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Parker Tomkinson hits (Aaron Wilson/USC Athletics)
Parker Tomkinson hits (Aaron Wilson/USC Athletics)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 13, 2025) – It’s the same top five in DI/II as all the top teams we’ve been following closely remain locked in position for another week’s slate of matches. In DIII, Stevens slides out of the top five, replaced by Juniata.

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)

NCAA Division I/II

No. 1 Long Beach State

Long Beach continues to win and is ready for another match with CSUN, this time at home. The Beach defeated CSUN 3-0 back on March 5 and hosted Sacred Heart last Friday before this week’s CSUN rematch.

Match leaders vs. Sacred Heart:

  • Kills: Skyler Varga (12)
  • Aces: Alex Kandev (5)

Next up: Long Beach will face CSUN at home March 14.
When and Watch: vs. CSUN 7 p.m. PT on ESPN+

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/LBSU Players

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. He had five kills and three blocks vs. Sacred Heart.

Nato Dickinson was a member of the Beach Collegiate National Team in 2024 and 2023 and competed at the 2024 Beach World University Championship. 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 assist and one ace vs. Sacred Heart

Isaiah Preuitt was on the 2023 U19 National Team that took gold at the NORCECA U19 Pan Am Cup. He had one kill and one block vs. Sacred Heart.

Sebastian Rodriguez was a member of the 2023 Beach U23 National Team and the 2023 Beach Collegiate National Team. He had six digs vs. Sacred Heart.

Long Beach has six 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.  Ford Harman was a member of the 2023 Beach U19 National Team. Island Doty was a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team. Chris Connelly was on the U21 National Team in 2023 and 2022 and the U19 National Team in 2021 and 2020. 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. 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.

No. 2 UCLA

UCLA swept Stanford in two meetings last week at Pauley Pavilion. Freshman setter Trent Taliaferro filled in for Andrew Rowan (illness) in the first match, and the two split time in the second match. Cooper Robinson tallied 15 kills in both matches, earning AVCA Player of the Week honors. The Bruins will face Vanguard for two matches this weekend before another tough stretch to the schedule that includes Pepperdine, GCU, BYU and USC to close out the regular season.

Match leaders vs. Stanford (March 7):

  • Kills: Cooper Robinson (15)
  • Blocks: Aces: Zach Rama (3)

Next up: vs. Vanguard March 13 and 15
When and Watch: 7 p.m. PT March 13 and 5 p.m. PT March 15 on B1G+

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 14 assists, one ace, one dig and one block vs. Stanford (March 7).

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, seven blocks and two digs vs. Stanford (March 7). Robinson is this week’s AVCA Player of the Week.

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 seven kills, three aces and two blocks vs. Stanford (March 7).

Cameron Thorne was a member of the 2024 Collegiate National Team. He had five kills, one ace and seven blocks vs. Stanford (March 7).

Sean McQuiggan was a member of the 2024 Collegiate National Team. He had three blocks and one dig vs. Stanford (March 7).

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. He had one kill, 14 assists, five digs and four blocks vs. Stanford (March 7).

UCLA has three 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. Kahale Clini was a member of the 2023 Boys U19 NORCECA Continental Championship Team. Sean Kelly was on the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the NORCECA Continental Championship. He was also a member of the U19 Boys teams that won gold at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup in 2023 and 2022.

No. 3 Hawaii

Its Outrigger weekend for the Rainbow Warriors. The 29th annual edition of the invitational will bring in Ball State, Penn State and No. 5 USC to face the 17-1 Hawaii squad who most recently won two matches vs. Lindenwood.

Match leaders vs. Lindenwood (March 7):

  • Kills: Kristian Titriyski (19) – No. 6 in the nation in kills per set (4.23)
  • Digs: ‘Elu Choy (8)

Next up: Hawaii’s first match of the Outrigger Invitational will be vs. Ball State March 13.
When and Watch: 7:00 p.m. HT 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 37 assists, one ace, three blocks and six digs vs. Lindenwood (March 7). He is No. 3 in the nation in assists per set (10.89).

Justin Todd was a member of the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team. He had four kills, three blocks and two digs vs. Lindenwood (March 7).

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. He had seven kills, one block and one dig vs. Lindenwood (March 7).

Kainoa Wade was a member of the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team. He had five kills and two digs vs. Lindenwood (March 5).

No. 4 UC Irvine

UCI has taken back-to-back wins vs. Pepperdine and Sacred Heart to get back on track after previously losing four straight matches to UCLA and Hawaii. The Anteaters have earned some rest as they will not play again until March 21 vs. Daemen.

Match leaders vs. Sacred Heart (March 8):

  • Kills: Nolan Flexen (11)
  • Digs: William D’Arcy (10)

Next up: UCI faces Daemen March 21.
When and Watch: 3 p.m. PT streaming TBD

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 11 kills, one assist, two aces, five blocks and one dig vs. Sacred Heart (March 8).

