CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Sophomore standout Darren Lopez, of the Monroe University – Bronx men's volleyball team, was named to the NJCAA All-America second team. The NJCAA made the official announcement on Thursday afternoon which can be seen here. This marked the first year the NJCAA has released an All-America team for men's volleyball. 

Lopez propelled Monroe to a semifinal berth in the Region 15 Tournament. Thanks to his strong season, the Express earned an at-large bid into the inaugural NJCAA Championship Tournament. Monroe - Bronx won the seventh-place match in the national tournament over nationally ranked No. 7 Borough of Manhattan Community College in a five-set thriller. In that match, Lopez had a productive outing for the Express with 18 kills (.225 hitting percentage), seven digs, and three service aces

Under Lopez's strong play and leadership, Monroe went 18-15, defeated multiple nationally ranked teams, and earned a national ranking as high as No. 7 during the year. 

Lopez was named to the All-Region first team last month, his second straight All-Region honor. He produced double figures in kills 12 times this season and notched 10 digs in a match three times in 2026. 

The second-year star was named the Region 15 Athlete of the Month for February and then received Region 15 Athlete of the Month Honorable Mention recognition for March. The elite outside hitter averaged 2.62 kills per set over the course of 113 frames played this year. 

ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE UNIVERSITY
The athletic program at Monroe University encompasses a total of 31 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe University marching band, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.

For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter/X (@MonroeExpress), Instagram (@MonroeExpress), and Threads (@MonroeExpress).