Rutgers-Newark Athletics

By Jim Hague

A year ago, the Rutgers-Newark men’s volleyball program was going through a complete transformation, becoming an NCAA Division III team like the rest of the teams at the school while losing an almost entire roster to graduation and transfer.

The Scarlet Raiders also had a new head coach in Pedro Trevino, who was elevated to the top spot after serving as Karl France’s assistant.

Needless to say, it was a time of tumult and transition for everyone involved.

When Trevino looked at his roster a year ago, he saw a gaping hole.

“We didn’t have a setter,” Trevino said.

It’s essential for any volleyball team to have a playmaker to run every offensive set. Teams cannot function without one.

But Manuel Felipez stepped up.

“He volunteered to be our setter,” Trevino said. “He wanted to do whatever he could to help the team.”

Felipez was recruited to R-N from his native Puerto Rico to be an outside hitter.

“I think I played setter for one tournament in high school,” Felipez said. “I had always been an outside hitter since I was like nine years old.”

It wasn’t exactly what Felipez had signed up for.

“I was recruited by Karl France at the Junior Olympics in Austin, Texas,” said Felipez, a native of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. “He came to me and told me that I would become a good part of the program.”

But when Felipez arrived in Newark, France was gone and he was being thrust into an awkward position.

“If being a setter was best for the team, then that’s what I was going to do,” Felipez said. “I practiced for like two weeks to see if I could be a setter. It was really tough, especially with no experience like I did. But Coach Trevino gave me the opportunity and I just did it.”

“I thought he did fine,” Trevino said. “I was very happy with what he did as a setter. I never did see what he could do as an outside hitter, because he became a setter right away.”

Felipez compiled 886 assists as the team’s setter, averaging 9.6 assists per match. He also had 36 kills, 12 service aces, 107 digs and 45 blocks. He never came off the court for the entire season, as the Scarlet Raiders posted a 10-15 season.

Felipez also had to learn a new lifestyle, because in his native Puerto Rico, there was always abundant sunshine and warm weather.

“It was like 80 degrees every day,” Felipez said. “I never had to deal with the cold weather. But I’ve always been a pretty independent guy. I didn’t get homesick like others did.”

And Felipez embraced the idea of playing a totally new position.

“I loved the challenge that Coach Trevino put me in,” Felipez said. “I was the only one. I was a freshman, but I knew what I had to do.”

Trevino liked Felipez’s approach.

“A lot of days in practice, he decided he was going to be the go-to guy, the vocal leader,” Trevino said. “I liked that.”

Now, a year later, Felipez has no choice but to be the Scarlet Raiders’ leader. The lone sophomore on a roster that has 11 freshmen, Felipez is the team captain and inspirational leader.

“Manuel is trying to show the freshmen which way to go,” Trevino said. “He’s leading by example. He’s a fierce competitor and wants to go out and win. I hope that rubs off on others. He went and played an unfamiliar position for us and did well.”

This year, Felipez is back at his comfort zone at outside hitter.

“I’m glad to be back at hitter,” Felipez said. “It’s where I belong. We have basically an all-freshman team and we needed someone who had experience to take the lead and get them to realize what’s coming next.”

“Without a doubt, he’s a better player now that he’s back at his position,” Trevino said. “He’s a fantastic hitter. A lot of the balls he hits are deep in the corners and you can’t teach that. He also hits the cover off the ball. But he always says that he wants to do whatever to help the team and you can’t teach that either. He has that quality.”

So far, so good, as Felipez has guided the Scarlet Raiders to two wins in three matches in the early part of the season.

“We have the talent to do well this season,” Felipez said. “But in two years, we can have a really good team if we keep working hard. We’re only going to get better as a team.”

Felipez is ready to declare a major in management, but he hopes to someday go to law school. He’s an excellent student, with a 3.4 grade point average.

Felipez was never unhappy with his role last season, but he’s happier now being an impact player at the net.

“Things are working out pretty good,” Felipez said. “We’re getting there.”