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.
