Albany, NY--- The Sage Colleges’ 2012 men’s volleyball team is under the direction of interim head coach Jason Wood.  The team has selected juniors Kyle Ray (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) and Spencer Hilland (Slingerlands, NY/Bethlehem Central) to serve as the team’s co-captains. The talented pair will take to the court on January 26 when they travel to Bard College for the 2012 season opener. The Gators will open Skyline Conference days later with a home weekend league quad-match in the Kahl Center (Albany, NY) on January 29 that features the College of Mt. St. Vincent, Purchase College, and Yeshiva University. Action commences at Noon with a second set of matches at 2 p.m.

Ray is a third-year team captain having served as a captain since the inaugural campaign in 2010. He is a two-time Skyline Conference Second Team honoree and was the 2010-2011 Sage Male Athlete of the Year.   As a freshman, Ray was one of six players to help launch the men’s volleyball program at Sage and was named a co-captain. By season’s end, he was named to the Skyline Conference All-Star Second Team for his play as an outside hitter. Ray was once again named a captain in 2011, but also was asked to change positions and did so with ease. He helped the team improve from a 5-20 performance in the first season to a 14-12 record with a second-straight Skyline Conference Tournament bid. He led the 2011 team with his 692 setting assists and ranked among the national statistical leaders along the way. By season’s end, the sophomore setter ranked 27th in Division III in setting assists per set and 89th in aces per set with his 0.23 per set average. A member of the 2011 NECVA Scholar-Athlete Team, Ray played in all 26 matches for Sage last season while appearing in 86 sets with 89 digs and 20 aces.

A newcomer to Sage last season, Hilland finished the year as a 2011 Skyline Conference All-Star First Team player as a middle hitter. He was also ranked nationally in three categories, 14th in kills per set (3.75), 14th in blocks per set (0.95), and 48th in hitting (.255 attack %). He was named to the Skyline Conference Honor Roll once, and finished the season with a team-best 240 kills, good enough for a 3.69 per set average with a .255 attack percentage. He finished second on the team with 61 total blocks, while adding 102 digs and 14 serving aces. He led the Gators with his 296 points and 4.55 points per set average despite missing two weeks with an injury on the season. He was named the Skyline Conference Player of the Week and the NECVA Skyline Conference Player of the Week twice, while also earning a spot on the Skyline Conference Honor Roll another week. He opened his Sage career with a selection to the 2011 SUNY-IT Wildcat Invitational All-Tournament Team in January of 2011.