Princeton University Athletics
Photo by: Beverly Schaefer
EIVA Champions Introduce Class of 2023
October 08, 2019 | Men's Volleyball
PRINCETON, N.J. – The 2019 EIVA Champions have announced their incoming Class of 2023, head coach Sam Shiwesky.
James Hartley
Waxhaw, N.C.
Marvin Ridge HS
6'6
High School: Help started the team during the junior season … 2019 State Champions … Member of the Future Business Leaders of America … First place in Business Management, making at the state convention … School's Junior Marshal … AP Scholar with Distinction.
Club: Qualified for the 18 Open at the USAV BJNC three times … Placed 17th at nationals two years in a row.
National: Member of the 2018 Boys Youth National Team … Competed in the Continental Championships in Costa Rica which qualified the squad for the FIVB U-19 World Championships in Tunisia.
Personal: Son of Karen and Rod Hartley … Has a sister, Katrina … Aunt, Jane, played basketball at the University of Pacific … Uncle, Mark, golfed at the University of Washington.
Shiwesky on Hartley: "James Hartley is a special talent, period. Aside from his ability to play left side, right side, and set, James has the most explosive arm swing in a prospect we have ever recruited. James plays the game fast and furious with a creativity not often seen in players his age. He has had experience internationally having played with the USA Youth National Team and is poised to make a significant impact on our program from the moment he steps on campus this fall. Aside from all of his talents on the court, James is a special talent off the court. His infectious positive energy draws the best out of his teammates and brightens up everyone around him."
Alexander Mrkalj
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School
6'5
High School: Named School MVP twice … Brock University Tournament MVP … Most Kills and Aces … Student-Athlete of the Year Award … Ontario All-Star … National All-Star … Team was won the city title once and was a finalist three times … Provincial Silver Medalist … Provincial Bronze Medal three times … Brock University Tournament Silver Medal …. Was on the track and field team along with basketball and tennis squads … Academic Awards include … Letter Academic Certificate, School Letter Leadership Certificate, Completion of the KUMON Reading Program, Ontario Principal's Award for Student Leadership, Award for Academic Excellence, Student Athlete of the Year
Club: Team went to France to compete in international volleyball … Ontario Grand Prix Gold Medalist, Canada Summer Games Gold Medalist, USAV High Performance Gold Medalist …
National: Youth National Development Program … Youth and Junior National Teams …. Completed the Canada Full-Time Training Centre … National Bronze Medal twice … Challenge Cup Gold Medalist, NORCECA Silver Medalist.
Personal: Son of Sladjana and Andjelko Mrkalj … Has a sister, Stefani.
Shweisky on Mrkalj: "Alex Mrkalj is our first recruited international player this decade. He comes from a very decorated background playing with the Canadian Junior National Team program this past year where he took a gap year between high school and college. Alex is mature beyond his years having already lived a year on his own. Cooking his own meals, washing his own laundry, and balancing his own day-to-day finances are skills that most college freshmen must learn on the fly when they first step away from the comforts of home their first few weeks at Princeton. We project Alex to acclimate much quicker and smoother than many of his predecessors due to his background. He has played a lot of volleyball at a high level and has been exposed to elite levels of play as well as elite training methodologies."
Nico Posivak
Los Angeles, Calif.
Loyola HS
5'11
High School: Senior Captain … Selected to the VolleyballMag.com Boys Fab 50 … First Team All-League … Team won 2017 CIF State title … Member of the school newspaper where he was the sports editor and contributor … Scholar-Athlete of the Year … Magna Cum Laude
National: USA Volleyball High Performance Athlete for five years … HP Championships from 2015-19 … HP Holiday Camp from 2015-17 … Junior Olympic Bronze Medal in 2014-15 and 2019 … USAV Boys Junior National Championship 2018 All-Tournament Team.
Personal: Son of Linda and Todd Posivak … Has a brother, Brandon … Brother, Brandon, played baseball at Lafayette.
Shweisky on Posivak: "Nico Posivak is the first true libero we have had in the program since the great Tony Ensbury '15. Cut from similar SoCal cloth as Tony, Nico is a precocious defender who takes up seemingly the entire court on serve receive. He has played for the USA Volleyball Youth A1 team the past several years and has trained with the best players and coaches in the country. On top of his physical skill, Nico's knowledge of the game and volleyball IQ are what set him apart from other recruits in his class. Similar to the great Corry Short '19, Nico is an outstanding communicator on the court, and we look forward to him directing traffic on the court as a seasoned veteran early on in his career."
Danny Sun
Monmouth Junction, N.J.
South Brunswick HS
6'0
High School: Captain for final three years of career … All-Division twice … Second-Team All-Sectional in 2019 … NJSIAA Scholar Athlete … Team MVP three times … Set the school record for assists (1,721) … Team was a NJSIAA Central Region Semifinalist … Valedictorian … National AP Scholar … NJ Government School … NJ Government Acceptance … USAPhO Bronze Medalist … AIME Qualifier … National Merit Scholarship … Commend Scholar.
Personal: Son of Zhihui Liu and Rulin Sun …. Has two sisters, Dora and Penny Sun.
Shweisky on Sun: "Danny Sun is a talented setter from the heralded Warren Six Pack club program from local New Jersey. Danny is an intelligent setter who runs a crisp offense and can set a multitude of play sets from all across the court. He has a great upbeat personality and will be a great addition to the Princeton Volleyball family."
