SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - For the first time in program history, the American International College men's volleyball team celebrated a senior student-athlete who spent four years with the program, honoring Manik Martins before the team rewrote its record book in a 25-6, 25-14, 25-7 sweep of Fisher College.

AIC improves to 3-15 on the season.

The Yellow Jackets came out firing in the first set, needing little time to take a 25-6 win as they compiled a program-best .750 attack percentage. The team had 10 kills to one error on just 12 swings, with Hector Garcia Quiros and Victor Alamo recording five and four kills, respectively, on five and four swings for perfect percentages. Aidan Miller dished out eight assists, and the Yellow Jackets aced a single-set record eight serves. 

The Yellow Jackets switched out the entire lineup in the second set, save for Martins, and while the Falcons were able to put up more of a fight as they collected their own season best with 10 kills, AIC continued to roll. The Yellow Jackets hit .312, including a three-for-three showing by Fabian Lugo, who had a chance to play outside instead of his usual position of Libero. Cain Joynes also stacked seven digs with three kills and a .500 attack percentage, and the Yellow Jackets quickly took a 2-0 set score lead.

For the third set, Martins moved to the pin, as the Yellow Jackets wanted to send their senior off the right way. He delivered, recording the first three kills of his collegiate career, while also dishing out an assist and grabbing a dig as the Yellow Jackets won handily, hitting .481 and acing five serves. Four of those came off the hand of Toreign Foster.

As a team, the Yellow Jackets hit a program-best .451, surpassing the previous record of .375 set in a 3-0 win over Emerson College on January 28, 2023. They also obliterated the team record for aces in a match, previously nine total in a four-set match against Sacred Heart University on February 7, 2-23. 

After the match, Martins said of his senior night celebration and time at AIC, "I don't know where I'd be without volleyball...this has been the best experience I could ask for, and if I could do it all again, I would." Head Coach Wade Robidoux said of Martins, "Manik is a wonderful guy. Everybody loves him on this team...he's dedicated his time, all four years, to the men's volleyball team here at AIC...we enjoy having Manik on our team." 

The Yellow Jackets visit Emerson on Tuesday, March 25 at 6:00 p.m. for their next match; the next and final home regular season contest is Saturday, March 29 at noon against East Coast Conference foe Saint Thomas Aquinas College. The match will serve as AIC's Officials Appreciation Game.