BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — The Long Island University men's volleyball team was selected to finish third in the NEC Preseason Poll, the conference announced on Tuesday.  

LIU received one first-place vote in the poll, which is voted on by the conference's head coaches.  

Ahead of the Sharks was Daemen University (three first-place votes) and Saint Francis University (two first-place votes), who tied for first in the preseason poll. LIU finished ahead of FDU (one first-place vote), Manhattan University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and D'Youville University. 

The Sharks finished the 2025 season with a 17-9 record, including a program-best in regular season wins (17). LIU finished second in the NEC standings with a 5-3 record in conference matches, advancing to the NEC Tournament.  

An experienced LIU roster features 13 returners this spring, including senior Isaac Benka, the 2025 NEC Defensive Player of the Year, and 2025 First-Team All-NEC selections in senior Kale Spencer and junior Roei Horovitz. 

LIU welcomes six newcomers to the program this spring, including freshmen Titus Brown, Ike Vernon, Graham Pease, Nathan MacDonald, and Kristóf Kövessy. Rounding out the incoming Sharks is redshirt sophomore Blake Krapf, a transfer from Dominican University and Saint Francis University. Krapf was an ECC All-Conference selection last spring with Dominican. 

The Sharks begin the 2026 season on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at home against St. Thomas Aquinas College. First serve is at 6 p.m. inside the Steinberg Wellness Center.