Kennedy's O'Gorman Named to All-America Volleyball Team

Kennedy senior and star athlete Brian O'Gorman has been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) High School Senior All-America Second Team for the 2010-11 season.

O'Gorman is one of 20 student athletes in America to earn this distinction and the only one out of the Northeast.

"It was very exciting to hear that I was selected," O'Gorman said. "It's really nice to know that my accomplishments were recognized by coaches nationwide. It's a great accomplishment for me showing that all those years of hard work have paid off."

The 6-foot-10 middle blocker led the Kennedy Cougars volleyball team in blocks and kills this season. He also recently signed to play volleyball at D-I Cal State Northridge.

"Brian's combination of size and athleticism are rare," Kennedy head coach Dennis Ringel said. "I don't know if we'll have anyone quite like him pass through this high school again. ... I look forward to seeing just how far he takes this opportunity."

Of the 20 players selected, 11 were from California, six were from Illinois and one each were from Nevada and Virginia. O'Gorman's selection is something of a rarity, since volleyball is normally controlled by the West Coast.

"Volleyball is usually dominated by the West Coast, so it's really nice to know that I, a kid on the East Coast, showed enough talent to be selected," O'Gorman said.

O'Gorman, along with All-State player and Nassau County MVP Ben Hirschler, helped lead the Cougars to their third straight county championship last fall.

"This year, to win a third county championship in a row, to have three All-County players – Brian, Ben Hirschler, and Dylan Simonson – a county MVP, an All-State player and now an All-American, it speaks volumes to just how much this senior class has helped this program to grow," Ringel said.

O'Gorman is not the only member of the AVCA All-America team headed to Cal State Northridge. He will join AVCA High School Senior First Team All-American Travis Magorien of Westlake High School in Agoura Hills, California, as a Matador in the fall.