NORTH BOSTON, N.Y. (April 16) – The Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference has announced its 2024 men's volleyball accolades, and Saint Vincent College is well-represented.
 
Sophomore Shawn McSwiggen (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) was named the AMCC Player of the Year and third-year head coach Kate McCauley the Coach of the Year, while five players landed All-AMCC accolades.
 
Along with McSwiggen, senior outside hitter Matthew Minkin (York, Pa./Central York) and sophomore setter Zach Wyant (Martinsburg, Pa./Central) were First Team All-AMCC honorees, while sophomore outside hitter Zebadiah Wyant (Martinsburg, Pa./Central) and senior libero Matthew Klasnic (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe) were each Third Team All-AMCC selections.
 
McSwiggen, the 2023 AMCC Newcomer of the Year, becomes the first player in program history to earn Player of the Year accolades. The outside hitter finished the season as the AMCC's leader in kills per set (3.85) and points per set (4.6), while he ranked third in the league in service aces (38) and sixth in hitting percentage (.283). McSwiggen recorded 10 or more kills in 20 different matches, while topping 20 kills five times, and recording 30 or more kills twice, including a team-record 32 in a March 20 win over Penn State-Altoona. He also had two or more aces in 11 matches, and ranked second on the team with 40 blocks. A three-time AMCC Offensive Player of the Week this season, McSwiggen was also named to the AMCC Championship All-Tournament Team after totaling 30 kills and 29 digs over two matches. This marks his second All-AMCC selection in as many seasons, after earning Second Team All-AMCC laurels in 2023.
 
In her third season, McCauley's Bearcats set program records for regular-season wins (19) and conference victories (9), as she led her squad to a first-place finish in the AMCC regular-season standings and the top seed in the conference championship tournament. The Bearcats ranked among the AMCC team leaders in nearly every statistical category, leading the conference in digs per set (13.3), placing second in kills per set (11.25) and hitting percentage (.218), and third in service aces (146). Her squads have shown marked improvement in each of her three seasons at the helm. After going 6-18 overall and 4-11 in the AMCC during her inaugural 2022 campaign, she has guided the team to a 30-18 mark over the past two seasons. Last season, the Bearcats went 11-10 overall and 8-5 in conference play to qualify for the AMCC Championship Tournament for the first time in program history, and subsequently won their first-ever playoff match to advance to the AMCC semifinals.
 
Minkin earns his third All-AMCC accolade in as many seasons after wrapping up his stellar career in fine fashion. During his senior campaign, Minkin averaged 2.81 kills on a .205 hitting percentage, while also ranking third on the team in digs (2.37/set). He put down 10 or more kills in 11 different matches this season and eclipsed 15 digs three times, highlighted by a season-high 17 against Geneva on Jan. 19. Minkin, who recorded seven kill/dig double-doubles, also registered 10 or more digs 11 times, posting a season-best 20 in a five-set win over Thiel on March 8. Fueled by a 15-kill, 11-dig performance in SVC's semifinal win over Penn State-Behrend, Minkin joined McSwiggen on the AMCC Championship All-Tournament Team. Over his stellar four-year career, Minkin amassed 851 kills (3.11/set) and 647 digs (2.36/set).
 
In his second season as the Bearcats' full-time setter, Zach Wyant put together a stellar all-around campaign. He averaged 8.18 assists per set and 2.44 digs per set, while he placed second on the team with 27 service aces and third in total blocks (37). Running the offense, Wyant handed out 30 or more assists in 13 matches, while totaling 40 or more eight times, including a career-high 50 in a five-set win over Penn State-Altoona on March 20. He also reached double figures in digs 13 times, and served at least one ace in 17 different contests, with a season-high five in the Bearcats' regular season finale at Geneva on April 3. Over two seasons, Wyant has totaled 1,470 assists (8.40/set), 403 digs (2.30/set) and 71 total blocks.
 
Zebadiah Wyant earns his first All-AMCC accolade after a strong campaign at outside hitter. Wyant ranked second on the team with an average of 2.61 kills, while averaging 1.89 digs per set and totaling 36 total blocks and 24 service aces. Wyant reached double figures in kills 13 times, while topping 15 three times, including a season-high 18 in the Bearcats' AMCC semifinal win over Penn State-Behrend. He registered at least seven digs 15 times, notching 10 or more four times, while posting a pair of double-doubles, including a 15-kill, 10-dig effort in a Feb. 11 win over Mount Aloysius.
 
The Bearcats' full-time starter at libero, Klasnic earns his first career All-AMCC accolade after averaging 2.83 digs per set and posting a .923 serve reception percentage. Klasnic totaled 10 or more digs in 14 different matches, including a 16-dig effort against Geneva on Jan. 19, a 19-dig effort against Penn State-Altoona on Feb. 11, and a season-best 23 digs in SVC's win at Thiel on March 8. A team co-captain, Klasnic will graduate as the program's all-time career leader in digs with 688.
 
The Bearcats will close out the 2024 season this weekend, traveling to New Jersey to take part in the ECAC Championship Tournament. SVC will take on Rutgers-Newark on Saturday at 5 p.m. in the semifinals, with the winner advancing to Sunday's championship round.