This yr’s VolleyballMag.com males’s school recruiting class rankings voting felt like a high-stakes horserace with the end result not decided till proper earlier than the end line.
In a photograph end, USC edged UC Santa Barbara and Hawai’i for the highest spot on this yr’s rankings, that are voted on solely by an elite panel of NCAA Division I-II males’s coaches. As all the time, the rankings bear in mind incoming freshmen, new worldwide gamers and transfers.
Including to the intrigue is that is the most important voting panel for these rankings in not less than a decade. And due to that, rating positions modified day by day with the top-five groups taking part in musical chairs at numerous factors as of us voiced various opinions on who must be ranked the place. One other method to have a look at it: All people bought their palms on tons of expertise on this class.
How shut was the polling? One voting level separated USC from Santa Barbara and two factors separated Santa Barbara from the Rainbow Warriors for the second spot.
All three colleges have a professional declare to the highest spot (extra on that in a second).
The unfold from USC to No. 4 Loyola Chicago was however 5 voting factors and the margin from USC to No. 5 Lengthy Seashore State was eight factors.
4 groups (USC, Hawai’i, UCSB and Lengthy Seashore State) acquired first-place votes with USC and Hawai’i tying for probably the most first-place ballots.
USC was the runner-up to UCLA final yr within the rankings and had latest excessive finishes of the No. 9 class in 2021 and the No. 3 class in 2017. The Trojans’ class is headlined by No. 1-ranked recruit Wes Smith.
Santa Barbara and long-time coach Rick McLaughlin completed ninth within the rankings in 2022, capturing all the best way as much as No. 2 this season, punctuated by the additions of No. 2 recruit George Bruening and No. 3 recruit Josh Aruya.
Nationwide runner-up Hawai’i has camped out within the high 10 of late with placements of tie-10 (2022), ninth (2020), eighth (2019) and seventh (2018). Charlie Wade’s crew loaded up with incoming freshmen, grad transfers and worldwide additions, plus information that SoCal youth standout Tread Rosenthal, from Mira Costa in Manhattan Seashore, reclassified to a 2023 graduate and turns into a part of this class.
Once more, every of USC, Santa Barbara and Hawai’i’ve a professional declare to the crown with USC sporting a difference-maker in Smith, the Gauchos boasting two of the top-five recruits within the nation and Hawai’i filling the gasoline tank in all phases to make one other run at an NCAA title.
Loyola Chicago, which in all probability had the least EKG-readout-look of the top-tier colleges within the rankings, checks in at No. 4 with eight of its 10 freshmen recruits showing on our 2023 Boys Fab 50 checklist.
No. 5 Lengthy Seashore State, like UCLA, has lived within the penthouse of those rankings for fairly a while now, taking the highest spot in 2020 and 2021, putting third in 2022 and 2019, and logging a fifth-place rating in 2017. This time, the Seashore properly spanned the gamut of transfers (Ohio State’s 6-11 Ben Braun), worldwide and true freshmen gamers.
UCLA, proprietor of final yr’s high recruiting class and the defending nationwide champion, checks in at No. 6. The Bruins additionally earned the highest spot in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and took second in 2020 and 2021.
Pepperdine clocks in at No. 7 for a second yr in a row, following up on sturdy placements of fifth in 2021, seventh in 2020, fourth in 2019 and third in 2018.
The remainder of this yr’s high 10 options UC Irvine at No. 8, Princeton at No. 9 and Ohio State at No. 10. Lewis and George Mason every missed the highest 10 by a single level and have sturdy instances for belonging in that grouping, primarily based on stable incoming U.S.-based freshmen courses. Penn State and Ball State additionally fared properly amongst voters and lead the honorable-mention listings.
