Four Named To All-AMCC Men's Volleyball Team; Karl Earns Newcomer of the Year

ERIE, Pa.  – Tyler Karl (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) has been named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Newcomer of the Year, while four members of the Penn State Behrend men's volleyball squad were named to the All-AMCC team, announced on Friday.

Nathan Steele (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) earned one of seven spots on the first team, while Evan Fullerton (Ambridge, PA/Ambridge), Grant Kocher (McMurray, PA/Peters Township) and Ty Sheehan (Cochranton, PA/Cochranton) were named to the second team.

Karl was dominant defensively at the net, leading the league and ranking 18^th nationally in blocks per set (0.96). The freshman recorded six blocks on four occasions, while posting a season-best 13 kills against New Jersey City. Karl finished with 112 kills in his first collegiate campaign.

Steele, a junior outside hitter, gets his second nod on the All-AMCC team. Last season he was a second-team selection.  He ranked second in the conference and 39^thin Division III statistics in attack percentage (.311), while his 2.78 kills per set ranked him sixth in the AMCC and 46^th nationally. Steele had double-figure kills in 12 matches, knocking down a season-best 19 against D'Youville.

Fullerton, the senior setter, repeats as an all-conference choice after being named to the first team a year ago. He led the team and ranked fifth in the AMCC in assists with 630. In his two year career, Fullerton amassed 1,127 assists to graduate as the all-time program leader.  His best outing this season came against Thiel where he dished out 58 assists. On the season, he averaged 7.08 assists and 1.28 digs per set.

Kocher, a junior outside hitter, makes his first appearance on the All-AMCC team. He ranks in the Top 10 in four categories in the conference, including fifth in blocks (0.68) and kills (2.92) per set, ninth in hitting percentage (.226) and 10^th in service aces per set (0.21). Kocher reached the 500-career kills mark this season after registering a team-best 289 kills in 29 matches. He tied for first on the team with 154 digs and was second in blocks (67). Kocher posted three double-doubles, and ranked 33^rd in points per set and 39^th nationally in kills per set. 

Sheehan, a sophomore outside hitter, finished fourth in services aces (0.28) and eighth in digs (1.88) per set in the conference. The all-around player also was third on the team in kills (192) and hitting percentage (.246).  Sheehan had double-figure kills in eight matches to go along with two double-doubles.