James Hartley
Waxhaw, N.C.
Marvin Ridge HS
6'6
High School: Help started the team during the junior season … 2019 State Champions … Member of the Future Business Leaders of America … First place in Business Management, making at the state convention … School's Junior Marshal … AP Scholar with Distinction.
Club: Qualified for the 18 Open at the USAV BJNC three times … Placed 17th at nationals two years in a row.
National: Member of the 2018 Boys Youth National Team … Competed in the Continental Championships in Costa Rica which qualified the squad for the FIVB U-19 World Championships in Tunisia.
Personal: Son of Karen and Rod Hartley … Has a sister, Katrina … Aunt, Jane, played basketball at the University of Pacific … Uncle, Mark, golfed at the University of Washington.
Shiwesky on Hartley: "James Hartley is a special talent, period. Aside from his ability to play left side, right side, and set, James has the most explosive arm swing in a prospect we have ever recruited. James plays the game fast and furious with a creativity not often seen in players his age. He has had experience internationally having played with the USA Youth National Team and is poised to make a significant impact on our program from the moment he steps on campus this fall. Aside from all of his talents on the court, James is a special talent off the court. His infectious positive energy draws the best out of his teammates and brightens up everyone around him."
Alexander Mrkalj
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School
6'5
High School: Named School MVP twice … Brock University Tournament MVP … Most Kills and Aces … Student-Athlete of the Year Award … Ontario All-Star … National All-Star … Team was won the city title once and was a finalist three times … Provincial Silver Medalist … Provincial Bronze Medal three times … Brock University Tournament Silver Medal …. Was on the track and field team along with basketball and tennis squads … Academic Awards include … Letter Academic Certificate, School Letter Leadership Certificate, Completion of the KUMON Reading Program, Ontario Principal's Award for Student Leadership, Award for Academic Excellence, Student Athlete of the Year
Club: Team went to France to compete in international volleyball … Ontario Grand Prix Gold Medalist, Canada Summer Games Gold Medalist, USAV High Performance Gold Medalist …
National: Youth National Development Program … Youth and Junior National Teams …. Completed the Canada Full-Time Training Centre … National Bronze Medal twice … Challenge Cup Gold Medalist, NORCECA Silver Medalist.
Personal: Son of Sladjana and Andjelko Mrkalj … Has a sister, Stefani.
Shweisky on Mrkalj: "Alex Mrkalj is our first recruited international player this decade. He comes from a very decorated background playing with the Canadian Junior National Team program this past year where he took a gap year between high school and college. Alex is mature beyond his years having already lived a year on his own. Cooking his own meals, washing his own laundry, and balancing his own day-to-day finances are skills that most college freshmen must learn on the fly when they first step away from the comforts of home their first few weeks at Princeton. We project Alex to acclimate much quicker and smoother than many of his predecessors due to his background. He has played a lot of volleyball at a high level and has been exposed to elite levels of play as well as elite training methodologies."
Nico Posivak
Los Angeles, Calif.
Loyola HS
5'11
High School: Senior Captain … Selected to the VolleyballMag.com Boys Fab 50 … First Team All-League … Team won 2017 CIF State title … Member of the school newspaper where he was the sports editor and contributor … Scholar-Athlete of the Year … Magna Cum Laude
National: USA Volleyball High Performance Athlete for five years … HP Championships from 2015-19 … HP Holiday Camp from 2015-17 … Junior Olympic Bronze Medal in 2014-15 and 2019 … USAV Boys Junior National Championship 2018 All-Tournament Team.
Personal: Son of Linda and Todd Posivak … Has a brother, Brandon … Brother, Brandon, played baseball at Lafayette.
Shweisky on Posivak: "Nico Posivak is the first true libero we have had in the program since the great Tony Ensbury '15. Cut from similar SoCal cloth as Tony, Nico is a precocious defender who takes up seemingly the entire court on serve receive. He has played for the USA Volleyball Youth A1 team the past several years and has trained with the best players and coaches in the country. On top of his physical skill, Nico's knowledge of the game and volleyball IQ are what set him apart from other recruits in his class. Similar to the great Corry Short '19, Nico is an outstanding communicator on the court, and we look forward to him directing traffic on the court as a seasoned veteran early on in his career."
Danny Sun
Monmouth Junction, N.J.
South Brunswick HS
6'0
High School: Captain for final three years of career … All-Division twice … Second-Team All-Sectional in 2019 … NJSIAA Scholar Athlete … Team MVP three times … Set the school record for assists (1,721) … Team was a NJSIAA Central Region Semifinalist … Valedictorian … National AP Scholar … NJ Government School … NJ Government Acceptance … USAPhO Bronze Medalist … AIME Qualifier … National Merit Scholarship … Commend Scholar.
Personal: Son of Zhihui Liu and Rulin Sun …. Has two sisters, Dora and Penny Sun.
Shweisky on Sun: "Danny Sun is a talented setter from the heralded Warren Six Pack club program from local New Jersey. Danny is an intelligent setter who runs a crisp offense and can set a multitude of play sets from all across the court. He has a great upbeat personality and will be a great addition to the Princeton Volleyball family."
Players Mentioned
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