1. USC Trojans
Who’s new: Wesley Smith, 6-10, MB, Contemporary., La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, California), Jack Ebertin 6-5, OH, Contemporary., Saint Francis, (Mountain View, California), Jakobi Lange, 6-4, OH, Contemporary., Hinsdale (Illinois) Central, Brad Pan, 5-8, Libero, Contemporary., Cupertino (California), Josh Friedman, 6-3, S, Switch, (College of Hawai’i, Orange Coast School)
Value noting: Smith is the No. 1 recruit within the nation primarily based on voting within the beforehand launched 2023 VolleyballMag.com Boys Fab 50 with one voter singling him out as the rationale for his or her excessive Trojan rating on this class.
Ebertin, Lange and Pan are additionally 2023 Fab 50 picks, whereas Friedman of Newport Seashore, California, and Corona del Mar Excessive Faculty, spent his sophomore yr at Hawai’i and beforehand helped Orange Coast to a California group school state group. He redshirted his 2021 season as a result of COVID shutdown.
2. UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Who’s new: George Bruening, 6-8, OH-RS, Contemporary., Corona del Mar (Newport Seashore, California), Josh Aruya, 6-8, MB, Contemporary., Mission Viejo (California), Alex Smits-Van Oyen, 6-5, S, Contemporary., Coronado (California), Joe Wallace, DS, Soph., Saint Francis (Mountain View, California)/Orange Coast School
Value noting: Bruening is the No. 2 recruit within the 2023 class, whereas Aruya was voted the No. 3 recruit. Smits-Van Oyen can be a Fab 50 choice, whereas Wallace, who identify dotted these screens throughout his highschool and membership careers, transferred in from Orange Coast School. “I imagine this 2023 recruiting class is our greatest ever,” UCSB coach Rick McLaughlin mentioned. “George Bruening, Josh Aruya and Alex Smits-Van Oyen are all very gifted and possibly on the high of their place so far as potential goes. Joe Wallace performed for an excellent Bay to Bay membership group a yr in the past and spent his first yr in school at Orange Coast gray-shirting. All 4 of those guys will make a right away impression and may have a robust shot at beginning.”
3. Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors
Who’s new: Aleksa Mandic, 6-5, OH-RS, Contemporary., Belgrade (Serbia) Faculty of Drugs, Kai Rodriguez, 6-4, OH, Contemporary., Moanalua (Honolulu, Hawai’i), Ryan Sears, 5-11, Libero, Contemporary., Redondo Union (Redondo Seashore, California), Justin Todd, 6-8, OH, Contemporary., Moanalua (Honolulu, Hawai’i), Zack Yewchuk, 6-7, RS, Contemporary., Moanalua (Honolulu, Hawai’i), Kevin Kauling, 6-8, S, Graduate, Lewis College, Oguzhan Oguz, 6-8, RS, Soph., College of Jamestown, Zachary Thompson, 6-4, MB-RS, Graduate, UC Santa Cruz, Tread Rosenthal, 6-8, S, Contemporary., Mira Costa (Manhattan Seashore, California)
Value noting: Rodriguez, Sears and Todd had been VolleyballMag.com Boys Fab 50 picks. Rodriguez (from Gilroy, California), Todd (from Houston, Texas) and Yewchuk (from Surrey, British Columbia) all performed for the Moanalua Excessive Faculty group in Honolulu final season. Along with a robust freshmen class, that features worldwide freshman Mandic from Serbia, Hawai’i provides grad transfers in Kauling (Lewis) and Thompson (UC Santa Cruz), plus inbound sophomore Oguz, who hails from Türkiye and performed for the Jimmies of the College of Jamestown (North Dakota) final season. The opposite key’s the addition of youth standout Rosenthal, who reclassified to grow to be a 2023 highschool graduate. He was on the 2023 VolleyballMag.com 25 underlcassmen to look at checklist. “If you have a look at the transfers (Kauling, Oguz and Thompson), the highschool all-People, Aleksa Mandic (captain of the Serbian U22 group who was first in serving and third in scoring on the CEV U22 qualifier this summer time) and Tread Rosenthal reclassifying to grow to be a 2023 graduate, it’s fairly a haul,” Hawai’i coach Charlie Wade mentioned. “There’s a lot to love about our incoming class. We added some high quality depth in the highschool all-People and Ryan Sears is an effective participant with nationwide group coaching expertise. Having to interchange participant of the yr Jakob Thelle, we herald two setters who would begin for lots of groups and are confirmed elite-level gamers in Tread Rosenthal and Kevin Kauling. Aleska Mandic goes to be an impressive participant for us and can contribute instantly. His serve alone will probably be among the many finest within the nation. And Oguzhan, after one yr within the U.S., is able to make the transfer to contribute on the Division I stage.”
