Men's Volleyball Set to Open 2014 Campaign

BOSTON, Mass. – Coach Evin Giglio is entering his third year as the head coach of the men's volleyball team and is looking to build upon the success of last season. In a banner year for the program, the Leopards finished 20-11 (10-4 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference play), while making it to the ECAC finals for the first time in program history. All signs show Wentworth to be competitive again this year. Wentworth Athletics recently sat down with Coach Giglio and got his take on the upcoming season

WIT:  Going back to last year, how pleased were you with the end result?
Well, when I looked at our schedule before the season started, I was hoping for 20 wins. That being said, a first round loss in the playoffs was a pretty big disappointment. I think we could have won the ECAC tournament as well, but just didn't play our best volleyball at the end.

WIT:  I know the team has had some key additions; can you speak about your recruiting class?
First of all, we lost our all-conference setter Tyler Moriarty. He was one of the most important pieces to our success and he hasn't been easily replaceable. My recruiting plan for this year was to bring in college-ready guys to compete for starting spots right away. This year we are much deeper and I'm confident that I can throw anyone from the roster out there and they can contribute.

WIT:  Is there anyone that stands out as a freshman?
I could speak highly about all of them but one in particular is Jake Reed out of Colorado. He figures to be a big part of the equation. I've praised his athleticism and knowledge of the game from day one. We also have three freshmen who are 6-6 or taller, so it gives us a size advantage on both sides of the ball.

WIT:  The GNAC pre-season poll just came out and has Wentworth slated to finish third, is that an accurate portrayal.
The GNAC seems to get tougher every year that I've been here. The top three teams (Rivier, Emmanuel, Wentworth) all graduated a senior setter and that's it. I think we're the best we've ever been, but it's not going to be any easier. Our goal of course is to win the whole thing.

WIT:  This weekend you will be at the SUNY IT invitational. What are you looking for out of your guys on this road trip?
I'm just looking for us to play good fundamental volleyball. I think our talent level is strong, but our volleyball IQ has to grow as a team. One of the problems we have, albeit a great one, is similar talent at each position. I need some guys to start asserting themselves. Also a 4-0 start would be favorable.

WIT:  What is this #WITDYNASTY thing I see all over your Twitter and t-shirts?
[Laughing] Well, I've been telling the guys for a while now that we're building a dynasty. I originally said it jokingly but it's caught on and the guys seem to like it. I get asked regularly by outsiders "How is the dynasty coming?" I like to keep it entertaining. The women's program is about ready to be WWD (Wentworth Women's Dynasty).

WIT: Speaking of the women's program, they set all kinds of records this past season. That must be exciting to see the program grow?
I've applied the same principles to both programs and we have seen some really strong results. We set the program record for wins with 16 and had the first-ever season above .500. They were some nice milestones to hit and I look forward to more success in 2014.

WIT: Ultimately what do you hope to achieve this season?
We're going to keep working towards our goal of winning a conference championship and earning a bid to the NCAA tournament. If that doesn't happen this year, we will just ramp up the pursuit every year until we get there. And of course continue to build the WITDYNASTY!

The men's volleyball kicks off the season this weekend with matches against Hilbert and Wells on Friday evening at SUNYIT and a pair of matches against opponents to be determined on Saturday.