No. 5 USC

The Trojans are participants in the 2025 Outrigger Invitational following two wins over No. 6 BYU last week. It was USC’s first 3-0 sweep of BYU on the road since 1991, and the Trojans have the program’s best start in league play since 2015.

Match leaders vs. BYU (March 8):

  • Kills: Dillon Klein (17)
  • Blocks: Guy Genis (6)

Next up: USC faces Penn State on Thursday, Ball State Friday, and No. 3 Hawaii on Saturday at Outrigger
When and Watch: 7 p.m. March 13, 7 p.m. March 14, and 10 p.m. March 15

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 one kill, 37 assists, three blocks and four digs vs. BYU (March 8). He is No. 1 in the nation in assists per set (11.35).

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 nine kills, one assist, one ace, two blocks and five digs vs. BYU (March 8).

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 seven kills, one assist, two blocks and three digs vs. BYU (March 8).

Dillon Klein was a member of the 2024 Men’s Collegiate National Team and the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team. He had 17 kills, two assists, three blocks and three digs vs. BYU (March 8). He is No. 7 in the nation in kills per set (4.16).

Markus Olsson was a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team.

Dylan Mulvaney (Ella Travaglino/Springfield Athletics)
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NCAA Division III

No. 1 NYU

All 30 votes go to NYU this week. The Violets are now 18-0 with another 3-0 win at New Paltz on March 12 and a month to go until the UVC championship.

Match leaders vs. New Paltz:

  • Kills: Emerson Evans (12)
  • Digs: Devyn Nguyen (12)

Next up: NYU will travel to Stevens March 15.
When and Watch: 4p.m. ET on DucksTV

No. 2 Southern Virginia

Southern Virginia has tallied 17 wins ahead of this week’s meeting with new No. 5 Juniata. The Knights continued to roll with another 3-0 win vs. St. Andrews at home last weekend.

Match leaders vs. Marymount:

  • Kills: Brady Distrup (6)
  • Digs: Isaac Carrillo (3)

Next up: @ No. 5 Juniata March 14
When and Watch: 7 p.m. ET on FloSports

No. 3 Springfield

Springfield earned another sweep on the road vs. MIT, hitting a season-high .548 and pushing the team to a 17-2 record on the season. They will return home for a Friday match vs. Russell Sage next on the calendar.

Match leaders vs. MIT:

  • Kills: Sam Levinson  (12)
  • Aces: Giancarlo Carrion (4)

Next up: Springfield hosts Russell Sage March 14.
When and Watch:6 p.m. ET on FloSports

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.

No. 4 Carthage

The Firebirds remain at No. 4 after another 3-0 conference victory on the road vs. Augustana (IL) on March 8. They have a couple road matches on the schedule before the next home match on March 22 vs. Loras.

Match leaders vs. Augustana (IL):

  • Kills: Owen Otto (14)
  • Aces: Ben Heise (3)

Next up: Carthage is back in action vs. Aurora on March 15
When and Watch: 2 p.m. CT on Boxcast

No. 5 Juniata

Juniata makes a return to the top five with a most recent win vs. Penn St.-Altoona, bumping Stevens from the roundup in the process. The Eagles have not lost a set in the month of March and are preparing for a top five showdown vs. No. 2 Southern Virginia as their next opponent.

Match leaders vs. Penn St.-Altoona:

  • Kills: Tyler Phillips (8)
  • Digs: Octavian Sperry (10)

Next up: Juniata faces Southern Virginia March 14 at home 
Where and when: 7 p.m. ET on FloSports

2024 Men's U21 National Team
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NTDP PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

