Kropp Crowned Coach of the Year, Four Golden Eagles Named Skyline All-Conference
New York, NY| St. Joseph's University-New York (L.I.) head coach Bill Kropp was crowned Coach of the Year with four Golden Eagles earning All-Conference recognition when the Skyline Conference released its end-of-season men's volleyball awards on Tuesday afternoon.
Juniors CJ Johnson and Mark Williams were joined by senior Tyler Anderson on the first team with freshman Luke MacPherson landing on the second team.
Johnson, a three-time All-Conference selection, is currently 14th in the nation averaging 9.51 assists per set. The junior has added a career-best 128 digs, 67 kills, and 39 total blocks. He has tossed 50+ assists on three occasions this season including his career-best of 56 in the 3-2 win over Ramapo College in the Skyline Conference finals. The setter recorded 86 assists, 14 digs, eight kills, and five blocks in the tournament and was named the Skyline Championship Most Outstanding Player for the second straight year.
Williams was named All-Conference for the second time in his career. The outside hitter led the team in total kills (363) and kills-per-set (3.09) and was fourth in digs (126). The three-time Player of the Week led the Golden Eagles and was second in the Skyline in aces (46) and aces per set (0.55).
In his first year with the Golden Eagles, Anderson finished second on the team with 235 kills averaging 2.90 kills per set. The right side was also runner-up on the team with 134 total digs averaging 1.65 digs per set while finishing sixth in the conference averaging 0.69 blocks per set.
MacPherson, a five-time Rookie of the Week selection, sits third on the team and eighth in the Skyline with 162 kills averaging over two kills per set while hitting at a .229 clip. The outside hitter recorded a team-best 138 digs averaging 1.75 digs per set while adding 26 aces and 19 total blocks.
Kropp earns his fourth Coach of the Year recognition after leading the Golden Eagles to a perfect 14-0 Skyline Conference record having not dropped a SKyline regular season match in three seasons (32-0) and the program's fourth conference championship.
Top-seeded SJLI topped second-seeded Ramapo College in the Skyline Conference final on Saturday in a five-set thriller. The Golden Eagles will travel to Juniata College and will face No. 4 Messiah University in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament on Friday, April 21 at 4:00 pm.
2023 Skyline Conference Men's Volleyball All-Conference Team
First Team
Tyler Anderson, St. Joseph's-Long Island (Sr., OH; Bellmore, N.Y.)
James Bajor, New Jersey City University (Sr., OH/OPP; Bayonne, N.J.)
Leonel Bravo, St. Joseph's-Brooklyn (Jr., L/OH; Astoria, N.Y.)
Conor Charlow, Ramapo (Gr., MB; Towson, Md.)
Brandon DaSilva, New Jersey City University (Sr., MB; Kearny, N.J.)
Andrew Finnegan, Ramapo (Gr., OH; Colts Neck, N.J.)
CJ Johnson, St. Joseph's-Long Island (Jr., S; Holbrook, N.Y.)
Mark Williams, St. Joseph's-Long Island (Jr., OH; Lake Grove, N.Y.)
Second Team
Daniel Esteva, New Jersey City University (Sr., L; Union, N.J.)
Marcus Garguilo, Purchase (So., MB; Port Washington, N.Y.)
Alex Helfant, St. Joseph's-Brooklyn (Sr., OH; Staten Island, N.Y.)
Luke MacPherson, St. Joseph's-Long Island (Fr., OH; Holbrook, N.Y.)
JoJo Meyer, Ramapo (So., S; Lindenhurst, N.Y.)
Amaru Perales, New Jersey City University (Fr. MB, Harrison, N.J.)
Frank Tello, St. Joseph's-Brooklyn (Jr., MB; Quito, Ecuador)
Player of the Year: Andrew Finnegan, Ramapo
Rookie of the Year: Amaru Perales, New Jersey City University
Coach of the Year: Bill Kropp, St. Joseph's-Long Island (Seventh Season)
