Head Coach: Michael Zile (3rd season)
Assistant Coaches:
Shaquille Burton – JV Head Coach
Michael Capuano – Assistant
Team Name: Liberty Hurricanes
League: EPC
2021 Record: 8-9 (including district playoff)
Key Players Lost:
Brandon Achey – OPP
Joey Rachwal – OH/ MH
Key Returning Players:
Owen McFadden – Senior, 6’6”, OH, 158 kills, 34 blocks, 16 aces, 122 digs
“Owen’s a well rounded player that passes well on serve receive and is strong in both the front row and back row. Owen played a lot over the off-season by playing summer doubles and winter club where he will continue to get better and be a leader this spring. He committed to King’s College for the fall.”
Naseem Younes – Senior, 5’10”, DS/S, 62 assists
“Naseem is a seasoned veteran and valuable player with what he brings both on and off the court. He can set and play defense and was a key contributor to the 2021 season. Naseem has been vocal with the team on raising the bar for 2022.”
Elden Campbell – Junior, 6’3”, MH, 36 kills, 25 blocks
“Elden had a standout season in 2021 in his first full season of playing volleyball. He is a multi-sport athlete with experience playing both football and basketball. Elden rose to the challenge of playing high level varsity volleyball as a rookie and put a tremendous amount of time playing over the off-season. Expect Elden to be an impact player and one of the top middles in the league.”
Matt Gonzalez – Junior, 5’6”, Libero, 178 digs
“Matt is a great all around player that can play both front row and back row. In the sixes game he has specialized in being a Libero to help anchor down the team on serve receive and defense. Matt will provide a strong foundation for the team to run an offense and to get transitional points on defense.”
Khalife Wadlington – Junior, 6’0”, MH
“Khalife was a key newcomer that first started playing volleyball in the spring of 2021. He did so well that after a few weeks of practices he became the starting middle. The full year of experience playing at the varsity level will be key as Khalife enters 2022. Khalife is a multi sport athlete with experience playing baseball, basketball, football, and track. He can jump well and play big at the net. Look for Khalife to be a key contributor in 2022.”
Cristian Matos – Sophomore, 5’9”, S, 335 assists
“Cristian played both JV and Varsity as a freshman. He had his first full time action as a setter, around midseason, in a reverse sweep against Freedom where he came in while the team was down 2-0 and led them to a 3-2 victory. Cristian has over 5 years of competitive volleyball playing experience and will be a key player with running the offense in 2022.”
Adam Mittl – Sophomore, 6’2”, OH, 84 kills, 32 aces, 131 digs
“Adam is another sophomore with over 5 years of competitive volleyball playing experience. He played for Yorktowne over the winter and competed in national club volleyball tournaments. He will be a key serve receive passer, back row defender, and front row attacker. Adam grew a couple inches in height, and has improved his vertical leap, since last season where he will be even more of a force at the net with blocking and hitting.”
Key Newcomers:
Cesar Acosta – Senior, 5’6”, DS
Chastin Bullard – Junior, 6’0”, Opposite
Timothy Carnes – Junior, 5’10”, OH/OPP
Kavon Johnson – Junior, 5’10”, MH/OPP
Joel Morgan – Junior, 6’0”, OH/OPP
Carmine Picone – Junior, 5’4”, DS
Nathan Yelinko – Junior, 6’2”, DS
Connor McLaughlin – Sophomore, 5’10”, OH
Ethan Roan – Sophomore, 5’9”, OH
Spencer Sabo – Sophomore, 6’2”, MH
2022 Outlook: “The Hurricanes are entering a season where they are on the brink of going from good to great. They’ve got a deep roster with a lot of talent at each class level, especially from the junior and sophomore classes. The veteran players will provide a solid foundation on the offensive and defensive ends. The key will be whether the newcomers can keep raising the bar with serve receive, with consistency on offense, and with being able to play at the speed of high level varsity teams. If the team can get that down look for them to be a top contender in the EPC and DXI.”
