NJIT has been selected second in the 2022 Preseason Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) Coaches' Poll, according to the conference coaches the league office announced on Tuesday.
NJIT, which was picked second for the second consecutive season, is led by 2021 Bob Sweeney EIVA Coach of the Year Danny Goncalves. Last season, NJIT combined for 13 wins, the most for NJIT since 2017.
The 2021 season marked the first time the Highlanders made an appearance in the EIVA Tournament since 2008.
Goncalves' squad broke into the National Volleyball Association (NVA)/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division I-II Men's Coaches top-15 poll after splitting a weekend EIVA series with then-ranked No. 11 Penn State on February 14.
The Highlanders made its first appearance in program history in the NVA/AVCA top-10 on March 29, 2021 at the No. 10
In the annual preseason poll of EIVA head coaches, Penn State is the unanimous choice of conference coaches as the favorite, capturing all nine votes. NJIT followed in second place and George Mason was third, matching the top-three order of finish from the 2021 season.
Princeton was fourth in voting, followed by Saint Francis (Pa.), Harvard, Charleston, St. Francis-Brooklyn and Sacred Heart. The 2022 campaign will mark the first for St. Francis-Brooklyn as an EIVA member, in the Terriers' third year playing Division I ball.
Only six programs took part in the 2021 season. In November, 2020, the Ivy League announced play in all sports, including teams that are not in the Ivy League, would not take part in intercollegiate athletics. The decision meant EIVA members Harvard and Princeton would not play last season.
In addition, coaches selected two student-athletes from their programs as Players to Watch. The list of those choices is below.
Players to Watch
(As selected by head coaches of each team)
Charleston: Lachlan Bray, Curtis Raines
George Mason: Omar Hoyos, Richie Hoff
Harvard: Campbell Schoenfeld, Eric Li
NJIT: Julian Meissner, Jens Feldthus
Penn State: Toby Ezeonu, Brett Wildman
Princeton: Joe Kelly, Jarod Nelsen
Sacred Heart: Mark Berry, Ife Loverton
Saint Francis (Pa.): Josh Blair, Tom Leahey
St. Francis Brooklyn: David Vorfi, James Henneberry