4. Loyola-Chicago Ramblers
Who’s new: Lukas Anderson, 6-4, RS, Contemporary., Loyola (Los Angeles, California), Cole Everette, 6-7, MB, Contemporary., Nordhoff (Ojai, California), Daniel Fabikovic, 6-6, OH, Contemporary., Czech Republic, Tyler Howard, 6-4, OH, Contemporary., Canyon (Anaheim, California), Aidan Klein, 6-9, MB, Contemporary., Evanston (Illinois) Township, Charlie Ledford, 6-2, Libero, Contemporary., Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, California), Gavin O’Brien, 6-8, MB, Contemporary., Neuqua Valley (Naperville, Illinois), Liam Phinizy, 6-6, OH, Huntington Seashore (California), Jake Learn, 6-4, OH, Contemporary., Newport Harbor (Newport Seashore, California), Cole Schobel (6-1, S, Contemporary., Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California)
Value noting: So much to love right here with this Ramblers’ class that’s 10 gamers deep. Eight of the 9 U.S.-based freshmen gamers are 2023 VolleyballMag.com Boys Fab 50 picks, whereas Everette was an all-CIF Southern Part choice as a senior at Nordhoff Excessive Faculty in Ojai, California. Fabikovic helped the U18 Czech Republic nationwide group earn a silver medal on the European championships. “We addressed each place on our roster,” Loyola coach John Hawks mentioned. “I imagine we additionally added high-IQ winners together with the highest setter within the class (Schobel). On high of that, we added two terrific center blockers from Chicago and a global expertise from the Czech Republic in Daniel Fabikovic. This can be a very stable class.” Schobel was the No. 5-ranked recruit within the 2023 Boys Fab 50 rankings.
5. Lengthy Seashore State 49ers
Who’s new: Nate Baddeley, 6-5, OH, Contemporary., Los Alamitos (California), Lazar Bouchkov, 6-6, MB, Contemporary., Sofia (Bulgaria), Ty Carson, 6-4, OH, Contemporary., Aliso Niguel (Aliso Viejo, California), Danill Hershtynovich, 6-9, RS, Contemporary., Toronto (Canada), Aidan Powell, 6-2, OH, Contemporary., Fairmont Prep Academy (Anaheim, California), Sebastiano Sani, 6-8, OH, Contemporary., Walther Johnson (Bethesda, Maryland), Ben Braun, 6-11, MB, Soph., Switch, Ohio State
Value noting: An attention-grabbing class right here that can bolster the 49ers. The 6-11 Braun transferred from Ohio State the place he performed in 16 matches final yr. Bouchkov was the beginning center on the Bulgaria U21 group, whereas Hershtynovich performed reverse on the Canadian U21 group. By way of the incoming freshmen, Sani was a 2023 Boys Fab 50 choice. Baddeley performed with the Workforce Rockstar membership in Southern California, whereas Carson is a product of the 949 membership. Powell performed at Farimont Prep Academy in Anaheim, California.
6. UCLA Bruins
Who’s new: Luca Curci, 6-3, OH, Contemporary., Newport Harbor (Newport Seashore, California), Micah Wong Diallo, 6-8, MB, L.A. Marshall (Los Angeles, California), Spencer Graves, 6-5, MB, