Finger Lakes Community College made history in dominant fashion, defeating Ocean County College 3-1 to capture the program’s first NJCAA men’s volleyball national championship.
The Lakers secured the title in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, winning in four sets, 25-15, 25-17, 20-25, 25-20, to complete a breakthrough postseason run.
The victory marks more than just a program milestone. It crowns FLCC as the inaugural champion of the NJCAA Men’s Volleyball National Tournament, cementing the team’s place in the sport’s history.
FLCC (22-4) leaned on a balanced and efficient attack in the championship match, hitting .310 as a team while totaling 54 kills and 50 assists. Zach Sipos led the offense with 19 kills on a .486 hitting percentage, while Ethan Bond added 14 kills and eight digs. Jackson Blaszkow chipped in 12 kills as the Lakers overwhelmed Ocean County with consistent pressure.
Setter Cole Thomas directed the offense with 48 assists and two service aces, while Braden Whitcomb anchored the net with 10 blocks. Defensively, Jack Donovan recorded a match-high 14 digs to lead a unit that totaled 37 digs and controlled play throughout much of the match.
After dropping the third set, FLCC regrouped and closed out the match decisively in the fourth to seal the championship.
The title run included a series of statement wins. The Lakers opened the tournament by defeating Union College, a team that had beaten them twice during the regular season. They followed with a semifinal upset of top-seeded College of DuPage, which entered the match undefeated against junior college competition.
FLCC’s performance earned multiple national honors. Thomas, Blaszkow and Sipos were named to the All-Tournament Team, while Bond was selected as tournament MVP. Head coach Frank Clark was named National Coach of the Year.
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