Men's Volleyball Earns Multiple GNAC Postseason Honors

WINTHROP, Mass. – In the midst of another successful season on the hardwood, the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's volleyball team, who currently hold a 26-6 overall record en route to their fourth straight conference title on Saturday, had several student-athletes earn recognition from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference in the form of postseason awards, announced by the league office on Monday.

Leading the Leopards' honorees was Head Coach Evin Giglio who was named the GNAC Coach of the Year for the second straight season and fifth time in his career. Giglio eclipsed the 300 career wins plateau in March, further ranking him as the sixth winningest coach among active head coaches in all of Division III.

Five Leopards garnered All-GNAC recognition. On the First Team, Nicolai Bell and Conner Foxwell both represented the Black & Gold. Mason Andrade, Mekhi Burns, and Jacob Waga each claimed a spot on the Second Team while Jed Whitaker repped Wentworth on the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team.

The all-conference teams and major award winners were voted on by the league's eight head coaches prior to the start of the conference tournament.

Bell has been a standout in the middle this season, hitting .367 and averaging 1.79 kills per set in 63 total sets played. The junior has also averaged .84 blocks per set (53 total blocks ranks second on the Leopards), a mark that is among the top-five in the GNAC.

For his career, Bell has accounted for 347 kills at a .425 clip. The Moraga, Calif. native also has 197 career blocks to his name. Bell has been honored by the GNAC in each of his three seasons as a Leopards, being named to the All-GNAC Third Team last season and earning a spot on the All-GNAC Rookie Team as a freshman.

After being named to the All-GNAC Rookie Team a season ago, Foxwell came out swinging in 2025, currently leading the league with his hitting percentage of .431 and ranking third in blocks per set with .89. The sophomore currently leads the Leopards with 63 total blocks and has averaged 1.75 kills per set.

Through his career thus far, Foxwell has 184 kills, hitting at a .411 clip, and 88 total blocks.

In his first season as a full-time outside hitter, Andrade earned Second Team honors after being named the GNAC Libero of the Year a season ago. The junior's 130 kills, 2.17 kills per set, 97 digs, and 1.62 digs per set each rank within the top-five for the Black & Gold.

For his career, Andrade has stuffed each statistical category, accounting for 201 kills, 75 assists, 488 digs, and 27 total blocks.

Burns has anchored the Leopards' defense much of the season, earning All-GNAC Second Team honors after being named to the All-GNAC Rookie Team last season. The sophomore's 2.13 digs per set ranks fourth in the GNAC while his 170 digs ranks first on Wentworth. Additionally, Burns has dished out 28 assists thus far this season.

In 156 sets played in his career, Burns has averaged 1.45 digs per set, accounting for 226 total digs.

After being named an AVCA All-Region and an All-GNAC First Team member in 2024, Waga returns to the league spotlight in 2025 by being named to the Second Team. The senior currently leads Wentworth with 2.84 kills per set, hitting at a .269 clip and has also chipped in with 41 digs and 28 total blocks.

In his 99 matches played that ranks in the Leopards' top-15 all-time, Waga has accounted for 564 kills, 293 digs, and 113 blocks

Making their fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the Black & Gold face off against Juniata in Hoboken, N.J. on Friday, April 18, at a time to be announced.

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