The Niagara Knights men's volleyball program (14-4, 2nd OCAA West) had a trio of players named OCAA All-Stars on Thursday at the OCAA Championship. Jeff Scott (Georgetown), Nathan Snippe (St. Anns), and Steve Stone (St. Catharines) were all named OCAA men's volleyball all-stars for their regular season performances.
Jeff Scott, a fourth-year outside hitter, was named an OCAA First-Team All-Star and CCAA All-Canadian. Scott was a consistent presence for the Knights throughout the entire season. He was among team leaders in almost every statistical category and led the way in service aces with 15. Scott finished second on the team in points and kills, while also finishing third in digs.
Scott previously received OCAA regular season recognition during the 2012-13 season where he was named OCAA Rookie of the Year and Second-Team All-Star. This season Scott also became the Knights career leader in a number of statistical categories including points, digs, and games played.
Steve Stone, a fifth-year setter, was once again one of the league's best setters. Named a First-Team All-Star, Stone was the quarterback of a Knights team that finished second in the OCAA in assists per set, kills per set, and points per set. Already the Knights all-time assist leader, he led the team with 504 assists in 17 matches. His 9.00 assists per set average was good enough to slot him second in the OCAA in the category.
Stone receives all-star recognition for the second consecutive season, having been named an OCAA Second-Team All-Star last season. In addition, he was also named the Most Valuable Player at OCAA Championship, leading the way for the Knights en route to a gold medal.
Nathan Snippe simply overpowered his opponents this season en route to becoming a Second-Team All-Star for the first time. Snippe finished third in the OCAA in kills per set with 3.55 and points per set with 4.1. The six-foot-eight outside hitter was the Knights leader in both kills and points for the second consecutive year, and will continue to be leaned upon for his heavy hitting approach at the OCAA Championships.
Head Coach Nathan Groenveld is proud of the recognition received by his players. "All three players been a big part of building our program both on and off the court," Groenveld said of the trio, "This recognition is a testament to the work these individuals and our team have put in this season."
Scott, Stone, Snippe and the rest of the Knights teammates will kick off their bid to repeat as OCAA champions on Thursday afternoon at 3:00 pm against the Durham Lords (16-4, 3rd OCAA West). The match will be streamed live at http://senecasting.ca/varsity/2016_OCAA_MVB/Webcast.