    • Henry Wedbush – Princeton
      Henry was a member of the 2024 and 2023 Men’s Collegiate National Team.
      3/12 @ CSUN (L 1-3): 2 kills, 45 assists, 9 digs
    • Nyherowo Omene – Princeton
      Nyherowo was on the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that took gold at the U21 NORCECA Continental Championship, 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.  He is No. 8 in the nation in kills per set (4.15).
      3/12 @ CSUN (L 1-3): 26 kills, 3 blocks, 6 digs
    • Roan Alviar – Princeton
      Roan was a member of the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that won gold at the U21 NORCECA Continental Championship and was also on the 2023 Boys U19 National Team.
      3/12 @ CSUN (L 1-3): 3 assists, 4 digs
    • Ryan Merk – Penn State
      Ryan was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took silver at the Pan Am Cup.
      3/9 at GCU (L 0-3): 2 assists, 8 digs
    • Gaige Gabriel – Penn State
      Gaige was on the 2023 Boys U19 National Team that won gold at the 2023 NORCECA U19 Pan Am Cup.
      3/9 at GCU (L 0-3): 4 kills, 7 blocks
    • Owen Rose – Penn State
      Owen was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took silver at the Pan Am Cup.
      3/9 at GCU (L 0-3): 4 kills, 3 blocks, 8 digs
    • Luke Benson – BYU
      Luke was a member of the 2024 Collegiate National Team.
      3/8 vs. USC (L 0-3): 18 kills,  1 ace, 1 block, 4 digs
    • Shane Wetzel – Ohio State
      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.
      3/8 @ NJIT (W 3-0): 9 kills, 2 aces, 2 blocks 7 digs
    • Kyle Teune – Ohio State
      Kyle was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that earned silver at the 2023 Pan Am Cup and the 2022 Pan Am Cup team that took home gold
      3/8 @ NJIT (W 3-0): 12 kills, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 7 digs
    • Patrick Rogers – Ball State
      Patrick was on the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that took gold at the U21 NORCECA Continental Championship. He was also a member of the 2024 Beach Collegiate National Team and competed at the 2024 Beach World University Championship.
      3/7 vs. Loyola Chicago (L 1-3): 12 kills, 3 digs
    • Parker Van Buren – Loyola Chicago
      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. He is No. 2 in the nation in kills per set (4.36) and tied for No. 10 in aces per set (.527).
      2/27 vs. Lewis (L 1-3): 21 kills, 2 aces, 1 block, 10 digs
    • Nicodemus Meyer – Loyola Chicago
      Nicodemus was a member of the 2024 Men’s Collegiate National Team and the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team.
      3/8 @ Ball State (W 3-1): 3 kills, 2 blocks, 1 dig
    • Bryce Dvorak – UCSD
      Bryce was a member of the 2024 and 2023 NORCECA Final Six teams that earned gold medals
      3/10 vs. Princeton (W 3-1): 38 assists, 2 aces, 6 digs
    • Gabe Dyer – Pepperdine
      Gabe was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took silver at the Pan Am Cup
      3/7 at UCI (L 0-3): 2 kills, 11 assists, 2 digs
    •  Cole Hartke – Pepperdine
      Cole was a member of the 2024 Men’s U21 National Team that took gold at the U21 NORCECA Continental Championship.
      3/7 at UCI (L 0-3): 4 kills, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 dig
    • Trent Moser – GCU
      Trent was on the 2024 Men’s Collegiate National Team, 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.
      3/9 vs. Penn State (W 3-0): 13 kills, 5 digs, 2 assists, 2 blocks
    • Theo Snoey– Stanford
      Theo was  a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team.
      3/7 @ UCLA (L 1-3): 9 kills, 1 ace, 3 digs, 2 blocks

Stories

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Chaz Galloway and members of the 2023 Men's Collegiate National Team
Chaz Galloway and members of the 2023 Men's Collegiate National Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 15, 2024) – Major changes hit the college roundup as we finish off the second full week of March. Down goes former No. 1 GCU, who had its undefeated streak snapped with two ranked losses in the Outrigger Invitational. No. 5 UC Irvine defeated GCU in five sets, and former No. 3 Hawaii did it in three. This result moves the Rainbow Warriors up to the No. 1 slot in this week’s rankings. No change for UCI, who now looks up at No. 4 GCU. No. 1 Hawaii will play No. 2 Long Beach State this weekend for two matches that highlight the mid-March matchups.

In DIII, we have the roundup’s first tie. It was too close to call this week for the AVCA when comparing Stevens (22-1) and Southern Virginia (20-0), so the two schools share the No. 2 spot. This means we welcome back Cal Lutheran to the top-5 in the final spot as Springfield is bumped down to No. 7.

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)

NCAA Division I/II

No. 1 Hawaii

Hawaii went 3-0 at the Outrigger invitational with wins over Lewis, then No. 1 GCU and No. 5 UC Irvine. This moved Hawaii to 17-1 on the season. The tournament success was thanks in large part to outside hitter Spyros Chakas, who averaged 4.18 kills per set, 1.64 digs per set, and had a career best .737 hitting percentage vs. Lewis. Spyros was named this week’s AVCA Player of the Week for DI/II and was also named Most Outstanding Player at the tourney. However, it came at a cost as Hawaii Head Coach Charlie Wade confirmed after the match that Spyros will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. Hawaii went five sets with Irvine in the final match of the tournament on Sunday.

Match leaders vs. UCI:

  • Kills: Spyros Chakas (17) – AVCA Player of the Week, No. 3 in the nation in hitting percentage (.417), No. 5 in kills per set (4.15).
  • Blocks: Kurt Nusterer (9)

Next up: Hawaii continues top-ranked play with two matches on the road against No. 2 Long Beach State on Friday and Saturday.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/Hawaii Players

Tread Rosenthal had 41 assists, four kills, seven blocks and four digs vs. UCI. 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. He is No. 9 in the country in assists per set (9.89) and No. 7 in aces per set (.536).

Chaz Galloway had two kills, two blocks and one dig vs. UCI. 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.

No. 2 Long Beach State

Long Beach State earned eight first-place votes but remains No. 2 this week. The Beach is 16-1 after defeating UC Santa Barbara on March 8 (3-1) and March 9 (3-2). The Saturday match was the first of the season for Long Beach that went five sets, and it featured 17 lead changes over three hours.

