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NEWARK, N.J. (January 19, 2017) - The nationally-ranked No. 11 Rutgers University-Newark men's volleyball team will get its 2017 season underway Friday and Saturday with the annual Golden Dome Invitational.
 
The Scarlet Raiders are coming off back-to-back appearances in the 'Elite Eight' of the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championship, and they will immediately test themselves with matches against two of the top teams in DIII.
 
"We have a tough schedule all season but especially early," Head Men's Volleyball Coach Pedro Trevino said. "Our conference is getting better and deeper each year, so in order to continue playing at a high level, we need to push ourselves and go up against the best competition we can."
 
The Scarlet Raiders graduated a great deal of a talent and experience, but leading the 2017 group will be co-captains Corey Pieper and Justin Sandy.
 
"Both Corey and Justin have stepped up and provided excellent leadership, pretty much since the NCAA Tournament ended last year," said Trevino. "Whether it is on the court, in the weight room or in the classroom, they have been doing a great job."
 
Pieper will be on the outside after a strong sophomore season in Newark in which he was a two-time Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC) Player of the Week. He was third on the Raiders with 2.66 kills per set, he led the team with 52 service aces and was a phenomenal defender, sitting second on the team with 1.29 digs per set.
 
Sandy saw time in 12 matches for the Scarlet Raiders in 2016 and will undoubtedly be stepping into a larger role this time around. He has improved his strength and looks primed for a breakout after totaling a strong .351 hitting percentage on 37 attempts (18 kills) as a sophomore.
 
Three other student-athletes will be returning to Rutgers-Newark in sophomore setter Arnan Romua, junior middle Dom Gutowski and sophomore right-side/setter Brendon Frank.
 
Romua has made major strides since first arriving to The Dome and has a chance to make a big-time leap as a sophomore. He plays strong defense, communicates well and should be able to run the offense effectively.
 
Gutowski has been working hard and should be one of the top blockers on the team in his first campaign as an upperclassmen. He has played against some of the top players in the country during practice each of the last two seasons and knows he has a great opportunity.
 
Frank saw limited action as a freshman and has demonstrated a willingness to do whatever necessary to get on the court and help the team win. He too has made major strides since the beginning of his freshman season and has demonstrated some of the offensive fire power R-N is going to need.
 
Junior middle Jalen Sorrell is going to be another key contributor for Rutgers-Newark after transferring from New Jersey City University. The third-year collegiate athlete has an excellent blocking prowess and is a supreme competitor who has shown a genuine excitement for the game and the chance to be a part of the program.
 
Senior Abhinav Dani also joins the program for the first time this year and will open the season as a reserve outside. He is also willing to do whatever he can to help the team, demonstrating nice ball control and passing in the early going.
 
Coach Trevino has welcomed many freshmen to the program this season, and libero Jake Connors is one that should be a contributor from the start. Connors has a nose for the game, displaying solid reads and instincts throughout the preseason.
 
Malik Patel is another rookie that is primed for a big role as the first year can play either side, passes well and has solid ball control. Middle Max Winstanley is a player with great athleticism and ability, and despite coming in raw should see a role if he continues to develop at a rapid pace.
 
Setter Dev Deokie has done a nice job running the offense and should slot in to the backup setter role to start the year. He has adapted well to the speed of the college game and has proven he has the ability to play at the collegiate level.
 
Defensive specialist Warren Hilliard struggled adjusting in the early going, but through his hard work is forcing his way on the court. Hilliard is another player with quality instincts and the ability to be in the right place at the right time.
 
Libero-defensive specialist Miguel O'Conner, outside-right side Martin Chukwu Jr., right side T'ai Sekyere-Harte and defensive specialist-libero Aeshang Shah have all been improving since the start of the fall season. This group will provide Coach Trevino with depth when needed and will serve important specific roles throughout the year.
 
Rutgers-Newark will have a different look to its game in 2017, focusing on defense and forcing the other team to make mistakes.
 
"We need to be consistent on the defensive side of things and really try and frustrate the other team with our digging and blocking," said Trevino. "Our offense is going to come, but if we play defense and serve well I think we can be a very tough team from day one."
 
After the Golden Dome Invitational in which they will face nationally-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology, nationally-ranked UC Santa Cruz, Elmira College and Lasell College, the Scarlet Raiders will play three more non-conference matches before opening CVC play in The Dome on February 10 against nationally-ranked Juniata College. The regular season ends on April 8 at Thiel College with the CVC Tournament taking place at the conference's regular-season champ.
 
"Our focus is to get better each day and take things one day at a time," added Trevino. "If we are able to do that, things are going to take care of themselves and we will be in the position we want to be at the end of the year."
 
Fans can visit www.rutgersnewarkathletics.com for links to live stats, video and more each time the Scarlet Raiders play, and fans should follow @ScarletRaiders and @RUNVolleyball on twitter for the latest.