MIGUEL CABRITA - CAMP DIRECTOR
Coach Cabrita played for the Falcons of Saint Joseph High School in Metuchen and continued on to play at the national level with the Rutgers New Brunswick Men's Volleyball Team.
In 1994, Coach Cabrita began his coaching career as an assistant coach for Saint Joseph H.S. and helped the team earn their first ever State Championship Title in 2002. In 2005, Coach Cabrita took over as Head Coach, and in 2006 he led his team to a State Sectional title and the overall State Championship title. In 2008, Coach Cabrita captured another State Championship title, and set a state record for most wins by a team in a season in all sports in the state of New Jersey with a record of 43-1. In 2009, Coach Cabrita led his team to the State Sectional Finals and in 2010, his team captured the State Sectional title and received Team of the Year Honors from the Star Ledger. In both 2011 and 2013, Coach Cabrita captured two more State Sectional Championships. In 2016 and in 2022, Coach Cabrita captured two more GMC County Championships and took his team to the State Sectional Finals in both years. Both in 2023 and 2024, Coach Cabrita led his team to capture another State Sectional Championship and also the Group II State Championship as well. In 2008, Coach Cabrita was named Coach of the Year by the NJSIAA, Coach of the Year for the GMC and Coach of the Year by the Home News Tribune. Additionally, he received 2009 Coach of the Year accolades from the Star Ledger. In 2013, Coach Cabrita was named GMC Coach of the Year. Coach Cabrita was also selected as Coach of the Year by the Home News Tribune both in 2013 and 2014. In 2022 Coach Cabrita was named GMC Coach of the Year as well. Coach Cabrita has also coached several high school girls programs. He was an assistant coach at J.P. Stevens H.S., and the Head Coach at Wardlaw Hartridge H.S., Rutgers Prep H.S., and West Windsor-Plainsboro South H.S. where he received Coach of the Year accolades and helped the team earn their first ever conference championship. Additionally, Coach Cabrita worked at the collegiate level as an assistant coach for the Division I, Rutgers- New Brunswick Women's Volleyball Team and also as Head Coach for the Rutgers Men’s Club Volleyball Team. He led the Men’s team to a third place finish at Nationals in his final year coaching. Furthermore, Coach Cabrita has worked at numerous collegiate summer volleyball camps including Rutgers University and the University of Delaware. He is also a Volleyball Clinician and travels to various local high schools and middle schools upon request. Coach Cabrita is also a certified volleyball official with the CJVOA for over 20 years and in 2010 was selected as NJ Girls Volleyball Official of the Year by the NJSIAA.
|
2013 NJ STATE SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
2011 NJ STATE SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
 2010 NJ STATE SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS |
NJ PREMIER CAMP COACHES
Carlo Edra
New Jersey City University
Men's Head Coach
New Jersey City University
Men's Head Coach
Coach Edra is one of the most successful coaches in New Jersey City University's program history. He coached the program on a part-time basis from 2008-11 and returned in the 2020 season after taking time off to start a family. He is the most winningest coach in school history with 121 victories and counting.
Coach Edra coached the Gothic Knights from 2008-2011. During this period he qualified for the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) Tournament in 2010 and also the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament in 2009 and 2010. In 2010, NJCU finished as the runner-up falling in the ECAC Championship match.
Now in his second stint as head coach for the Gothic Knights starting in the 2020 season, Coach Edra has taken the volleyball team to new heights. In 2021, he won the Skyline Conference Championship marking the first time the program has ever won this accolade. As a result, the school had their first appearance at the NCAA Tournament. In this past 2023 season, Coach Edra guided the team to become ECAC Champions, another first for the men’s volleyball program. He was selected as the Coach of the Year for the Skyline Conference in 2021 and 2022 and also the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) in 2021 and 2022.
Most notably, Coach Edra is the head coach of the professional volleyball team, New Jersey Freedom, that competes in the National Volleyball Association (NVA). In the 2022 season, he guided the team to an undefeated regular season record, the first time a team has done so in the league’s history.
Coach Edra coached the Gothic Knights from 2008-2011. During this period he qualified for the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) Tournament in 2010 and also the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament in 2009 and 2010. In 2010, NJCU finished as the runner-up falling in the ECAC Championship match.
