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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 26, 2025) – As we hinted at last week, the upset of No. 2 UCI by No. 3 UCLA from a week ago has put the Bruins as our new No. 2 team for the latest college roundup. The rest of our top five remains the same in DI/II with Long Beach State receiving all 23 votes from the AVCA to remain No. 1. In Division III, Vassar drops out of the top five and Springfield takes a huge leap from No. 7 to No. 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.
(rankings source: AVCA.org)
It’s now a 14-match winning streak for Long Beach and a small break until March 5 after sweeping Grand Canyon and Barton twice since we last checked in. The matches against Barton provided some opportunity for NTDP-connected athletes to contribute.
Match leaders vs. Barton (Feb. 23):
Next up: Long Beach will hit the road to take on CSUN March 5 and then return to Walter Pyramid to face Sacred Heart March 7.
When and Watch: @ CSUN 6 p.m. PT March 5 streaming TBD
USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/LBSU Players
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. He had 12 kills, four digs, one ace and two blocks vs. Barton (Feb. 23).
Ben Braun was on the 2024 Men’s National Team that won gold at NORCECA Final 6 and silver at the 2024 NORCECA Pan Am Cup. He was also a member of the 2024 Collegiate National Team and the 2023 Beach Collegiate National Team. He had two kills, one ace and four blocks vs. Barton (Feb. 23).
Island Doty was a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team. He had four assists and one dig vs. Barton (Feb. 23).
Kellen Larson was on the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the NORCECA Continental Championship and was on the Boys U19 National Teams in 2023 and 2022 that won gold medals at the U19 Pan Am Cup. He had one assist and one dig vs. Barton (Feb. 23).
Chris Connelly was on the U21 National Team in 2023 and 2022 and the U19 National Team in 2021 and 2020. He had two assists vs. Barton (Feb. 23)
Isaiah Preuitt was on the 2023 U19 National Team that took gold at the NORCECA U19 Pan Am Cup. He had two kills, one ace, three blocks and one dig vs. Barton (Feb 23).
Long Beach has five more members with NTDP connections.
Dane Hillis was a member of the 2023 U21 National Team that took silver at the Pan Am Cup and played on the 2022 U21 National Team that won gold at the Pan Am Cup. Sebastian Rodriguez was a member of the 2023 Beach U23 National Team and the 2023 Beach Collegiate National Team. DiAeris McRaven was on the 2024 Men’s National Team that won gold at NORCECA Final 6 and silver at the 2024 NORCECA Pan Am Cup. Ford Harman was a member of the 2023 Beach U19 National Team. Nato Dickinson was a member of the Beach Collegiate National Team in 2024 and 2023 and competed at the 2024 Beach World University Championship.
UCLA is your new No. 2 team in the roundup and the polls after two match wins over UCI (3-0 on Feb. 19 and 3-2 on Feb. 22), which came right on the heels of two losses to No. 1 Long Beach. Cameron Thorne earned AVCA Player of the Week honors to go along with an MPSF Player of the Week award for his 32 Kills on 38 attempts and four errors across the two matches. UCLA is back in action vs. UCSB on Wednesday with another meeting in Santa Barbara on Friday.
Match leaders vs. UCI (Feb. 22):
Next up: The second meeting with UCSB Feb. 28 on the road.
When and Watch: 7 p.m. PT Feb. 28 on ESPN+
USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/UCLA Players
Andrew Rowan was a member of the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six team that won gold. He was also on the 2022 U21 National Team that won gold at the Pan American Cup. He had one ace, 47 assists, one block and six digs vs. UCI (Feb. 22).
Cooper Robinson was on the 2024 Men’s National Team that won gold at NORCECA Final 6 and silver at the 2024 NORCECA Pan Am Cup. He had 15 kills, two aces, two block and six digs vs. UCI (Feb. 22).
Zach Rama was on the 2024 Men’s National Team that won gold at NORCECA Final 6 and silver at the 2024 NORCECA Pan Am Cup. He was also on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took home silver at the 2023 U21 Pan American Cup. He had 11 kills, three aces and five digs vs. UCI (Feb. 22).
