Photo courtesy Newbury athletics.

Erik Kostanski, a 6-3 outside hitter for Newbury College, has been named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division III Men’s National Player of the Week after helping his team to three strong wins last week. In Newbury's first match of the week, Kostanski played in only one game of a sweep of Mount Ida and scored two kills in two attempts. In the Nighthawks’ next match, a 3-1 win over Wentworh Institute of Technology, Kostanski put down 14 kills, while adding four digs and five total blocks in the win. He closed out the week hitting .611 on 12 kills in 18 attempts and only one error in Newbury's 3-0 win over Emmanuel. He also had four digs and for total blocks in that match. For the week, Kostanski hit .490, averaging 3.5 kills, one dig, 1.13 blocks and 4.63 points per game. This is the third time a player from Newbury has earned the Sports Imports/AVCA Division III Men's National Player of the Week award. The previous winner was Ken McNeelley, who earned the award two times – Feb. 19, 2007 and March 28, 2005. The Nighthawks are coached by David Hildebrandt.