Urshela Earns HVIAC Men's Volleyball Player of the Week Honors For The Second Time This Season

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) senior Raul Urshela (Orlando, Fla./Colonial) has been named the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men's Volleyball Player of the Week for the second time this season in an announcement made by the league earlier today.

Urshela led the Bears to a 2-1 mark for the week ending Sunday, March 1st. In the thrilling, five-set conference victory over Clinton Hill rivals Pratt on Thursday, the senior middle slammed 24 kills and brought up 22 digs for his first double-double of the season. Urshela nearly finished with a triple-double, stuffing a school-record nine blocks (seven solo) including three in the fifth-and-deciding set to help seal the win that pushed the Bears atop the league standings.

Earlier in the week, Urshela pounded a team-high 13 kills with four service aces and three blocks as the Bears downed Medgar Evers in straight sets.

On the week, Urshela totaled 44 kills (4.0 per set) while maintaining a .263 hitting percentage.

Urshela collects his ninth Player of the Week accolade in his career and the Bears have collected three Player of the Week honors this season.

At 6-3 and three games above .500, St. Joseph's is off to their best start in program history. After a week off from games this week, Urshela and the Bears return to action on Monday, March 9, welcoming the College of Staten Island to the Hill Center with a first serve slated for 7 p.m.