Men's College Roundup for March 29

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 29, 2023) – This week, we welcome back Hawaii to the top spot in the Division I/II portion of the college roundup. Two wins over CSUN helped to reclaim the number one ranking, a position Hawaii has held for much of the season. New challenger UC Irvine has cracked the list and is vying for sole possession of the final spot. In Division III, Stevens maintains the top position and the remaining four teams are unchanged for yet another week. 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

Went undefeated in two matches with CSUN on the road and have not lost a set since the March 17 match loss to Long Beach State.

Match Leaders vs. CSUN (Sat.):

• Kills: Dimitrios Mouchlias (13)
• Blocks: Guilherme Voss (6) – No. 8 in the country in blocks per set (1.092)

Next Up: Hawaii will continue its final road trip of the regular season this weekend with two matches vs.  UCSB on Friday and Saturday

No. 2 UCLA

21-2 record on the year after picking up two wins against Stanford on March 17-18

Match leaders vs. SU (Sat.):

• Kills: David Ido (10) – No. 10 in the country in hitting percentage (.408)
• Digs: Ethan Champlin (6)

Next up: On the road to face GCU on March 31

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/UCLA players
Andrew Rowan had 27 assists, two aces and six digs vs. SU. He 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 six digs, three blocks and three aces and vs. SU. 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 six kills vs. SU. 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.  He is No. 2 in the country in hitting percentage (.498).

Alex Knight had six kills, three blocks and two assists vs. SU. Alex was a member of the 2021 Men’s U21 National training team and the 2020 Men’s Junior National Training Team.

No. 3 Penn State

18-3 record on the season, losing its third match of the season in the team’s most recent contest against Ohio State, 2-3

Match leaders vs. OSU:

• Kills: Cal Fisher (19)
• Digs: Cole Bogner (7)

Next up: Will travel to Cambridge, Mass., to take on Harvard for two matches, wrapping up the trip on April 1

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/PSU Players
Toby Ezeonu, who had 10 kills, four blocks and one dig vs. OSU, 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 (.505).

Brett Wildman, who had nine kills, three digs and two aces, 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 seven digs, three blocks and two aces, was a member of the 2021 Men’s Collegiate National Team. He is currently No. 6 in the country in assists per set (10.19).

No. 4 Long Beach State

14-3 on the season with two wins against USC in recent matches

Match Leaders vs. USC (Sat.):

• Kills: Sotiris Siapanis (15) – 7 in the country in aces per set (.550)
• Digs: Mason Briggs (10)

Next up: Will see UCSD for home and away matches this weekend beginning on Friday

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/LBSU Players
Mason Briggs, who had 10 digs, five assists and one block vs. USC (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. 5 in the country in digs per set (2.47).

Clarke Godbold had 15 kills, eight digs and three blocks vs. USC (Sat.). He’s 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. 5 in the country in blocks per set (1.133).

Shane Holdaway, who had four kills, three aces and two aces vs. USC (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.

Aidan Knipe had 36 assists and nine digs vs. USC (Sat.). Aidan 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. 5 (a) Grand Canyon

21-2 record on the season after most recently splitting two matches with Concordia last weekend

Match leaders vs. CUI (Sat.):

• Kills: Camden Gianni (11)
• Digs: Christian Janke (6)

Next up: GCU will be at home to see No. 2 UCLA for two matches this weekend.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Team Program/GCU players
Camden Gianni, who had 11 kills, six digs and four aces vs. CUI (Sat.), 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 nine kills and one dig vs. CUI (Sat.), was a member of the 2019 Boys Youth National Team that placed 15th at the FIVB U19 World Championship.

No. 5 (b) UC Irvine

14-6 record and on a four-match winning streak after two wins against UCSB on March 16-17

• Kills: Hilir Henno (13) – No. 1 in the country in aces per set (.941)
• Digs: Joe Karlous (11)

Next up: UCI will see CSUN for two matches this Friday and Saturday home and away

USA Volleyball National Team Development Team Program/UCI players
Francesco Sani, who had 10 kills, seven digs, and two blocks vs. UCSB (Sat.), was a member of the 2022 Men’s National Team and won bronze at the Pan American Cup.

Cole Gillis had five kills, two digs, and one ace vs. UCSB (Sat.). 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.

NCAA Division III

No. 1 Stevens

26-2 record after a 3-0 win over MIT on March 23

Match leaders vs. MIT:

• Kills: Koby Sherman (6)
• Blocks: Connor Feulner (6)

Next up: Will travel to take on Eastern University on Saturday

No. 2 Vassar

Now at 17-1 after defeating NYU on Saturday

Match leaders vs. NYU:

• Kills: Andrew Kim (9)
• Digs: Jorge Adames Reyes (7)

Next up: Will continue the road trip with a match against No. 4 Springfield on Friday night

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

No. 3 Juniata

22-2 record after most recently defeating Randolph-Macon 3-1 on Saturday

Match leaders vs. RM:

• Kills: Tyler Goldsborough (14)
• Blocks: Kevin Duffy III (6)

Next up: Return home to host Elizabethtown on Wednesday night

No. 4 Springfield

Still with an 21-2 overall for the season with a most recent win vs. Elms on March 28

Match leaders vs. SUNY NP:

• Kills: Talon Kohler (11)
• Digs: Paolo Mondini (9)

Next up: Will face No. 2 Vassar on Friday night

No. 5 Messiah

20-2 on the season after a most recent victory over Misericordia on Saturday

Match leaders vs. MU:

• Kills: Mason Nissley (14)
• Digs: Owen Hanzelman (9)

Next up: At home to face Arcadia on Wednesday night

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.

3/25 vs. Lindenwood (W 3-0): 8 kills, 6 digs, 3 blocks

• Trent Moser – BYU

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

3/25 vs. Pepperdine (W 3-2): 14 kills, 6 digs, 2 aces

• Heath Hughes – BYU

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

3/25 vs. Pepperdine (W 3-2): 46 assists, 5 digs

• Jacob Pasteur – Ohio State

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

3/25 vs. Quincy (W 3-0): 10 kills, 4 aces, 3 digs

• Nyherowo Omene – Princeton

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

3/25 vs. Loyola at George Mason (W 3-1): 7 kills, 4 blocks, 4 digs

• 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 (5.03).

3/25 vs. BYU (L 2-3): 15 kills, 6 blocks, 1 dig

• Nathan Lietzke – Stanford

Nathan was a member of the 2021 Men’s Collegiate National Team and the 2021 Men’s National Team that won bronze at the Pan American Cup.

3/18 vs. UCLA (L 0-3): 23 assists, 4 digs, 1 block