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An outside attacker who led his team to almost its first postseason berth in about a decade and an outside attacker he helped his team win the conference regular season title are each earning a share of the EIVA’s top individual award.
The EIVA announced Tuesday that NJIT outside attacker Jabarry Goodridge and Penn State outside attacker Chris Nugent were named the Uvaldo Acostas Memorial EIVA Co-Players of the Year.
Goodridge led the EIVA and was among the national leaders with a 4.38 kills per game average, including having six matches with at least 20 kills. The junior was also fourth in the conference with both a .303 attack percentage and 29 aces as NJIT finished one-match out of fourth place to miss the final berth to the EIVA Tournament.
Nugent ended the regular season second in the EIVA with a 3.80 kills per game average and had the third-best attack percentage in the conference at .309. In addition, Nugent was among the conference leaders with both 31 aces and 59 blocks to help the Nittany Lions win the EIVA regular season championship and earn the No. 1 seed to the upcoming conference tournament.
This is the first time since 2012 that there has been co-winners of the EIVA Player of the Year.
Along with the Player of the Year, the EIVA presented its Newcomer of the Year award to Penn State libero Royce Clemens. First-year George Mason had coach Jay Hosack was also named the Bob Sweeney EIVA Coach of the Year.
St. Francis and George Mason led all schools with each having four All-EIVA selections, while Penn State had three players earn all-conference honors.
EIVA Individual awards
2016 Uvaldo Acosta Memorial EIVA Co-Player of the Year: Jabarry Goodridge, NJIT; Chris Nugent, Penn State
2016 EIVA Newcomer of the Year: Royce Clemens, Penn State
2016 Bob Sweeney EIVA Coach of the Year: Jay Hosack, George Mason
First-Team All-EIVA
Setter: Taylor Hammond, Penn State
Opposite: Branden Clemens, Harvard
Outside attacker: Austin Arcala, Sacred Heart
Outside attacker: Stephen Braswell, St. Francis
Outside attacker: Jabarry Goodridge, NJIT
Outside attacker: Chris Nugent, Penn State
Middle attacker: Dom Edgley, George Mason
Middle attacker: Mike Marshman, St. Francis
Middle attacker: Matt Seifert, Penn State
Libero: Johnny Gomez, George Mason
Second-Team All-EIVA
Setter: Daniel Ford, St. Francis
Setter: Marko Kostich, Harvard
Opposite: Christopher DeLucie, Sacred Heart
Opposite: Jeff Hogan, St. Francis
Outside attacker: TJ Jurko, NJIT
Outside attacker: Christian Malias, George Mason
Outside attacker: Radoslav Popov, George Mason
Outside attacker: Devin Stearns, Princeton
Outside attacker: Casey White, Harvard
Libero: Joshua Ayzenberg, Sacred Heart