference tournament most valuable player (MVP), smashed a team-high 107 kills (2.67 per frame), notched 75 digs and served up 17 aces against league competition. Lebron was the league-leader in assists (361) and assists per set (9.26) during the 2012 campaign.

Freshman middle hitter Angel Castro (Carolina, Puerto Rico) made an immediate impact for the Blazers smashing 206 kills and notching 189 digs to go along with 32 service aces and a team-best 76 blocks. 

Senior outside hitter Carlos DeLeon (Carolina, Puerto Rico) returned to the court of his final stint with Elms and tallied 184 kills and 210 digs.

In addition to competing in the NECC, the Blazers belong to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)