Resources for
Follow USAVolleyball
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 16, 2024) – For the first time in 2024, the roundup sees no changes from the previous week. Despite suffering its first loss of the season, Long Beach State earns 17 votes by AVCA to stay at No. 1 ahead of undefeated Grand Canyon. Meanwhile in DIII, Wentworth has secured 12 wins to start the year and holds a firm grip on the top spot. The college roundup showcases some of the key matches of the week while also highlighting athletes who are part of the USA Volleyball National Team Development Program.
(rankings source: AVCA.org)
Long Beach State split two matches with No. 4 UCLA last weekend, winning the first match 3-1 but falling from the ranks of the unbeaten in the second game by a similar 3-1 score on Feb. 10. They have their next chance to rebound on Friday night with the LBSU Tournament and a match vs. Central State.
Match leaders vs. UCLA (Sat.):
Next up: The Beach finishes the LBSU Tournament against Central Edward Walters on Feb. 17. They will have the week off before the following match against Lewis on Feb. 23.
USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/LBSU Players
Mason Briggs, who had 16 digs and two assists vs. UCLA (Sat.), was on the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six team that won gold. He was also part of the 2022 U.S. Men’s National Team and was on the roster for the FIVB World Championship, where the team finished sixth. Mason was named Big West Player of the Week. He is No. 8 in the nation in digs per set (2.37).
Clarke Godbold had 15 kills, four digs, four blocks and one assist vs. UCLA (Sat.). Clarke was a member of the 2023 Collegiate National Team. He was also twice named to the U.S. Men’s U21 National Training Team and competed at the FIVB U19 World Championship in 2019. Clarke is No. 10 in the country in hitting percentage (.395), No. 9 in the nation for kills per set (3.90) and No. 4 in the nation in blocks per set (1.37).
Sebastian Rodriguez was a member of the 2023 Beach U23 National Team and the 2023 Beach Collegiate National Team.
Ben Braun had one kill and four total bocks vs. King (Sat.). Ben was a member of the 2023 Beach Collegiate National Team.
Dane Hillis was a member of the 2023 U21 National Team that took silver at the Pan Am Cup and the 2022 U21 National Team that won gold at the Pan Am Cup.
Sebastiano Sani was on the 2023 U19 National Team that placed fourth at the 2023 U19 World Championships and took gold at the NORCECA U19 Pan Am Cup.
Chris Connelly was on the U21 National Team in 2023 and 2022 and the U19 National Team in 2021 and 2020.
Island Doty had one assist and two digs vs. King (Sat.). Island was a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that competed at the FIVB World Championships.
Aiden Knipe had 43 assists, one kill and four digs vs. UCLA (Sat.). Aiden was a member of the 2019 Boys Youth National Training Team, as well as the 2018 Boys Youth National Team that earned silver at the NORCECA Continental Championship.
GCU is still at 9-0 in this week’s roundup with the most recent win being the 3-0 victory at Daemen heading into the weekend.
Match leaders vs. Daemen:
Next up: GCU plays two matches at BYU this weekend, the first on Friday night.
USA Volleyball National Team Development Team Program/Grand Canyon players
Camden Gianni, who had nine kills and four digs vs. Daemen, was on the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six team that won gold and the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup team that placed fifth. He is No. 4 in the country in aces per set (.700)
Jackson Hickman, who had nine kills, two aces and four digs, was on the 2023 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team and the 2023 Men’s Collegiate National Team. He is No. 5 in the country in hitting percentage (.411).
Rico Wardlow, who had five kills, one ace and two digs vs. Daemen, was on the 2023 Men’s Collegiate National Team.
Nicholas Slight who had 26 assists vs. Daemen, was on the 2023 Men’s Collegiate National Team. He is No. 9 in the country in assists per set (9.93).
Spyros Chakas had a .550 hitting percentage and 38 kills across two recent matches with Stanford as Hawaii topped the No. 5 Cardinal for the second time this season 3-0 on Feb 9. Chakas had 23 kills in the second match which was his season high in 2024. The Rainbow Warriors have won 10 consecutive meetings with Stanford and have not lost a match since the second of two meetings with Loyola Chicago back on Jan. 5.
Match leaders vs. Stanford:
Next up: Hawaii has earned a short break after the latest victory on Feb. 9. The team returns to action to host Missouri S&T for two matches on Feb. 22-23.
USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/Hawaii Players
Tread Rosenthal had 33 assists, two aces, two kills, two digs and two blocks vs. Stanford (Feb. 9). Tread was a member of the 2023 U19 National Team that placed fourth at the U19 World Championships and won gold at the NORCECA U19 Pan Am Cup. He was named MVP and Best Setter at the 2023 Pan Am Cup. It was his second year in a row claiming the Best Setter title after he competed with the U19 team in 2022 that also took home gold at the Pan Am Cup. Tread is No. 9 in the country in assists per set (10.03).
