SFC’s Johnny Ferraro joins USA Volleyball beach squad

Freshman is 'extremely grateful for the opportunity'

April 22, 2020 John Torenli

SFC Brooklyn freshman outside hitter Johnny Ferraro might get to hit the beach in California this summer as a member of USA Volleyball's 2020 Beach Collegiate National Team. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

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Freshman Johnny Ferraro and his teammates on the St. Francis Brooklyn men’s volleyball team saw their inaugural season cut short last month due to the novel coronavirus.

Last week, however, Ferraro found out that he might just get a chance to play again later this year after being selected for USA Volleyball’s 2020 Beach Collegiate National Team.

“To be honest, I am still in a shock of excitement,” Ferraro, a New City, NY native, confessed.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to pursue my dream. I know how much work I still need to put in to get to the next level,” he added.

Ferraro, an outside hitter who appeared in all 15 of the Terriers’ matches before the season was cancelled just ahead of a March 14 match against NYU, racked up 122 kills, 2.22 kills per set, 139.5 points and 2.54 points per set this year.

The 6-foot-2 first-year sensation ranked second on the team in kills, kills per set, points and points per set.

He also totaled 56 digs and 12 service aces while leading the Terriers to a 5-10 record, including a perfect 2-0 mark at Remsen Street’s Pope Center.

“I’m incredibly happy and proud of Johnny for being selected to the 2020 Beach Collegiate National Team,” said SFC Head Coach Niko Lambert.

“He works extremely hard to fulfill his goals, and this was a major goal of his. He will definitely do great things, and we are proud to have him represent St. Francis College on the National level.”

Ferraro recorded 10 or more kills in a match five times this past season and recorded a career-high 16 kills in a win over St. Joseph’s (Long Island) on March 1. On Jan. 25, he registered a career-high 11 digs in a win at Elms and on Feb. 16, he totaled a career-best five service aces in a win over NJCU.

Though he has earned a coveted sport on the squad, the Beach Collegiate National Team program is slated to take place from June 15-20 in Manhattan Beach, California, which may be pushed back as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the scheduling of public events.

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SFC Brooklyn women’s volleyball Head Coach Amable Martinez announced the addition of Hayley Meshay to the Terriers’ 2020 roster this week.

Meshay rounds out a recruiting class that includes Madison Monahan, Iva Vranic, Carla Hernández, Penélope Rivera, Angelina Wintonick, Lena Beasley, Erin Campeau and Makenzi Abelman, adding fresh talent to a team that went 14-17 last season.

“Hayley brings high-level experience and provides flexibility as she can play multiple positions,” Martinez said of the Phoenix, Arizona native.

“As a setter, she has good size and can be a weapon since she is a lefty with great touch, and as a right side, she has a great combination of power and finesse with her shots.”

Meshay, listed as a 5-foot-11 setter/opposite hitter from Phoenix, AZ, will enroll as a junior on Remsen Street in the Fall after she spent this past season as a member of South Mountain Community College’s women’s volleyball team.

She began her collegiate career at the University of Texas at El Paso in 2018-19.

As a sophomore, Meshay appeared in 31 matches and recorded 457 assists, 4.44 assists per set, 229 kills, 2.29 kills per set, 167 digs and 1.62 digs per set.

She dished out 20 or more assists in a match seven times and handed out a season-high 43 assists in a five-set victory over Ottawa University Surprise on Sept. 5. She totaled a season-best 20 kills on Sept. 20 in a five-set win over Pima. Meshay registered 10 double-doubles and three triple-doubles for the Cougars.

Before attending South Mountain, Meshay played her freshman campaign for the UTEP Miners. She appeared in 17 matches, registered 56 digs and 20 kills in 37 sets.

Meshay indicated that she chose St. Francis for the opportunity to live in New York and further her education while being able to play volleyball. She also noted that she loves the coaching staff and team.

“We are very excited that she is now part of our program as she compliments the returners and new additions extremely well,” Martinez said.

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Raiquan Clark, LIU basketball’s all-time leading scorer, was named to the All-Met Men’s Basketball Division I Second Team on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics.

Long Island University men’s basketball graduate student Raiquan Clark was named to the All-Met Men’s Basketball Division I Second Team on Tuesday, adding to a long list of honors for the Sharks’ all-time leading scorer.

The selection, which Clark received for the second straight season, was voted on by basketball writers in the New York City metropolitan area.

Clark was also named for the first team All-Northeast Conference this season, as well as for the NABC All-District First Team and first team All-ECAC.

This past season, which ended with LIU being bounced out in the NEC Tournament semifinals, Clark finished up with 2,030 career points, ranking eighth on the league’s all-time scoring list as well.

The New Haven, Connecticut native led the NEC in scoring, averaging a league-best 19.9 points per game, ranking 29th in the entire nation. He scored in double digits in a whopping 31 straight games, including eight games of at least 20 points while amassing seven double-doubles.