Match leaders vs. UCSB (Sat.):

  • Kills: Skyler Varga (19)
  • Digs: Mason Briggs (17)

Next up: Long Beach will take on No. 1 Hawaii this weekend.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/LBSU Players

Mason Briggs, who had 17 digs and four assists vs. UCSB (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 is No. 7 in the nation in digs per set (2.52).

Clarke Godbold, wo had 10 kills, three blocks and one dig vs. UCSB (Sat.), 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.

Sebastian Rodriguez was a member of the 2023 Beach U23 National Team and the 2023 Beach Collegiate National Team.

Ben Braun 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 was a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that competed at the FIVB World Championships.

Aiden Knipe had 52 assists, 11 digs and four blocks vs. UCSB (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.

No. 3 UCLA

UCLA defeated Penn State 3-2 and Ohio State 3-0 last weekend in the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge. The team hit .429 in straight sets vs. the No. 8 Buckeyes. No. 3 UCLA is now 16-4 on the year.

Match leaders vs. OSU:

  • Kills: Ethan Champlin (10)
  • Digs: Matthew Aziz (5)

Next up: UCLA is off until March 29 when they face No. 6 Stanford at home for two matches that weekend.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/UCLA players:

Andrew Rowan 21 assists, one kill, one dig and two blocks vs. Ohio State. 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. 5 in the country in assists per set (10.23).

Ethan Champlin had 10 kills, two aces and four digs vs. Ohio State. He was named MPSF Offensive Player of the Week after his performance over the weekend. Ethan 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 bronze at the Pan American Cup Final Six.

Micah Wong Diallo was a member of the Men’s U21 National Team that took silver at the 2023 U21 Pan American Cup.

Alex Knight was a member of the 2021 Men’s U21 National training team and the 2020 Men’s Junior National Training Team.

Merrick McHenry had one kill, two aces, three blocks and two digs vs. OSU. 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.

Zach Rama was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took silver at the 2023 U21 Pan American Cup.

No. 4 Grand Canyon

It’s a three-slot drop for GCU after the program’s undefeated streak and first-ever run at the top of the AVCA polls came to an end. The Lopes are still in the top-five after dropping two matches in the Outrigger Invitational to No. 5 UC Irvine (3-2) and then No. 3 Hawaii (3-0). They did rebound with a 3-2 win over Lewis to finish off the tournament.

Match leaders vs. Lewis:

  • Kills: Jarrett Anderson (14)
  • Digs: Cooper Herndon (15)

Next up: GCU will face NJIT this weekend for two matches at home.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Team Program/Grand Canyon players

Camden Gianni, who had eight kills and one ace vs. Lewis, 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 (.627).

Jackson Hickman, who had 13 kills, one ace, four blocks and six digs vs. Lewis, was on the 2023 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team and the 2023 Men’s Collegiate National Team.

Rico Wardlow, who had 10 kills, three blocks and four digs vs. Lewis, was on the 2023 Men’s Collegiate National Team.

Nicholas Slight had 49 assists, one kill, five blocks and 10 digs vs. Lewis. Nicholas was on the 2023 Men’s Collegiate National Team. He is No. 2 in the country in assists per set (10.60). Slight earned MPSF Offensive Player of the Week the week of March 4 for his performance in two wins over No. 6 Stanford.

No. 5 UC Irvine

UC Irvine went 1-2 over the course of the weekend at the Outrigger Invitational, with that one win being the big one over GCU. UCI put a stop to the two-match skid with a victory over UCSB on Wednesday 3-0.

Match leaders vs. UCSB (Wed.):

  • Kills: Hilir Henno (10) – No. 1 in the country in kills per set (4.70), No. 7 in the country in hitting percentage (.404)
  • Digs: Brett Sheward (7)

Next up: UCI travels to face UCSB again on Friday night.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Team Program/UCI players

Cole Power, who had two assists and five digs vs. UCSB (Wed.), was a member of the 2023 Collegiate National Team. He was also a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team that took bronze at the Pan Am Cup.

Akhil Tangutur had three kills, three blokcs and five digs vs. UCSB (Wed.). Akhil was on the 2022 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team as well as the 2019 Boys Youth National Training Team and the 2018 Boys Youth National Team that took silver at the NORCECA Continental Championship.

NCAA Division III

No. 1 Wentworth

Wentworth is now a perfect 20-0 on the season after recent road wins over UC Santa Cruz (3-0) and Regis (3-0). Jacob LaBouliere earned his second AVCA Player of the Week honors for his performances in matches from March 4-10 where he averaged just under 12 kills per match.

Match leaders vs. Regis:

  • Kills: Jacob LaBouliere (9) – AVCA Player of the Week
  • Digs: Jacob Waga (13)

Next up: Wentworth will return home to face NYU this Sunday and Emmanuel next Thursday.

T-No. 2 Stevens

The Ducks went 2-0 in the Stevens Tri-Match, defeating Stevenson 3-1 and Lasell 3-0. The wins keep Stevens’ 19 game winning streak intact and improves the program to 12-1 all-time vs. Stevens and 5-0 all-time vs. Lasell.