Now in his second stint as head coach for the Gothic Knights starting in the 2020 season, Coach Edra has taken the volleyball team to new heights. In 2021, he won the Skyline Conference Championship marking the first time the program has ever won this accolade. As a result, the school had their first appearance at the NCAA Tournament. In this past 2023 season, Coach Edra guided the team to become ECAC Champions, another first for the men’s volleyball program. He was selected as the Coach of the Year for the Skyline Conference in 2021 and 2022 and also the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) in 2021 and 2022.
Most notably, Coach Edra is the head coach of the professional volleyball team, New Jersey Freedom, that competes in the National Volleyball Association (NVA). In the 2022 season, he guided the team to an undefeated regular season record, the first time a team has done so in the league’s history.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jordan Robinson
New Jersey City University
Women's Head Coach
New Jersey City University
Women's Head Coach
Jordan Robinson took over as the head coach of the New Jersey City University Women's Volleyball Program in July 2021.
Robinson comes to Jersey City with a wealth of experience, both as a coach and a player. Currently, he plays professionally for Team Freedom — coached by NJCU's very own Carlo Edra, head coach of the men's volleyball squad — of the National Volleyball Association (NVA). Previously, the team was known as the Garden Empire Volleyball Association (GEVA) and that organization competed at USA Volleyball nationals, placing fourth in 2015 and finishing as runners-up in 2016. He and the squad also traveled to Iceland in 2017 to compete in, and win, the Reykjavík Invitational.
As a coach, Robinson touts a strong background, most recently as the top assistant coach with Division II Holy Family University for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. During that time he helped guide the Tigers to a 33-11 record, a trip to the 2019 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Tournament and the 2020 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Tournament Championship.
Previous to Holy Family, Robinson spent three seasons from 2016-18 as an assistant on the Alvernia University staff. With his help, the Golden Wolves amassed 30 victories, advanced to the 2017 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth Tournament semifinals and earned a berth to that season's Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship tournament. Prior to his collegiate coaching experience, he spent three seasons at his high school alma mater, Brandywine Heights in Mertztown, Pa., first as the head JV coach and an assistant at the varsity level in 2013 and 2014, and then as the head varsity coach in 2015.
A 2010 graduate of Brandywine Heights High School, Robinson was a four-year member of the Bullets' varsity boys volleyball program. As a junior, he became the first-ever libero to earn All-County accolades. Following high school, he moved on to perennial Division III powerhouse Springfield College and spent two seasons with the Pride. Springfield finished as the National Runner-Up in 2011 and won the National Title in 2012. He then transferred to Delaware Valley University and played two seasons of soccer for the Aggies in 2013 and 2014, serving as team captain in his final year. Robinson graduated from Delaware Valley in 2015 with a B.S. in pre-professional biology.
Robinson comes to Jersey City with a wealth of experience, both as a coach and a player. Currently, he plays professionally for Team Freedom — coached by NJCU's very own Carlo Edra, head coach of the men's volleyball squad — of the National Volleyball Association (NVA). Previously, the team was known as the Garden Empire Volleyball Association (GEVA) and that organization competed at USA Volleyball nationals, placing fourth in 2015 and finishing as runners-up in 2016. He and the squad also traveled to Iceland in 2017 to compete in, and win, the Reykjavík Invitational.
As a coach, Robinson touts a strong background, most recently as the top assistant coach with Division II Holy Family University for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. During that time he helped guide the Tigers to a 33-11 record, a trip to the 2019 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Tournament and the 2020 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Tournament Championship.
Previous to Holy Family, Robinson spent three seasons from 2016-18 as an assistant on the Alvernia University staff. With his help, the Golden Wolves amassed 30 victories, advanced to the 2017 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth Tournament semifinals and earned a berth to that season's Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship tournament. Prior to his collegiate coaching experience, he spent three seasons at his high school alma mater, Brandywine Heights in Mertztown, Pa., first as the head JV coach and an assistant at the varsity level in 2013 and 2014, and then as the head varsity coach in 2015.