Chaz Galloway had five kills, three blocks and four digs vs. Stanford (Feb. 9). Chaz was a member of the 2023 Men’s Collegiate National Team.
Kai Rodriguez was on the 2023 Beach U19 National Team and won gold at the 2023 Caribbean Beach Championship with Jackson Herbert.
The reigning NCAA champions are fresh off the weekend split with No. 1 Long Beach and added another 3-0 win Wednesday vs. Pepperdine to improve to 10-3.
Match leaders vs. Pepperdine:
Next up: The Bruins will hit the road to face Pepperdine once again on Saturday. They then will have the majority of the week to rest before two matches with BYU in Utah on Feb. 23-24.
USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/UCLA players:
Andrew Rowan had 32 assists, two aces and six digs vs. Pepperdine. He was a member of the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six team that won gold and the 2023 NORCECA Pan American Cup team that placed fifth. He was also on the 2022 U21 National Team that won gold at the Pan American Cup. Andrew is No. 2 in the country in assists per set (10.48).
Ethan Champlin had nine digs and one assist vs. Pepperdine. He was on the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six team that won gold and the 2023 NORCECA Pan American Cup team that placed fifth. Ethan was also a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team that took home bronze at the Pan American Cup Final Six.
Micah Wong Diallo was a member of the Men’s U21 National Team that took home silver at the 2023 U21 Pan American Cup.
Alex Knight, who had 10 kills, two aces, three assists and two digs vs. Pepperdine, was a member of the 2021 Men’s U21 National training team and the 2020 Men’s Junior National Training Team.
Merrick McHenry had nine kills and three digs vs. Pepperdine. Merrick was a member of the 2023 NORCECA Pan American Cup team that placed fifth. He was also on the 2022 NORCECA Pan Am Cup and Pan Am Cup Final Six teams that both earned bronze medals. He is No. 9 in the country in blocks per set (1.13)
Zach Rama was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took home silver at the 2023 U21 Pan American Cup.
Stanford remains in the top-5 with a 7-3 record. This after the team has faltered of late, splitting with CSUN and taking only one set in two matches with No. 3 Hawaii. The Cardinal dropped the second match with the Rainbow Warriors 3-0 on Feb. 9.
Match leaders vs. Hawaii (Feb. 9):
Next up: Stanford is back home to face UCI Feb 16-17. They are then off until Feb 23-24 when they travel to face Pepperdine.
USA Volleyball National Team Development Team Program/Stanford players
Will Rottman was a member of the 2021 Men’s National Team that placed fifth at the NORCECA Continental Championship. He was also on the 2020 Men’s Collegiate National Team.
Alex Rottman had 10 kills, one assist and six digs vs. Hawaii (Feb. 9). Alex was a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that earned silver at the Pan Am Cup, as well as the U21 team that competed at the FIVB World Championships
Nathaniel Gates, who had four kills vs. Hawaii (Feb. 9), was on the 2023 Men’s Collegiate National Team. He was also on the 2021 Men’s U21 National Training Team and the 2020 Men’s Junior National Training Team.
Theo Snoey, who one kill and three digs vs. Hawaii (Feb. 9), was a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that competed at the FIVB World Championships
Wentworth is 12-0 and cruising at No. 1 in the DIII rankings after defeating Lasell on Thursday night.
Match leaders vs. Lasell:
Next up: Wentworth will hit the road for a match against Nichols on Friday night and a match at Elms on Tuesday night.
The Ducks are 14-1 with their only loss being to No. 1 Wentworth on Jan. 20. Stevens most recently defeated NYU on Wednesday 3-0 in the Patrick Dorywalski Classic
Match leaders vs. NYU:
Next up: Stevens is set to host the Stevens Tri-Match #2 this weekend when they welcome Benedictine and Bard to Hoboken, N.J.
Southern Virginia finds itself at No. 3 in the rankings for another week despite holding a record of 11-0 to start the season. The Knights faced Eastern Mennonite on Wednesday and earned a 3-0 win.
Match leaders vs. EMU:
Next up: The Knights will face Randolph Macon in another CVC battle at home on Friday night.
After making its roundup debut last week, Springfield remains No. 4. The Pride are 10-1 with most recent victories vs. Endicott and New Paltz on the road.
Match leaders vs. New Paltz:
Next up: Springfield is hosting a tri-match with Rivier and St. Joseph’s (LI) this weekend.
Cal Lutheran is 11-4 after most recently taking on DI opponent Santa Barbara in a 3-1 loss.
