Sunday, 22 Dec 2024

Men’s College Roundup for Feb. 3

The first college roundup of February takes a closer look at some of the top teams in the country. Every week, we’ll highlight a few key matchups and also shed light on athletes who are part of the USA Volleyball National Team Development Program.

NCAA Division I/II

No. 1 Hawaii

Hawaii remains undefeated at 7-0 after a successful road trip against Queens, Belmont Abbey, and Barton. They recorded sweeps in all their matches.

Match Leaders vs. Barton:

  • Kills: Alaka’i Todd (13)
  • Digs: Brett Sheward (9)

Next Up: Hawaii will be traveling to Stanford for two matches against the Cardinal this weekend.

No. 2 UCLA

UCLA has also had a phenomenal start to the season, currently boasting an 8-0 record. Their most recent victory came against George Mason.

Match Leaders vs. GMU:

  • Kills: Zach Rama (10)
  • Blocks: Guy Genis (8)

Next Up: UCLA is set to face Ohio State this weekend.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/UCLA Players:

Andrew Rowan, who had a notable performance against GMU with 27 assists and two digs, was part of the 2022 U21 National Team. He has been recognized as the MVP, Best Setter, Best Server, and won gold at the Pan American Cup.

Grant Sloane, who contributed one kill against GMU, has represented the 2022 Men’s Collegiate National Team and the 2021 U.S. Men’s National Team, earning a bronze medal at the Pan Am Cup Final Six.

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Miles Partain, who had two assists and one block against GMU, is a member of the U.S. Beach National Team. He and his partner, Andy Benesh, secured gold at the 2022 FIVB Beach Pro Tour Dubai Challenge No. 1.

No. 3 Long Beach State

Long Beach State continues to impress with a perfect 5-0 record after defeating No. 4 Penn State with a 3-1 victory.

Match Leaders vs. Penn State:

  • Kills: Clarke Godbold (17)
  • Blocks: Simon Torwie (8)

Next Up: Long Beach State will be playing against Loyola Chicago at home.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/LBSU Players:

Mason Briggs, who contributed nine digs in the match against Penn State, was a part of the 2022 U.S. Men’s National Team and played in the FIVB World Championship, where the team finished sixth.

Clarke Godbold, who recorded an impressive 17 kills against Penn State, has been selected twice for the U.S. Men’s U21 National Training Team. He also participated in the FIVB U19 World Championship in 2019.

No. 4 Penn State

Penn State suffered their first loss of the season against Long Beach State, leaving them with a 6-1 record.

Match Leaders vs. Long Beach State:

  • Kills: John Kerr (17)
  • Digs: Ryan Merk (9)

Next Up: Penn State will be hosting USC at home.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/PSU Players:

Brett Wildman, who contributed seven kills and seven digs in the match against Long Beach State, was a member of the 2022 U.S. Men’s National Team. He won a bronze medal at both the Pan Am Cup and the Pan Am Cup Final Six.

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No. 5 Pepperdine

Pepperdine has been performing exceptionally well with an 8-1 record. Their recent victory came against UC Santa Barbara.

Match Leaders vs. UC Santa Barbara:

  • Kills: Jaylen Jasper (17)
  • Digs: Bryce Dvorak (7)

Next Up: Pepperdine will be facing UC Santa Barbara on Friday night.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/PU Players:

Jaylen Jasper, who contributed 11 kills, two blocks, and two digs in the previous game, is a three-time member of the U.S. Men’s Collegiate National Team. He was also part of the 2018 Men’s Junior National Team.

Bryce Dvorak, who leads the nation in assists per set with 11.34, was a member of the 2020 Men’s Junior National Training Team and the 2021 Men’s U21 National Training Team.

Jaylen Jasper
Image: Jaylen Jasper (Pepperdine Athletics/Morgan Davenport)

NCAA Division III

No. 1 Stevens

Stevens has improved their record to 9-1 after securing their sixth consecutive win against New Jersey City University.

Match Leaders vs. NJCU:

  • Kills: Percy Bickford (10)
  • Blocks: Connor Feulner

Next Up: Stevens will be participating in the New Paltz Tri-Match on Saturday.

No. 2 Juniata

Juniata remains undefeated at 7-0 after defeating Aurora College.

Match Leaders vs. Aurora:

  • Kills: Will Phelan (9)
  • Blocks: Kevin Duffy III (8)

Next Up: Juniata will be hosting three matches in the Juniata invitational this weekend.

No. 3 Messiah

Messiah also maintains an undefeated record of 6-0, with their most recent victory coming against Rutgers-Newark.

Match Leaders vs. Rutgers-Newark:

  • Kills: Mason Nissley (23)
  • Aces: Matt Knab (5)
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Next Up: Messiah will be participating in the Juniata Tournament matchups against Geneva and St. John Fisher on Saturday.

No. 4 Springfield

Springfield has a record of 5-1 after defeating SUNY New Paltz State.

Match Leaders vs. SUNY New Paltz State:

  • Kills: Jarrett Anderson (11)
  • Blocks: Dylan Mulvaney (4)

Next Up: Springfield will be playing against Rivier and SUNY Potsdam at home this weekend.

No. 5 Vassar

Vassar currently holds a 3-1 record after defeating St. Joseph’s Long Island.

Match Leaders vs. St. Joseph’s Long Island:

  • Kills: Adam Gulick (13)
  • Digs: Jacob Kim (8)

Next Up: Vassar will be hosting Misericordia on Saturday.

USA Volleyball National Team Development Program/Vassar Players:

Vaughn Ramsey, who contributed 11 kills, one ace, and one block in the previous game, was a member of the 2020 Men’s Beach Collegiate National Team.

FAQs

Q: What teams are currently leading in NCAA Division I/II?
A: The top teams in NCAA Division I/II include Hawaii, UCLA, Long Beach State, Penn State, and Pepperdine.

Q: Which teams are the front-runners in NCAA Division III?
A: The leading teams in NCAA Division III are Stevens, Juniata, Messiah, Springfield, and Vassar.

Summary

In this roundup, we covered the latest results and performances of top teams in NCAA Division I/II and Division III. Hawaii and UCLA continue to dominate their competition, while Long Beach State, Penn State, and Pepperdine showcase their skills on the court. In Division III, Stevens, Juniata, Messiah, Springfield, and Vassar prove their strength and talent. Stay tuned for more exciting matches and outstanding performances from these exceptional college volleyball teams.