A 2010 graduate of Brandywine Heights High School, Robinson was a four-year member of the Bullets' varsity boys volleyball program. As a junior, he became the first-ever libero to earn All-County accolades. Following high school, he moved on to perennial Division III powerhouse Springfield College and spent two seasons with the Pride. Springfield finished as the National Runner-Up in 2011 and won the National Title in 2012. He then transferred to Delaware Valley University and played two seasons of soccer for the Aggies in 2013 and 2014, serving as team captain in his final year. Robinson graduated from Delaware Valley in 2015 with a B.S. in pre-professional biology.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MICHAEL BURKHARDT
Stevens Institute of Technology
Men's Assistant Coach
Stevens Institute of Technology
Men's Assistant Coach
Coach Burkhardt began his playing career at Whitehall High School in Pennsylvania and also with Velocity Volleyball Club. He then went on to play as a Middle Blocker at Adrian College where he was a four year starter and two year captain. He earned several honors including being the 4th All-Time Kills leader, 3rd All-Time in hitting percentage, 1st Block Assists All-Time, and 1st Total Blocks All Time.
Twice, Coach Burkhardt was selected as MVCL Player of the Week. He was 1 of 15 D3/NAIA players selected to play overseas in Italy through Beyond Sports. Coach Burkhardt received MVCL All Academic Team for 4 years.
Coach Burkhardt joined the Stevens Institute of Technology Men's Team in November 2021 as the an Assistant Coach helping to lead the team to a MAC championship and NCAA Semifinalist result in the 2022 season.
Twice, Coach Burkhardt was selected as MVCL Player of the Week. He was 1 of 15 D3/NAIA players selected to play overseas in Italy through Beyond Sports. Coach Burkhardt received MVCL All Academic Team for 4 years.
Coach Burkhardt joined the Stevens Institute of Technology Men's Team in November 2021 as the an Assistant Coach helping to lead the team to a MAC championship and NCAA Semifinalist result in the 2022 season.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
AMANDA RACHWAL
Drew University
Women's Head Coach
Amanda Rachwal will enter her first season as the head women's volleyball coach at Drew University in 2024. Coach Rachwal took over at Drew University after serving as an assistant coach at nearby Stevens Institute of Technology, where she helped lead the Ducks to a highly-successful two-year run. In addition, she was a standout Division I student-athlete at Seton Hall University.
Over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Rachwal helped guide Stevens to a 46-10 record, including an unblemished 15-0 mark in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Conference play. The Ducks also captured back-to-back Freedom Conference titles, earning consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division III Championships. In both seasons, Stevens won its opening-round NCAA match to reach the second round.
In total, Rachwal coached four student-athletes who captured All-America honors at Stevens, including two who were also tabbed Freedom Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
In addition to her coaching stint at Stevens, Rachwal has also served as the head coach of the Digs Volleyball Club Team since 2022. She has gained additional experience as an assistant coach for the Stars and Stripes Beach Volleyball Club Team (2023-present), an assistant coach for the Velocity LV Boys Volleyball Club Team (2021), and a recruiting coordinator for the East Coast Power Volleyball Team (2020).
A native of Bethlehem, Pa., Rachwal turned in a tremendous five-year career as a middle blocker at Seton Hall, where she totaled 643 kills and 357 blocks across 110 career matches (415 sets). In her final year in South Orange, Rachwal ranked fourth in the Big East with a team-leading .324 attack percentage and ranked fifth in the conference with 1.13 blocks per set. A two-year team captain, she finished her time at Seton Hall ranked eighth in program history in career blocks and 10th in career hitting percentage (.281).
Rachwal completed her undergraduate degree from Seton Hall in graphic design and advertising with a minor in web design and graphic design in 2021. She went on to receive a graduate certificate in information technology from Seton Hall in 2022.
Over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Rachwal helped guide Stevens to a 46-10 record, including an unblemished 15-0 mark in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Conference play. The Ducks also captured back-to-back Freedom Conference titles, earning consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division III Championships. In both seasons, Stevens won its opening-round NCAA match to reach the second round.
In total, Rachwal coached four student-athletes who captured All-America honors at Stevens, including two who were also tabbed Freedom Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
In addition to her coaching stint at Stevens, Rachwal has also served as the head coach of the Digs Volleyball Club Team since 2022. She has gained additional experience as an assistant coach for the Stars and Stripes Beach Volleyball Club Team (2023-present), an assistant coach for the Velocity LV Boys Volleyball Club Team (2021), and a recruiting coordinator for the East Coast Power Volleyball Team (2020).
