Jon Santer
Sports Editor
In back-to-back weeks, Springfield College men’s volleyball sophomore outside hitter, Luis Vega, has been named the Sports Imports/AVCA Men’s Division III National Player of the Week.
Following a career-best 27 kills in a 3-0 sweep of Sacred Heart on March 29, Vega dropped 21 kills on No. 7 Stevens Tech in the opening match of the Springfield College Invitational this past weekend, which finished with the Pride breezing by the Ducks, 3-0.
Vega’s second year in maroon and white has been one to remember. On the season, the Corozal, Puerto Rico product has totaled a team-best 285 kills, averaging 3.7 kills per set. The sophomore has also hit at a .354 clip over the course of 31 games for the Pride this season.
Vega winning the Sports Imports/AVCA Men’s Division III National Player of the Week honors garners the first time this feat has been accomplished in back-to-back weeks in nearly 12 years.
Alejandro Flores of Lehman College received this prestigious recognition two weeks in a row on both April 8th and 15th of 2002, which was the last time the feat was accomplished; that was until Vega busted out a pair of stellar weekends. This marks the 24th time over the history of the storied program that a player for Springfield College has been honored with weekly national recognition.
“For him to play well at this time of year is special because he had some struggles at the beginning of the year, but instead of complaining, he got better,” said coach Charlie Sullivan. “I am glad to see that surfacing now.”
As the Pride finished off their Division III regular season schedule at the Springfield College Invitational, Vega followed up his 21-kill match with a combination of 16 kills on 18 attempts over three sets against weaker opponents, Endicott and Marymount.
In Springfield’s final regular season Division III match-up with No. 9 Medaille College, Vega posted 15 kills and four blocks against the Mavericks to aid the Pride to a 3-0 victory.
Over the past two weeks, Vega has averaged 5.78 kills per set, hitting at a .532 clip, a lot higher than his season averages.