Cameron Thorne was a member of the 2024 Collegiate National Team. He had 17 kills, three aces, and five blocks vs. UCI (Feb. 22). He was Named AVCA Player of the Week and MPSF Offensive Player of the Week this week. He is tied for No. 8 in the nation in blocks per set (1.150).
UCLA has five more players on the roster with NTDP connections. Micah Wong Diallo was on the 2024 Men’s National Team that won gold at NORCECA Final 6. He was also a member of the 2024 Collegiate National Team and the Men’s U21 National Team that took home silver at the 2023 U21 Pan American Cup. Sean McQuiggan was a member of the 2024 Collegiate National Team. Trent Taliaferro was on the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that took gold at the U21 NORCECA Continental Championship and the 2023 Boys U19 National Team that competed at the FIVB World Championship and took gold at the NORCECA U19 Pan Am Cup. Sean Kelly was on the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the NORCECA Continental Championship and was also a member of the Boys U19 National Team in 2023 and 2022 that both won gold at the Pan Am Cup. Kahale Clini was a member of the 2023 Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship Team.
After a drop to No. 3 with two losses last week to No. 2 UCLA, the Anteaters have another top-five test this weekend. The team will travel to Hawaii to take on the No. 4 Rainbow Warriors for two weekend matches of Big West play. Following the matches in Hawaii, there will be almost exactly a month gap before UCI’s next top five meeting with No. 1 Long Beach.
Match leaders vs. UCLA (Feb. 22):
Next up: UCI takes on No. 4 Hawaii Feb. 28 and March 2.
When and Watch: 9 p.m. Feb. 28 and 7 p.m. March 2 on ESPN+
USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/UCI Players
Nolan Flexen was on the 2024 Men’s National Team that won gold at NORCECA Final 6 and silver at the 2024 NORCECA Pan Am Cup. He had 15 kills, one ace, four blocks and four digs vs. UCLA (Feb. 22). Flexen is No. 8 in the nation in kills per set (4.02).
Hawaii is 13-1 on the season with only one loss to Stanford on Feb. 7 as we look forward to the top-five meeting vs. UCI. Hawaii most recently defeated Belmont Abbey, Queens University of Charlotte, and Catawba during a road trip to North Carolina last week.
Match leaders vs. Queens (Feb. 22):
Next up: Hawaii hosts No. 3 UCI Feb. 28 and March 2, followed by Lindenwood March 5 and March 7.
When and Watch: All matches streaming on ESPN+
USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/Hawaii
Tread Rosenthal was a member of the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the NORCECA Continental Championship. He was also on the 2023 U19 National Team that placed fourth at the U19 World Championships and won gold at the NORCECA U19 Pan Am Cup. He had 48 assists, nine digs, one ace and three blocks vs. Queens (Feb. 22). He is No. 3 in the nation in assists per set (10.90).
Finn Kearney was a member of the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the NORCECA Continental Championship and the Boys U19 National Team in 2023 and 2022.
The Trojans are back in action vs. Vanguard after 12 days off for the squad’s first matches since being swept at home by UCI on Feb. 14. USC travels to Costa Mesa on Wednesday and will host Vanguard on Friday for the first MPSF matches of the season.
Match leaders vs. UCI (Feb. 14):
Next up: At Vanguard Feb. 26 and home Feb. 28
When and Watch: 7 p.m. PT on B1G+
USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/USC
Caleb Blanchette has been a member of the Beach U19 National Team since 2022. He was also on the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the 2024 NORCECA Championship and the 2022 Boys U19 Pan Am Cup team that won gold. He had 35 assists, two kills and one block vs. UCI (Feb. 14). He is No. 2 in the nation in assists per set (11.06).
Sterling Foley was a member of the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the NORCECA Continental Championship. He was Named MVP and Best Spiker. He was also a member of the Boys U19 National Team in 2022 and 2023. He had two kills, two blocks and one dig vs. UCI (Feb. 14).