Match leaders vs. UCSB:
Next up: Cal Lutheran will travel to Wisconsin for four matches this weekend. They are set to take on Calvin and St. Norbert on Saturday, followed by Rockford and MSOE on Sunday.
NTDP PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Trent was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took silver at the Pan Am Cup and the 2022 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the Pan Am Cup.
2/10 vs. LIU (W 3-0) 3 kills, 2 assists
Kupono was on the 2023 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team
2/10 vs. LIU (W 3-0) 14 kills, 3 aces, 4 digs
Nyherowo was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took silver at the Pan Am Cup and the 2022 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the Pan Am Cup. Nyherowo was last week’s EIVA Player of the Week. He is No. 10 in the country in hitting percentage (.405).
2/10 vs. Sacred Heart (L 2-3) 5 kills, 1 ace, 3 digs
Ryan was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took silver at the Pan Am Cup. Ryan was named last week’s EIVA Defensive Player of the week. He is No. 10 in the country in digs per set (2.24).
2/10 vs. FDU (W 3-1) 3 assists, 4 digs
Wesley was a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team. He was also on the 2022 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the Pan Am Cup where he was named Best Blocker.
2/14 @ CUI (W 3-0) 3 kills, 2 blocks, 2 digs
Caleb was a member of the 2022 and 2023 U19 Beach National Team. He was also on the 2022 Boys U19 Pan Am Cup team that won gold.
2/14 @ CUI (W 3-0) 37 assists, 5 digs
Kyle was a member of the 2023 U23 Beach National Team. He competed at the NORCECA U23 Tour where he placed fourth with Sebastian Rodriguez (LBSU). Kyle was also a member of the 2023 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team. Kyle is No. 10 in the nation in blocks per set (1.106).
2/14 @ CUI (W 3-0) 5 kills, 2 aces, 1 dig
Dillon was a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team.
2/14 @ CUI (W 3-0) 14 kills, 3 blocks, 4 digs
Jacob was a member of the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup team that finished fifth. He was also on the 2022 Pan Am Cup team that finished third and was on the 2022 week one VNL roster. Pasteur was selected as the 2024 MIVA Preseason Player of the Year for the second-consecutive season. He is No. 5 in the country in kills per set (4.00) and No. 8 in the country in aces per set (.581).
2/9 @ Loyola Chicago (L 2-3) 17 kills, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 7 digs
Shane was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took silver at the Pan Am Cup. He was also on the 2022 U21 National Team that won gold.
2/9 @ Loyola Chicago (L 2-3) 13 kills, 3 blocks, 4 digs
Parker was on the 2023 Men’s Collegiate National Team and he was a member of the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup team that finished fifth. He was also on the 2022 Pan Am Cup Final Six team that earned bronze.
2/9 vs. Ohio State (W 3-2) 17 kills, 3 aces, 2 digs
The roundup stays relatively calm at the top end of the DI/II rankings this week. The top-five sees one shift as UCLA and Stanford trade places. The roundup does have the potential for more shuffling next week after the top-5 matchup of No. 1 Long Beach State vs. No. 5 UCLA on Friday.
For the third straight week, the college roundup has a new No. 1. Long Beach State earns 23 votes in the latest AVCA poll and is now top of the pack as one of the few remaining unbeaten teams in DI/II. In DIII, Wentworth remains atop the list for another week, while Cal Lutheran and Southern Virginia flip-flop at No. 3 and 4. The college roundup showcases some of the key matches of the week while also highlighting athletes who are part of the USA Volleyball National Team Development Program.
A huge shift hits the roundup this week after Ohio State stuns UCLA. The Buckeyes defeated the defending champion Bruins and No. 13 USC at the First Point Challenge in Austin, Texas last week to vault into the number one spot in the rankings. However, The Buckeyes suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of No. 9 Penn State on Thursday night.
A big shakeup hits the DI/II and DIII rankings in the college roundup. Hawaii and Ohio State move up as UC Irvine is bounced to No. 6 and Grand Canyon makes its first appearance in the top-5. In DIII, two new schools crack the top-5, including Wentworth storming onto the scene to take ahold of the No. 2 spot. The college roundup showcases some of the key matches of the week while also highlighting athletes who are part of the USA Volleyball National Team Development Program.
Setter, 6-7
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Middle Blocker, 6-9
Middle Blocker, 6-7
Outside Hitter, 6-9
Libero, 6-0
Outside Hitter, 6-3
Outside Hitter, 6-8
Libero, 5-10
6-4
Setter (indoor), 6-8
Outside Hitter, 6-4
Opposite, 6-7
Outside Hitter, 6-5
Outside Hitter, 6-6
Opposite, 6-8
Middle Blocker, 6-8
Libero, 6-0
Middle Blocker, 6-10
Setter, 6-5
6-8
