MANSFIELD, Mass. – Bard first-year Georgi Chikolov (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) was named to the New England Collegiate Conference Men's Volleyball Del Malloy Sportsmanship Team as part of the league's end-of-season honors on Tuesday.
 
Chikolov, a conservatory student also studying computer science, joined the team and has served as the primary option at setter, and led the team with 573 assists, averaging almost seven per set. He was also dangerous on the serve, with 36 aces, good for third on the team.
 
"Georgi came to Bard from Bulgaria to join the conservatory program, and despite not being recruited to play volleyball, he has joined the team with total commitment and an amazing work ethic," said coach Tyler Zowaski. "Coming into a new culture is a challenge and he's approached this new experience with care and consideration. Georgi is always working hard to have positive interactions with teammates, coaches, and opponents, without losing any of the fire and intensity that he brings to matches. His consistency, thoughtfulness, and passion make this honor a perfect fit for him."
 
The NECC year-end awards included First- and Second-Team All-NECC squads, which were dominated by the top teams in the conference; Eastern Nazarene, Endicott, and Nichols ended with 12 of the 14 players on those teams. The Sportsmanship Team, named for former NECC commissioner Del Malloy, included a player from each of the teams in the conference.
 
NECC Men's Volleyball - Del Malloy Sportsmanship Team
Georgi Chikolov, Bard (Fr., S, Plovdiv, Bulgaria)
Christopher Gil, Eastern Nazarene (Jr., S, Lawrence, Mass.)
Dean Warner, Endicott (Jr., RS, Kinderhook, N.Y.)  
Mike Maimone, Lesley (Sr.)
Jake Haraskyko, Nichols (Sr., OH, Glastonbury, Conn.)
Dominic Phelps, Northern Vermont- Johnson (Sr., OH/RS, Lyndon, Vt.)
Wylkins Occelin, Russell Sage (Jr., OPP, Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Jacob Wicher, SUNY Poly (Sr., DS/L, Orchard Park, N.Y.)
Sean Murray, SUNY Potsdam (Jr., MH, Grand Island, N.Y.)