Parker Tomkinson was a member of the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the NORCECA Continental Championship. He was also a member of the 2023 Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship Team. He had one assist, two blocks and two digs vs. UCI (Feb. 14). He is No. 5 in the nation in blocks per set (1.200).
Dillon Klein was a member of the 2024 Men’s Collegiate National Team and the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team. He had 11 kills, and two digs vs. UCI (Feb. 14). He is No. 5 in the nation in kills per set (4.16).
Markus Olsson was a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team. He had two kills and one ace vs. UCI (Feb. 14).
NYU remains on top of the DIII rankings with a sweep of MIT on Feb. 22. NYU is undefeated with only four set losses on the year before hosting Elmira and Hobart this weekend.
Match leaders vs. MIT:
Next up: NYU will host Elmira Feb. 28 and Hobart March 1
When and Watch: 7 p.m. ET and 2 p.m. ET on NYU Athletics
Southern Virginia (13-0) received three first-place votes from the AVCA this week and remains steady at No. 2. The Knights won the EMU Royals Tournament with 3-0 wins over Trine, Randolph-Macon, and Eastern Mennonite.
Match leaders vs. EMU:
Next up: In Pennsylvania for the Lancaster Bible Tri-Match on March 1 vs. Eastern and Lancaster Bible
When and Watch: 1 p.m. ET and 3 p.m. ET streaming TBD
The Ducks are back to No. 3 after most recently earning a 3-1 win over Baruch on Feb. 20.
Match leaders vs. Baruch:
Next up: Stevens begins MAC play vs. Misericordia on Feb. 28.
Where and when: 7 p.m. ET vs. Misericordia on DucksTV
For the first time this season, we welcome new No. 4 Springfield to the top five. At 11-2 entering this week, Springfield swept then-No. 3 Vassar to earn its spot in this week’s roundup.
Match leaders vs. Vassar:
Next up: Springfield will take on Elms at home on Wednesday ahead of a meeting with No. 3 Stevens on March 1
When and Watch: 6 p.m. ET on FloCollege
USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/Springfield
Springfield is coached by Charlie Sullivan who has been head coach for the Boys U19 National Team since 2021. In 2024 he coached the Boys U19 team that took gold at the NORCECA Continental Championship. Sullivan received USA Volleyball’s All-Time Great Coach award in 2015.
The Firebirds took a win in the first conference match of the season vs. Illinois Wesleyan on the road. Carthage is 11-2 and hasn’t lost since a Jan. 31 meeting with Stevens at the FrogJump Invitational.
Match leaders vs. Illinois Wesleyan:
Next up: Carthage will North Central (Ill.) on Feb. 27 at home.
When and Watch: 7 p.m. CT on YouTube
NTDP PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
As we near the end of February, the men’s college season and our roundup kick into high gear. Multiple top five matchups a week ago left us with some memorable matches and no change to the roundup order in the eyes of the AVCA across both divisions. This even after a an upset of No. 2 UCI by No. 3 UCLA threatens to shake up the roundup order next week.
There is no movement in the DI/II polls this week, but we are treated to a couple top five matchups at the DI/II level. Just outside the top five, Loyola Chicago moves up to No. 6 in the AVCA poll with a 10-0 record, ready to officially join the roundup should anyone falter. In Division III, Stevens moves back up a spot to No. 4 ahead of a meeting with No. 1 NYU. We also welcome Carthage to the top five as Juniata gets bounced down to No. 7.
Welcome to February where big matchups are on the horizon and a new team joins the top five. USC earns its eighth win and switches with BYU to make its first roundup appearance of 2025. Long Beach, UCI, UCLA and Hawaii all make up the rest of the top five with a marquee meeting coming up on Friday when Long Beach Hosts UCLA. In Division III, big changes to the rankings as NYU takes the top spot, Vassar replaces Stevens at No. 3, and Juniata jumps up to No. 4.
