Men's Volleyball | 4/24/2026 11:55:00 AM
PITMAN, N.J. – Freshman setter Duncan Sturt highlighted a strong showing for Rutgers-Newark as the New Jersey Athletic Conference announced its 2026 Men's Volleyball All-Conference selections.
Sturt earned NJAC Rookie of the Year honors, emerging as one of the conference's top first-year performers after leading the league with 9.94 assists per set and totaling 1,054 assists on the season. He recorded 40+ assists in 11 matches and delivered several standout performances throughout the year, including a 54-assist outing and a double-double effort with 45 assists and 15 digs against conference rival Kean.
In addition to his major award, Sturt was named First Team All-NJAC, headlining a trio of Scarlet Raiders recognized on the all-conference squad.
Junior opposite Aleks Kolodziej earned First Team All-Conference honors for the third time in his career, continuing his role as one of Rutgers-Newark's top offensive threats. Kolodziej totaled 236 kills on the season, ranking fifth in the NJAC, while leading the conference with 41 service aces. He also added 162 digs, ranking ninth in the league, and posted a .305 hitting percentage, good for fourth in the conference.
Sophomore outside hitter Michael Suarez joined him on the first team after a breakout campaign, finishing second in the NJAC with 374 total points and 319 kills, while adding 127 digs on the year.
Rutgers-Newark added another honoree with sophomore middle blocker Massimo Roco, a former NJAC Rookie of the Year, who garnered Honorable Mention All-Conference recognition after totaling 160 kills and 58 blocks this season. Roco ranked third in the conference with a .315 hitting percentage and also finished seventh in the NJAC in blocks.
Sturt's emergence played a key role in Rutgers-Newark's success throughout the season, as the Scarlet Raiders finished with a 21-9 overall record and remained among the NJAC's top contenders.
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