Freshman setter Andrew Glenn (Westport, CT) has been voted the 2011 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Rookie of the Year as well as a First Team All-Conference recipient after a spectacular inaugural season with the Lasell College men's volleyball team. Senior middle hitter Mike Harrington (Billerica, MA) also earned All-Conference accolades, making the ranks on the second team.
In 35 matches and 123 total sets this season, Glenn has already broken the institution record for assists in a season, and has become one of four total Lasers to reach and surpass the 1,000 assist milestone. Glenn currently has 1142 assists this year, breaking the previous record of 992 assists in a season, and still counting. The rookie is averaging over nine helpers per set, is ranked 2nd in the GNAC for assists per set (9.38) and is ranked 11th amongst all Division III men's volleyball players by the NCAA.
Proving he is a complete player, Glenn has also picked up 177 digs this year and contributed with 60 kills and 33 total blocks (8 solo, 25 assisted). Glenn has recorded three double-double performances this season, against Newbury College and New Jersey City University in non-league play and against Mount Ida College in GNAC action. He was named to the All-Tournament team at the Johnson & Wales Invitational and in the GNAC Tournament, and throughout the 11 weeks of conference weekly honors, Glenn has been awarded the Rookie of the Week title five times.
Harrington is a first time honoree from the GNAC after a season where he led the league in hitting percentage (.348) and ranks at 10th nationally in blocks per set (.97). Throughout the season, Harrington has racked up 212 kills on 425 total swings this season and is averaging 1.71 kills per set while also leading the team with 111 total blocks (53 solo, 58 assisted). The veteran middle also recorded 23 service aces and 69 digs so far this season.
Glenn and Harrington are two pieces to the squad who made their way to the NECVA Post-Season Tournament for the first time in the history of the men's volleyball program at Lasell. During the 2011 campaign, the Lasers have produced a 22-14 record so far, and will face No. 1 ranked Nazareth College in the first round of the NECVA Tournament on Friday, April 1st, at 12:00 p.m. The tournament is being hosted by Stevenson Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.