Match leaders vs. Lasell:

  • Kills: Koby Sherman (14)
  • Digs: Phu-Quy Ho (5)

Next up: Stevens is back in action on Friday on the road vs. Arcadia, followed by a match on March 16 vs. Widener.

T-No. 2 Southern Virginia

Southern Virginia is 20-0 on the year and splits the No. 2 vote this week with Stevens. The Knights took a one-match break from CVC conference play the rest of the season to host Lancaster Bible in a 3-0 win.

Match leaders vs. LBC:

  • Kills: Christian Sheaffer (9)
  • Digs: Tyler Sheaffer (4)

Next up: The Knights return to conference play with a home match vs. Juniata on March 22.

No. 4 Loras

The Duhawks are now 18-0 after most recently defeating Augustana (Ill.) 3-0 on March 13.

Match leaders vs. AC:

  • Kills: Corey Mayotte (14)
  • Digs: Brady Oberfoell (9)

Next up: Loras is off until March 20 when they will face Illinois Wesleyan at home.

No. 5 Cal Lutheran

The Kingsmen went 5-1 during the Cal Lu Fornia Invitational, giving the team a 20-5 record entering the home stretch of games. The team’s only loss was 3-1 to No. 1 Wentworth, and they finished off the tournament with a 3-0 win over Marymount.

Match leaders vs. Marymount:

  • Kills: Jordan Cooper (15)
  • Blocks: Taylor Marks (9)

Next up: Cal Lutheran has two more matches left and will next play at UC Santa Cruz on April 6.

Parker Van Buren with the 2023 Men's Collegiate National Team
Parker Van Buren (Loyola Chicago) with the 2023 Men’s Collegiate National Team.

NTDP PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

  •  Kupono Browne – BYU

Kupono was on the 2023 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team.

3/9 vs. Stanford (L 3-0) 4 kills, 6 digs, 2 blocks, 2 assists

 

  • Nyherowo Omene – Princeton

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.

3/11 @ Loyola Chicago (L 3-1) 14 kills, 1 ace, 2 blocks, 4 assists, 5 digs

 

  • Ryan Merk – Penn State

Ryan was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took silver at the Pan Am Cup.

3/8 vs. UCLA (L 3-2) 6 digs, 2 assists

 

  • Owen Rose – Penn State

Owen was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that took silver at the Pan Am Cup.

3/8 vs. UCLA (L 2-3) 6 kills, 2 blocks, 1 dig

 

  •  Toby Ezeonu – Penn State

Toby was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team that earned bronze in the Pan American Cup. He is No. 1 in the country in hitting percentage (.502).

3/8 vs. UCLA (L 3-2) 6 kills, 2 aces, 1 block, 3 digs

 

  • Caleb Blanchette – USC

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.

3/14 @ Pepperdine (L 3-1) 44 assists, 13 digs, 1 block

 

  • Kyle Paulson – USC

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. 7 in the nation in blocks per set (1.103).

3/14 @ Pepperdine (L 3-1) 6 kills, 4 blocks, 2 digs

 

  • Dillon Klein – USC

Dillon was a member of the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team.

3/14 @ Pepperdine (L 301) 19 kills, 2 blocks, 3 digs, 1 ace

 

  • Jacob Pasteur – Ohio State

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. 2 in the country in aces per set (.654).

3/14 vs. Ball State (L 3-1) 11 kills, 8 digs, 3 assists, 3 blocks

 

  • Shane Wetzel  – Ohio State

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.

3/14 vs. Ball State (L 3-1) 22 kills, 6 digs, 2 blocks

 

  •  Kyle Teune  – Ohio State

Kyle was on the 2023 Men’s U21 National Team that earned silver at the 2023 Pan Am Cup and the 2022 Pan Am Cup team that took home gold

3/14 vs. Ball State (L 3-1) 10 kills, 1 ace, 7 digs

 

  • Parker Van Buren – Loyola Chicago

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. Parker is No. 7 in the nation in kills per set (4.0).

3/14 vs. Quincy (W 3-1) 18 kills, 1 assist, 1 ace 1 block, 1 dig

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Brett Wildman of Penn State passes as a member of team USA

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 17, 2023) – We have movement! Penn State and UCLA swap places for this week’s college roundup in the DI/II rankings. Meanwhile in the DIII section, newcomer Messiah enters the top five rankings for the first time this season. 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)

NCAA Division I/II

No. 1 Hawaii

The unbeaten streak was snapped by Penn State on March 10 in a 3-1 loss, but Hawaii was still able to rip off 16 wins before making a mark in the loss column. They now sit at 17-1 with a win over No. 3 UCLA on Saturday.

