WINTHROP, Mass. – Even though their season was cut short, the Johnson & Wales University men's volleyball team did have plenty of success. Five Wildcats were recognized by the league office as the Great Northeast Athletic Conference handed out its All-GNAC Awards.
Leading the way was sophomore outside hitter Jack Pincince with a First-Team recognition and Sanjae Holloway garnered Second-Team honors. Josh Pitzer, Zach Turner and Ben Sandt were named Third-Team.
The GNAC leader at 3.58 kills per set, 254 total kills and 298 points, Pincince picked up his second All-GNAC award after a Second-Team nod last year. The South Kingstown, RI native had five matches with 20 or more kills, topped by a career-high 28 vs. Geneva. Pincince thrived in big matches including a 12-kill, 21-dig double-double in the win over #14 UC Santz Cruz as well as 23 kills versus Endicott and 20 against Rivier.
With his second-straight Second-Team All-GNAC selection, Holloway joined some elite company as only the third player in program history to earn a trio of all-conference awards. A native of East Hartford, Conn., he rated fourth in the GNAC at 183 kills while averaging 2.65 kills per set. Holloway is also strong at the net defensively as he ranked sixth with nine solo blocks and 10th at 38 total blocks. The senior outside hitter produced a season-high 24 kills versus Geneva as well as 22 in the win over #14 UC Santa Cruz.
Picking up his second all-conference award in a row was Pitzer as he was also a Third-Team selection in 2019. Named GNAC Defensive Player of the Week on February 10 after a season-high eight rejections in the win over Geneva, the middle blocker was second in the league for total blocks and seventh at 0.84 blocks per set. The North Kingstown, RI native also averaged 1.22 kills per set with a .317 hitting percentage.
Back for his senior season, Turner grabbed his second all-conference award following a Third-Team All-GNAC selection in 2018. A native of Coventry, RI, the middle blocker was the GNAC leader at 1.04 blocks per set while also hitting .347 with 1.06 kills per set. Turner averaged over a block per set versus nationally ranked teams, topped by seven against Rivier.
Getting his first all-conference award was the sophomore setter Sandt. The East Northport, NY native topped the GNAC with 607 assists while ranking third with a career-high 8.93 assists per set. He's also strong defensively, rating fifth in the league at 32 blocking assists. Sandt recorded a career-high 61 assists against Geneva to go along with 55 in the win over #14 UC Santa Cruz.
Head coach Scott Reslow will need to replace three starters – Holloway, Pitzer and Turner – but does bring back Pincince and Sandt. Johnson & Wales was 9-11 overall before the season was canceled, but seven of the nine losses came to nationally-ranked teams.
