LEXINGTON, Ky. (Men’s Volleyball) – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced its 2025 AVCA Division III Men’s Volleyball All-America Teams on Monday. Messiah’s Alex Kagoro and Stevens Koby Sherman were named to the first team. Misericordia’s Jared Piontkowski, Messiah’s Brandon Sharp and Conner Stauffer were named to the second team.
AVCA Release
Messiah’s junior Alex Kagoro earns AVCA All-American First Team honors following a successful season for the Falcons as an outside hitter. Kagoro was named to the All-MAC First Team as well as the AVCA Division III All-Region III Team. Kagoro was second in the conference with 378 kills and tied for first with a 4.20 kills per set average. In the season opener against Mount Union, Kagoro had a season high 30 kills and 12 digs. He added 32 assists and 29 service aces on the season and contributed 21 blocks on defense with 152 digs. Kagoro's 4.20 kills per set ties him at 10th in the nation.
Stevens senior Koby Sherman adds AVCA All-American First Team honors to a list of postseason accolades that includes MAC Player of the Year, All-MAC First Team, and AVCA Division III All-Region III Team. The Sunnyvale, Calif. native finished this season with 301 kills, his third 300+-kill season as a Duck, in just 80 total sets, good for 3.76 kills per set, his best single-season total during his time in Hoboken. The outside hitter committed just 93 errors on 620 total swings, good for a .335 hitting percentage – also a single-season best during his time as a Duck. Sherman also added a fourth straight MAC Tournament Most Valuable Player honor after totaling 36 kills against Stevenson and Messiah in the MAC Semifinal and Final. Sherman finished his career with 1,184 kills, 388 digs, 197 total blocks, and 106 service aces.
Misericordia’s senior Jared Piontkowski was named to the AVCA All-American Second Team, marking the second consecutive season he earns AVCA All-American honors. Piontkowski was also named to the All-MAC First Team and AVCA Division III All-Region III Team as a right side hitter. He finished 10th in the nation with 4.88 points per set and 4.2 kills per set, broke his own single-season school record with 504 kills, and had double digit kills in 29 of 32 matches. Piontkowski was ninth in the MAC with 0.77 blocks per set and 10th in hitting at .290. His 28 kills against Lasell was the fifth-highest single-match kill total in the league and he recorded the league's highest three-set total with 20 kills against King's. Piontkowski is currently fifth among active players with 1,526 career kills.
Messiah’s sophomore setter Brandon Sharp is named to the AVCA All-American Second Team and earns All-American honors for the first time in his career. In addition to being a first-time All-American, he was named to the All-MAC First Team and AVCA Division III All-Region III Team. Sharp led the conference with a 10.07 assists per set average and was second overall with 926 total assists. He dished out a career high 56 assists against Mount Union in the season opener while also adding a season high six blocks that match. Sharp was second on the team with 169 digs and third on the team with 45 blocks. Sharp's 10.07 assists per set ranks seventh in the nation.
Messiah’s senior libero Conner Stauffer was also named to the AVCA All-American Second Team as a first-time All-American. He adds this piece of hardware to a handful of honors that include MAC Defensive Player of the Year, All-MAC First Team, and AVCA Division III All-Region II Team. After moving from outside hitter to the libero position this season, the senior led the conference with a 2.39 digs per set average and was second with 229 digs. Stauffer had a career high 18 digs against Stevens during the regular season. On offense, Stauffer contributed eight kills and 25 assists.