Match Leaders vs. UCLA:

  • Kills: Dimitrios Mouchlias (22) – No. 10 in the country in kills per set (3.94)
  • Blocks: Guilherme Voss (6)

Next Up: Will take on No. 4 Long Beach State for two games beginning this Friday

No. 2 Penn State

Went 2-1 in Hawaii for the Outrigger challenge, including a loss to No. 3 UCLA but also a win vs. No. 1 Hawaii. Pushed the overall record to 17-2 on the season with a win against Purdue Ft. Wayne to close out the trip

Match leaders vs. PFW:

  • Kills: Cal Fisher (15)
  • Digs: Ryan Merk (8)

Next up: Home to take on St. Francis on Saturday night

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/PSU Players
Toby Ezeonu, who had five kills, one dig and one block vs. PFW, was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team that earned bronze in the Pan American Cup.

Brett Wildman, who had four kills, three digs and one assist vs. PFW, was a member of the 2022 U.S. Men’s National Team, winning bronze at the Pan Am Cup and the Pan Am Cup Final Six.

Cole Bogner, who had 33 assists, five digs, one kill and one block vs. PFW, was a member of the 2021 Men’s Collegiate National Team.

Andrew Rowan of UCLA sets while on Team USA

No. 3 UCLA

19-2 record on the year, losing only the second game of the season to No. 1 Hawaii at the Outrigger Invitational

Match leaders vs. UH:

  • Kills: David Ido (21)
  • Digs: Alex Knight (7)

Next up: On the road to take on Stanford this weekend

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/UCLA players
Andrew Rowan had 53 assists, two aces, two blocks vs. UH. Andrew was part of the 2022 U21 National Team that won gold at the Pan American Cup. Andrew was named MVP, Best Setter and Best Server on the U21 Team.

Ethan Champlin had 10 kills, six blocks, and two aces and vs. UH. Ethan was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team that took home bronze at the Pan American Cup Final Six and the 2021 Men’s National Team that also earned bronze at the Pan American Cup.

Merrick McHenry had 11 kills, five blocks and one ace vs. UH. Merrick was on the 2022 Men’s National Team that took home bronze at the Pan American Cup and the Pan American Cup Final Six. He was also a member of the 2021 Men’s National Team that earned bronze at the Pan American Cup.

Alex Knight had seven digs and two kills vs. UH. Alex was a member of the 2021 Men’s U21 National training team and the 2020 Men’s Junior National Training Team.

No. 4 Long Beach State

11-2 on the season with most recent victories in two matches against UC Santa Barbara last week

Match Leaders vs. UCSB (Sat.):

  • Kills: Sotiris Siapanis (17) – 6th in the country in aces per set (.596)
  • Blocks: Simon Thorwie (8) – 1st in the country in blocks per set (1.702)

Next up: LBSU will travel to face No. 1 Hawaii for two games, with the first beginning on Friday night

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/LBSU Players
Mason Briggs, who had 13 digs and four assists vs. UCSB (Sat.), was 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. He is currently No. 4 in the country in digs per set (2.66).

Clarke Godbold, eight blocks and eight kills vs. UCSB (Sat.), has twice been named to the U.S. Men’s U21 National Training Team and competed at the FIVB U19 World Championship in 2019.  He is No. 3 in the country in blocks per set (1.234).

Shane Holdaway, who had five blocks vs. UCSB (Sat.), was on the 2021 Men’s Collegiate National Team and the 2021 Men’s National Team that earned bronze at the Pan American Cup.

No. 5 Grand Canyon

Sitting at 19-1 on the season and still undefeated at home with a most recent victory against Princeton on Wednesday

Match leaders vs. PU:

  • Kills: Camden Gianni (12)
  • Blocks: Rico Wardlow (4)

Next up: GCU will see Princeton once again at home on Friday

USA Volleyball National Team Development Team Program/GCU players

Camden Gianni, who had 12 kills, four digs and three aces vs. PU, was on the 2021 Men’s Collegiate National Team and the 2021 Men’s National Team, where he earned a fifth-place finish in the NORCECA Continental Cup.

Rico Wardlow, who had four blocks, three kills and two digs vs. PU, was a member of the 2019 Boys Youth National Team that placed 15th at the FIVB U19 World Championship.

NCAA Division III

No. 1 Stevens

22-2 record after most recently defeating NYU 3-1 last Wednesday

Match leaders vs. NYU:

  • Kills: Percy Bickford (15)
  • Digs: Philip Bone (10)

Next up: On the road to face Hood College on Friday

No. 2 Vassar

Now at 15-1 after defeating Elmira on March 4

Match leaders vs. EC:

  • Kills: Andrew Kim (13)
  • Digs: Jorge Adames Reyes (8)

Next up: Will take on Monroe at home on Friday night.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/Vassar Players
Vaughn Ramsey, who had eight kills, seven digs, and five blocks vs. Misericordia on 3/3, was a member of the 2020 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team.

No. 3 Juniata

17-2 record after defeating Arcadia on March 4

Match leaders vs. AU:

  • Kills: Kevin Duffy III (9)
  • Digs: Reese Ganter (8)

Next up: Juniata will play UC Santa Cruz in California on Friday.

