BOSTON, Mass. – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference unveiled the 2014 Men's Volleyball All-Conference team and Season Awards on Monday afternoon and the Rivier University Raiders were well represented. Senior Aaron Almario (Alhambra, California) was selected as the GNAC's Player of the Year, senior Matt Bynon (Burnt Hills, New York) was tabbed the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year and freshman Tyler Blank (Rochester, New York) earned the honor of being the GNAC Rookie of the Year. Wentworth Institute of Technology Head Coach Evin Giglio was tabbed the GNAC Coach of the Year while Anna Maria College took home the Team Sportsmanship Award.

Almario enjoyed a stellar senior season for Rivier in 2014. The 6-7 middle blocker totaled 248 kills and recorded a hitting percentage of .401 with 8 service aces. Almario was also a beast along the net as he registered 115 total blocks and 26 of the solo variety. Almario is the third consecutive Raider to be named GNAC Player of the Year following Steve Visentin '13 (in 2013) and Markuson (in 2012). This is also the third straight year that Almario has been named a First Teamer.

For the second consecutive season, Matt Bynon was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year as he totaled 259 digs in just 101 sets played. He averaged 2.56 digs per set and was the leader along the back line for Rivier. The 5-9 libero also recorded 7 kills and 40 assists in the season and was named to the All-Conference Third Team in 2014.

Freshman Tyler Blank became just the third Rivier Men's Volleyball Student-Athlete to be named the GNAC Rookie of the Year. The 6-0 setter accounted for 1,054 assists and a 10.23 assists per set average in just his first year. Blank also helped on the defensive side of the game as he had 69 total blocks, 18 solo blocks and 119 digs. The other two Raiders to receive the honor of being GNAC Rookie of the Year are current Raider Markuson (in 2012) and Taylor Linden (in 2010).

In his third season as the Leopards' head coach, Giglio has guided the Leopards to the most wins in program history, an appearance in the NCAA regional rankings for the first time, and received votes in the American Volleyball Coaches' Association Poll for the first time since 2001 in the April 8 poll. Named a recipient of the AVCA's Thirty Under 30 Award, Giglio is the program's all-time win leader as he has a 58-34 (.630) record and has led the Leopards to back to back 20-win seasons and a pair of appearances in the ECAC Tournament.

Click here to view the 2014 GNAC Men's Volleyball All-Conference Team