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Two all-conference college men’s volleyball players will be a part of the Puerto Rico National Team for two upcoming international tournaments.
Puerto Rico announced earlier this week that George Mason setter Brian Negron and Fort Wayne outside attacker Pelegrin Vargas were selected to its roster for the Pan American Cup and NORCECA Continental Championship.
Negron finished last season fourth in the EIVA with a 9.62 assists per game average and was among the conference’s top 15 with 21 aces. The three-year starting setter and incoming senior so far during his college career was named the 2015 EIVA Newcomer of the Year and helped guide George Mason to the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Vargas earned MIVA All-Freshman Team honors after finishing the 2017 season sixth in the conference with a 3.18 kills per game average. Despite missing the final month of the season, Vargas had double-digit kills in 12 matches, including a season-high 22 kills in a five-game victory against Quincy in February.
Both Negron and Vargas are the only two current NCAA men’s volleyball players on the Puerto Rican roster. However, the 19-player team features several former All-Americans and all-conference selections.
Among the former college players competing with Puerto Rico includes Pepperdine opposite Maurice Torres, Fort Wayne middle attacker Ramon Burgos, Penn State setter Edgardo Goas and Penn State libero Dennis Del Valle.
Puerto Rico’s first international competition will be the Pan American Cup that begins July 23 in Canada. The team in September also will compete at the NORCECA championship, which is a qualification tournament for the 2018 FIVB World Championship.
In the headline, in addition to George Mason and Fort Wayne, you forgot to include Springfield College. The reason for this statement is because you excluded Jonathan Rodriguez the middle blocker for Springfield and the PR National Team.