No. 4 Springfield

18-2 overall for the season with a win against New Paltz on March 9

Match leaders vs. SUNY NP:

  • Kills: Jarrett Anderson (23)
  • Digs: Braden Gonzalez (11)

Next up: Will face SUNY Potsdam on March 25

No. 5 Messiah

16-2 on the season and a new addition to the top five after a most recent 3-0 win over Kings College (Pa.)

Match leaders vs. KCPa:

  • Kills: Mason Nissley (11)
  • Digs: Connor Stauffer (10)

Next up: Will travel to take on Widener on March 22

NTDP PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

  • Kaleb Jenness – Ball State

Kaleb was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team and won bronze at the Pan American Cup.

3/15 vs. Ohio State (W 3-0): 12 kills, 6 digs, 1 block

  • Trent Moser – BYU

Trent was on the 2022 Men’s U21 National Team.

3/11 vs. Ohio State (W 3-2): 11 kills, 7 digs

  • Heath Hughes – BYU

Heath was on the 2022 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team and played in the 2022 FISU Beach World University Championships.

3/11 vs. Ohio State (W 3-2): 5 assists, 1 dig

  • Jacob Pasteur – Ohio State

Jacob was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team and won bronze at the Pan American Cup.

3/15 vs. Ball State (L 3-0): 10 kills, 5 digs, 2 blocks

  • Nyherowo Omene – Princeton

Nyherowo was on the 2022 Men’s National Team and won bronze at the Pan American Cup.

3/15 vs. GCU (L 0-3): 6 kills, 1 ace, 1 block

  • Francesco Sani – UC Irvine

Francesco was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team and won bronze at the Pan American Cup.

3/11 vs. UCSD (W 3-0): 11 kills, 5 digs, 2 aces

  • Cole Gillis – UC Irvine

Cole was a member of the 2022 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team and played with the U.S. Men’s National Team in 2021, earning bronze at the Pan American Cup.

3/11 vs. UCSD (W 3-0): 4 blocks, 2 aces, 1 assist

  • Jaylen Jasper – Pepperdine

Jaylen is a three-time member of the U.S. Men’s Collegiate National Team and was on the 2018 Men’s Junior National Team. Jaylen earned AVCA Player of the Week honors for the week of Feb. 26. Currently No. 2 in the country in kills per set (5.06).

3/15 vs. Harvard (W 3-0): 19 kills, 2 digs, 1 block

Athletes mentioned in story

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Stevens players celebrate after a point (Mike McLaughlin Photography/Stevens Athletics)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 1, 2023) – Once again, this week’s college roundup sees no movement in the top five for the DI/II division as Hawaii remains the lone undefeated program. Meanwhile, the DIII division also sees no change from a week ago as the top five remain deadlocked with Stevens on top. 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)

NCAA Division I/II

No. 1 Hawaii

Undefeated and now at 13-0 after sweeping two matches with LIU last Wednesday and Friday, respectively

Match Leaders vs. LIU (Fri.):

  • Kills: Spyros Chakas (10)
  • Blocks: Cole Hogland (5) – No. 10 in the country in blocks per set (1.073)

Next Up: At home Wednesday to take on Pepperdine

No. 2 UCLA

15-1 record on the season after defeating UC Irvine 3-1 in two matches, home and away last weekend

Match leaders vs UCI (Sun.):

  • Kills: Merrick McHenry (15) – No. 5 in the country for hitting percentage (.470)
  • Digs: Ethan Champlin (8)

Next up: Home and away matches with Concordia beginning on Wednesday

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/UCLA players
Andrew Rowan had 43 assists and two blocks vs. UCI (Sun.). Andrew was part of the 2022 U21 National Team that won Gold at the Pan American Cup. Andrew was named MVP, Best Setter and Best Server on the U21 Team.

Ethan Champlin had nine kills, eight digs and two blocks vs. UCI (Sun.). Ethan was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team that took home bronze at the Pan American Cup Final Six and the 2021 Men’s National Team that also earned bronze at the Pan American Cup.

Merrick McHenry had 15 kills, seven blocks and one ace in the win against UCI (Sun.). Merrick was on the 2022 Men’s National Team that took home bronze at the Pan American Cup and the Pan American Cup Final Six. He was also a member of the 2021 Men’s National Team that earned bronze at the Pan American Cup.

No. 3 Penn State

13-1 on the season with a sweep over NJIT on the road to remain undefeated in EIVA play

Match leaders vs. NJIT (Sat.):

  • Kills: Toby Ezeonu (14) – No. 1 in the country in hitting percentage (.506)
  • Digs: Ryan Merk (6)

Next up: On the road to close out February with matches against Concordia and UCI this weekend

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/PSU Players
Toby Ezeonu, who had 14 kills and four blocks vs. NJIT (Sat.), was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team that earned bronze in the Pan American Cup.

Brett Wildman, who had five kills, three digs and one assist vs. NJIT (Sat.), was a member of the 2022 U.S. Men’s National Team, winning bronze at the Pan Am Cup and the Pan Am Cup Final Six.

