NEW YORK, N.Y. | The City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) announced its 2026 Men's Volleyball award winners, and the New Jersey City University Gothic Knights were well-represented, earning five individual honors. Head coach Carlo Edra was named CUNYAC Coach of the Year, while Marcus Pardasie (Paramus, N.J./Cresskill), Alex Casais (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne), and Amaru Perales (Harrison, N.J./Harrison) were named First Team All-CUNYAC, with Anthony Matute (Passaic, N.J./Passaic Charter) being named Second Team All-CUNYAC following a standout 18-9 overall campaign that included a perfect 8-0 mark in conference play.

Coach Edra guided the Gothic Knights to one of the program's most dominant conference runs in recent memory, finishing the CUNYAC regular season with an unblemished 8-0 record, the first time in program history. Under his direction, NJCU outperformed opponents in nearly every statistical category, posting a team attack percentage of .267 compared to the opposition's .185, while averaging 11.7 kills per set, 2.0 blocks per set, and 10.2 digs per set.

Pardasie was the team's leading offensive weapon, finishing the season with 216 kills, the most on the roster, across 72 sets played. He averaged 3.00 kills per set and posted 236.5 total points on the season. Pardasie also contributed on the back row, recording 137 digs (1.90 per set) and a reception percentage of .962 in conference play. In CUNYAC matches alone, he hit .369 and averaged 3.41 points per set.

Perales turned in one of the most efficient offensive seasons on the team, recording 162 kills at a remarkable .377 attack percentage over 70 sets. He averaged 3.11 points and 2.31 kills per set for the year. Perales was equally dangerous at the net, accumulating 61.0 total blocks (10 solo, 51 assist blocks), good for 0.87 blocks per set. He also chipped in 20 service aces, the most on the team, and was nearly automatic in conference play, hitting an outstanding .524 attack percentage, while averaging 4.53 points per set.

The engine of the NJCU offense, Casais, was one of the most prolific setters in the CUNYAC, distributing 771 assists over 84 sets played, an average of 9.18 assists per set. Beyond his playmaking, Casais proved to be a multi-dimensional contributor; he posted 142 digs (1.69 per set), 68 total blocks (0.81 per set), and added 11 service aces. In conference play, he averaged an impressive 10.13 assists per set against CUNYAC competition. He also supported six 100-kill players on his team, showing his precise passing prowess.

Matute anchored the NJCU defensive system as the team's primary libero, leading the squad with 180 digs (2.69 per set) over 67 sets. His reception numbers were among the best on the team, registering a .939 reception percentage on 413 total attempts. In conference play, Matute continued his strong defensive showing, tallying 64 digs (2.78 per set) and a .944 reception percentage in CUNYAC matches.

Kevin Phan (Belleville, N.J./Belleville) was named to the CUNYAC All-Sportsmanship team. 

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