BRIDGEWATER, N.J.- The NEC men's volleyball yearly awards and all-conference have been released, with Rayjan Suarez Palacios headlining the Knights making the list. Suarez Palacios was named the Defensive Player of the Year Award and landed on the All-NEC First Team. He is the first Knight to win Defensive Player of the Year. He is joined on the All-NEC first team by Jamal Ellis. Laydon Biro was named to the All-NEC Second Team as well.

Suarez Palacios was an instrumental part of a historic year for the Knights program, as he won three consecutive NEC Defensive Player of the Week awards. The middle blocker ranks nationally in the top three for blocks per set, averaging 1.23 B/S. He finished the season with 85 total blocks to lead the team. Throughout the regular season, the middle blocker has amassed career highs across the stat sheet, with 119 kills, 29 digs, 15 service aces, and 10 assists.

All-NEC First Teamer Jamal Ellis has also left an indelible mark on the program over the past season. He became the first Knight to record 1000 career kills on Apr. 4, versus Daemen. The opposite hitter strung together eight consecutive weeks as an NEC Prime Performer, also taking home two Player of the Week awards and sharing a Co-Player of the Week honor in that span. Ellis distributed 247 kills, and a team leading 34 service aces. This is his fourth All-NEC honor and his third time landing on the first team. 

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