Ticker

Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Alex Batrachenko

Outside the entrance to the Athletics Recreation Center, there is a wall dedicated to Baruch's Hall of Fame with plaques of past student-athletes who have broken records and have been at the forefront of their respective sports. In years to come, students can expect to see a picture of one of their very own peers on that wall. Likewise, Baruch can opt for reserving the space now for the all-star captain of the volleyball team, two-time Most Valuable Player and now National Sports Import/AVCA Player of the Week, Danial Levent.

"I couldn't believe it at first," said Levent. "To win a national player of the week award was never something that I thought about because I never really thought I was good enough."

This Queens native has been playing volleyball for seven years now, both at the high school and collegiate level. He earned the title of Most Valuable Player two times in high school and was named to First Team All Queens in his senior year.

Now, at the collegiate level, Levent has earned the MVP title in the past two seasons and is undoubtedly poised to take on the title for a third time. Earlier in his college career, Levent was also on the basketball team; but several injuries led him to dedicate himself solely to volleyball.

Head Coach Allison Gunther, who had originally expected this season to be one of rebuilding, is not only pleased that it has gone so well but also that one of her very own was named for a national award. "I was really excited and proud of him and my team," she said. "It's great that our program was nationally recognized for the first time."

For Gunther, it is crystal clear why Levent received the award: his strengths lie in hitting and blocking and, moreover, he is a strong passer and defender. "Danny is a natural[ly] quiet leader, leading mostly by example," Gunther said. "He is an incredible asset to our team because he is such a well-rounded player."

Levent credits much of his success to his former coach, Justin Stack, who is now coaching the men's volleyball team at Hunter College, Baruch's archrivals. "He taught me the game very well, and put in a lot of time and heart to training me and my teammates," said Levent. "He helped me take my game to another level." In the upcoming off-season, Levent looks forward to learning more from Stack.

Stack, who admitted to being teary-eyed when he heard of Levent's award, said, "I couldn't believe that in that great success he thought about me it was an honor for me to even be a part of that." According to Stack, Levent could have gone on to compete at the Division I level, but he remained loyal to his team at Baruch.

Above all, Levent thanks Gunther. "She took the job [when] no one else did and has allowed [the team] to play the game that we love," he explained.

Levent, who is a finance major, looks forward to a career in the financial services industry after Baruch. Nonetheless, volleyball will remain close to his heart for he also aspires to coach volleyball or play professionally in Europe.

This all-star volleyball player, who is cited for bringing a "winning attitude with high expectations" to the court everyday, has certainly raised the bar for his teammates and the CUNY Athletics Conference as a whole. In volleyball, one man cannot take over the sport, but Levent has ironically been dominating this season.

With the award of National Sports Import/AVCA Player of the Week, Levent is responsible for putting Baruch volleyball on the map. As former head coach, Justin Stack says, and as many on the team know, "For Danial, the sky is the limit."

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