MAYS LANDING — The Atlantic Cape Community College Buccaneers men’s volleyball team enters its 2025-26 season with high hopes centered around several returning sophomore student-athletes and the stability of a full-season in their own home gymnasium to buoy them towards a return to playoff contention.
The Buccaneers finished the 2024-25 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 19 season 7-12 overall, 5-9 in the Garden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). Renovations to the College’s home gymnasium forced the squad to search for alternative accommodations for practices and home matches towards the end of the season. After a successful 2023-24 season at 13-11 overall, 11-3 in the GSAC, last season’s step back was a tough pill to swallow, but it leaves Head Coach Karla Maisto hungry for more.
“Our goal is for us to return to the Region 19 playoffs. Our ultimate goal each year is to attend the national championship. As long as we make it into the playoffs, I will be happy. I think if we're able to accomplish that this year, we'll have a chance at the championship next year,” said Maisto, who returns for her fourth season as head coach alongside assistant coach Josh Concepcion. “Last season, I believe if we had been in our own gym, with our own hours to practice, we definitely would have been in the playoffs. Having to rent out (the gym) at St. Augustine drastically affected our ability to run efficient and effective practices.”
In a tough and competitive NJCAA Region 19, Maisto understands that each and every opponent will put up a formidable fight and that no match is a foregone conclusion.
“Men's volleyball in our state is extremely competitive and I don't think our incoming freshmen realize that, so I am counting upon our sophomore student-athletes to impart their personal knowledge of this on their new teammates this season,” said Maisto.
Three sophomores, following the departure of standouts Alec Barnes and Nasir Haines to graduation, will be counted on to help the lead way this season. Outside Hitter Brandon Stolfo (Margate) will be relied upon for his strength on the outsides of the court. Outside and Opposite Hitter Justin Sawyer (Egg Harbor City) is expected to step up and see time as a front and backrow six-rotation player after an off-season spent working on the finer points of his offensive game. Meanwhile, Lautaro Canazares (Egg Harbor Township) is a tremendous libero with natural quickness and volleyball intelligence.
Offensive production will be sought from Stolfo on the outsides, while freshmen Daymeon Hallock (Mays Landing) and Isaac Fishman (Hammonton) will bring it from the middle of the court.
“These (Stolfo, Hallock and Fishman) three are extremely strong offensive players with huge verticals and are next to impossible to defend, so we are hoping they can carry us through the season,” said Maisto.
Rounding out the roster and providing the much-needed depth that is essential to the team’s success are six freshmen student-athletes, including the aforementioned Hallock and Fishman.
- Fishman is a natural setter who is versatile enough to play each position on the court, but Maisto envisions using him in the middle this season. Fishman originally received an offer to play men’s volleyball at Grand Canyon University before its program was cut.
- Jordan Kaarby (Sicklerville) is a transfer student from Tampa, FL who has been perfecting his setting abilities.
- Jake Khuc (Galloway) is a versatile libero/setter who, according to Maisto, may play some front row as well this season. Khuc played on a strong Absegami High School team last season that finished 18-7 overall.
- Brandon Mendoza (Pleasantville) will man the opposite hitter position.
- Matthew Vibora (Galloway) has made incredible strides with his preparation for this season, according to Maisto, after not playing volleyball in high school.
- Matthew Viruet (Hammonton) was a teammate of Fishman’s at Hammonton. At 6’ 1” he will be counted on to provide size on the front row. Viruet is a natural setter and opposite hitter. Maisto views Viruet as a potential surprise student-athlete this season on her squad with his height, setting, blocking and hitting abilities. She imagines him adding a major missing piece to the team with his skill at blocking the other team’s best hitters.
The Buccaneers began their 2025-26 season on February 3 at Nassau College with a 3-2 setback and will host their home opener in Jonathan Pitney Gymnasium on the Mays Landing campus against Brookdale Community College on Monday, February 23, 6 p.m.
Visit atlanticcape.edu/mensvolleyball for schedule, results, roster, coaching and live stream information.
About Atlantic Cape Community College
Established in 1964, Atlantic Cape Community College is a Middle States accredited, 2022 Achieving the Dream Leader College and Hispanic Serving Institution proudly serving the residents of Atlantic and Cape May counties. As a comprehensive, two-year community college, Atlantic Cape offers 47 undergraduate degree programs, and 34 certificate and professional series programs at its Mays Landing, Atlantic City and Cape May County campuses. Atlantic Cape is home to the renowned Academy of Culinary Arts, rated the top culinary school in New Jersey, and for more than 50 years, our highly-acclaimed Nursing program. Atlantic Cape also partners with more than 30 colleges and four-year universities to offer students the opportunity to seamlessly earn a bachelor’s degree upon graduation.