A native of Bethlehem, Pa., Rachwal turned in a tremendous five-year career as a middle blocker at Seton Hall, where she totaled 643 kills and 357 blocks across 110 career matches (415 sets). In her final year in South Orange, Rachwal ranked fourth in the Big East with a team-leading .324 attack percentage and ranked fifth in the conference with 1.13 blocks per set. A two-year team captain, she finished her time at Seton Hall ranked eighth in program history in career blocks and 10th in career hitting percentage (.281).
Rachwal completed her undergraduate degree from Seton Hall in graphic design and advertising with a minor in web design and graphic design in 2021. She went on to receive a graduate certificate in information technology from Seton Hall in 2022.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bez Arslani
Kean University
Men's Head Coach
Former All-American Besmir (Bez) Arslani was promoted to Head Coach of Kean University in September of 2022 after serving as an Assistant Coach and Acting Head Coach during the 2022 season. Prior to last season, Arslani was a student assistant during the 2017 season.
Arslani enters his second full season as head coach in 2024. While coaching at Kean, Arslani has made the CVC Playoffs in both 2022 and 2023, has coached 5 All-Conference Selections, 3 Rookie of the Year Selections and 1 Academic All-American.
After graduation, Arslani played professional volleyball in the National Volleyball Association (NVA) with Team Freedom.
Arslani was the program’s inaugural First-Team All-American in 2015. He was a Second-Team All-American in 2014. He was named the Skyline Conference Player of the Year, First-Team All-ECAC and First-Team All-Skyline in both seasons as well. He was also the first Cougar ever named a CoSIDA Academic All-American, a distinction he achieved in 2015.
Despite playing just two seasons with the Cougars, Arslani is peppered throughout the Kean record book and in the Top-5 all-time in kills (667), hitting percentage (.295) and aces (67).
Arslani started his collegiate career at NJAC rival New Jersey City University, where he tallied 826 kills over two seasons.
He has previously been the head coach for Side-Out Sports’ 17s club team Union High School’s junior varsity team and Wayne Valley's JV boys and girls teams.
He graduated with a B.S. in Physical Education from Kean in 2015.
Arslani enters his second full season as head coach in 2024. While coaching at Kean, Arslani has made the CVC Playoffs in both 2022 and 2023, has coached 5 All-Conference Selections, 3 Rookie of the Year Selections and 1 Academic All-American.
After graduation, Arslani played professional volleyball in the National Volleyball Association (NVA) with Team Freedom.
Arslani was the program’s inaugural First-Team All-American in 2015. He was a Second-Team All-American in 2014. He was named the Skyline Conference Player of the Year, First-Team All-ECAC and First-Team All-Skyline in both seasons as well. He was also the first Cougar ever named a CoSIDA Academic All-American, a distinction he achieved in 2015.
Despite playing just two seasons with the Cougars, Arslani is peppered throughout the Kean record book and in the Top-5 all-time in kills (667), hitting percentage (.295) and aces (67).
Arslani started his collegiate career at NJAC rival New Jersey City University, where he tallied 826 kills over two seasons.
He has previously been the head coach for Side-Out Sports’ 17s club team Union High School’s junior varsity team and Wayne Valley's JV boys and girls teams.
He graduated with a B.S. in Physical Education from Kean in 2015.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Patrick Padilla
New Jersey City University
Men's and Women's Assistant Coach
Patrick John Padilla is serving as the Assistant Coach for the Men’s and Women’s Volleyball Teams at New Jersey City University.
Coach Padilla's main focus is on creating a strength and conditioning program in line with the specific volleyball needs of each program and each athlete.
In his first season with the men’s program, he helped the team achieve their first Conference Title and also a bid to the NCAA tournament.
Additionally, Coach Padilla was selected to be the Coach for the Philadelphia Founders in their inaugural season for the NVA.
Coach Padilla's main focus is on creating a strength and conditioning program in line with the specific volleyball needs of each program and each athlete.
In his first season with the men’s program, he helped the team achieve their first Conference Title and also a bid to the NCAA tournament.
Additionally, Coach Padilla was selected to be the Coach for the Philadelphia Founders in their inaugural season for the NVA.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mahmoud Serour
|
Jaime Almafe
|
