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Three Raiders Inducted Into The NECVA Hall Of Fame
Hoboken NJ - The North Eastern Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) held its annual Hall of Fame ceremony on Saturday April 2nd and three Rivier College representatives were inducted into this year’s class. Nhut Chau (’06), Andy Chace (’06), and Coach Craig Kolek were all honored at the induction ceremonies. The NECVA, the largest known single-sport conference in the United States, is in its 17th and final year of competition as a leading men’s volleyball conference. It was founded in 1995 and is currently comprised of 43 colleges and universities stretching from New Hampshire to Virginia and Rivier College has been one of the most highly recognized teams in the conference for the past 11 seasons.
Andy Chace – Rivier 2003-2006
Andy Chace (E. Providence, RI) was one of the most dominant middle hitters in the nation during his 4 years at Rivier. Andy started his career as the New England Rookie of the Year and then flourished to be a 2 time selection to the All New England Team and a 2 time selection to the All NECVA Team over his 4 years playing for Rivier. He made Rivier College history by being the first Raider ever to be named a 3 time All American as well. During his senior season of 2006 Andy had a monster year, including a NECVA Championship Match performance with 31 kill, 9 block, 9 dig, and 3 ace serves, to lead Rivier to its first ever NECVA Championship and an automatic bid to the Molten Division 3 Final Four tournament. Andy was named the NECVA Tournament MVP and the NECVA Player of the Year for 2006.
Chace won 4 straight NECVA New England titles and 1 NECVA championship during his time as a Raider and he is the current leader for Rivier in blocks and hitting percentage and 2nd all time for kills in a career.
Nhut Chau - Rivier 2003-2006
It’s hard to mention Andy Chace without talking about Nhut Chau (Lawrence, MA). Every great hitter needs a great setter and that’s exactly what Chau was for Chace. Nhut was one of the most dynamic and athletically gifted setters in NECVA during his time as a Raider, helping him to several New England and NECVA Rookie and Player of the Week selections. His skills also led him to several New England All-Division 1st Team selections as well as NECVA All-Conference 1st Team selections. In the 2006 NECVA Championship match Nhut dished out 69 assists and led the Raiders to a .271 hitting percentage while also picking up 13 digs in the biggest match in program history to lead Rivier to be the only New England team in NECVA history to win the prestigious championship and play in the Molten Division 3 Final Four tournament.
Coach Craig Kolek – Rivier 1997-current
Under Coach Kolek’s direction Rivier College set the bar for all New England teams to reach for in both the NECVA and the nation. Over Kolek’s 15 years of coaching the Raiders have been in the NECVA post-season tournament 11 straight times, which includes 6 straight New England Championships (2001-2006), 3 straight GNAC Championships (2009-2011), a NECVA Championship (2006) and a Division 3 Final Four appearance (2006). His teams have ranged from being a two time #1 seed in the NECVA post-season tournament to being ranked as high as 4th in the nation for Division 3 volleyball.
With the NECVA disbanding after the announcement of the new NCAA Division 3 Men’s Volleyball Championship, which will start in 2012, Kolek will forever hold the record by being honored with 4 NECVA Coach of the Year awards (’04, ’05, ’06, ’09). Kolek has also acquired 2 NECVA New England Coach of the Year awards (’05, ’06), and 1 GNAC Coach of the Year Award (’09). In 2006 Coach Kolek became the first NECVA coach to ever win the prestigious American Volleyball Coaches Association’s National Coach of the Year award. Over the last 5 years Coach Kolek also has sat on the NECVA Board of Directors committee which governs the NECVA conference.
The 2011 Rivier Hall of Fame class join Athletic Director Joanne Merrill and 2004 graduate Kin Yun who were both inducted into the NECVA Hall of Fame in 2010.