No. 4 Long Beach State

Remain at 8-2 after last defeating NJIT 3-0 on Feb. 18

Match Leaders vs. NJIT (2/18):

  • Kills: Shane Holdaway (8)
  • Blocks: Simon Thorwie (7) – 1 in the country in blocks per set (1.735)

Next up: LBSU will return to action on March 3 at home when they take on Ball State.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/LBSU Players
Mason Briggs, who had five digs and four assists vs. NJIT (2/18), was 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. He is currently No. 5 in the country in digs per set (2.59).

Clarke Godbold, who had seven kills and four digs vs NJIT (2/18), has twice been named to the U.S. Men’s U21 National Training Team and competed at the FIVB U19 World Championship in 2019.  He is No. 4 in the country in blocks per set (1.235).

Shane Holdaway, who had eight kills and three blocks vs. NJIT (2/18), was on the 2021 Men’s Collegiate National Team and the 2021 Men’s National Team that earned bronze at the Pan American Cup.

No. 5 Grand Canyon

Suffered first loss of the season to drop to 14-1, but remain in the top five after losing the second of two matches to Pepperdine by a score of 3-2 last Friday

Match leaders vs. PEP (Fri.):

  • Kills: Camden Gianni (14)
  • Blocks: Christian Janke (6)

Next up: Home vs. BYU on Friday night.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Team Program/GCU players
Camden Gianni, who had 14 kills, five kills, five digs and one ace vs. PEP (Fri.), was on the 2021 Men’s Collegiate National Team and the 2021 Men’s National Team, where he earned a fifth-place finish in the NORCECA Continental Cup.

Rico Wardlow, who had six kills, two blocks and one ace vs. PEP (Fri.), was a member of the 2019 Boys Youth National Team that placed 15th at the FIVB U19 World Championship.

NCAA Division III

No. 1 Stevens

17-2 record after Stevens Tri Match #3 which included wins against Misericordia and Juniata

Match leaders vs. Juniata:

  • Kills: Koby Sherman (9)
  • Digs: Phu-Quy Ho (10)

Next up: On the road to face Wilkes University on Wednesday

Andrew Kim hits for Vassar (Stockton Photo, Inc.)

No. 2 Vassar

Now at 13-1 after defeating Nazareth on Saturday

Match leaders vs. NC:

  • Kills: Andrew Kim (13)
  • Digs: Jacob Kim (10)

Next up: Traveling to face Misericordia Friday night

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/Vassar Players
Vaughn Ramsey, who had nine kills and five digs vs. MIT on 2/18, was a member of the 2020 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team.

No. 3 Juniata

15-2 record after going 1-1 in the Stevens Tri-Match #3 last weekend

Match leaders vs. Stevens:

  • Kills: Tyler Goldsborough (14)
  • Digs: Tyler Goldsborough (6)

Next up: Juniata will host Roanoke on Friday

No. 4 Carthage

Now with a 9-3 record after beating Concordia University (Wis.) 3-0 last Thursday

Match leaders vs. Concordia:

  • Kills: Zach Bulthuis (7)
  • Digs: Mitch Geiger (7)

Next up: On the road for another match with North Park on Wednesday.

No. 5 Springfield

15-2 overall record after defeating Eastern Nazarene last week

Match leaders vs. EN:

  • Kills: Jarrett Anderson (13)
  • Digs: Evan Costley (7)

Next up: Home for another game against Eastern Nazarene on Wednesday

NTDP PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

  • Kaleb Jenness – Ball State

Kaleb was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team and won bronze at the Pan American Cup.

2/25 vs. Quincy University (W 3-0): 19 kills, 5 digs, 1 block

 

Trent was on the 2022 Men’s U21 National Team.

2/25 vs. CUI (W 3-2): 11 kills, 9 digs, 1 assist

 

Jacob was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team and won bronze at the Pan American Cup.

2/25 vs. Lindenwood (L 3-2): 25 kills, 17 digs, 3 assists

 

Nyherowo was on the 2022 Men’s National Team and won bronze at the Pan American Cup.

2/25 vs Harvard (W 3-1): 9 kills, 4 blocks, 4 digs

 

  • Francesco Sani – UC Irvine

Francesco was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team and won bronze at the Pan American Cup.

2/26 vs UCLA (L 3-1): 10 kills, 3 blocks, 1 ace

  • Cole Gillis – UC Irvine

Cole was a member of the 2022 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team and played with the U.S. Men’s National Team in 2021, earning bronze at the Pan American Cup.

2/26 vs UCLA (L 3-1): 12 kills, 4 digs, 2 aces

 

  • Jaylen Jasper – Pepperdine

Jaylen is a three-time member of the U.S. Men’s Collegiate National Team and was on the 2018 Men’s Junior National Team. Jaylen earned AVCA Player of the Week honors for the week of Feb. 26.

2/24 vs GCU (W 3-2): 23 kills, 3 digs, 2 blocks

Athletes mentioned in story

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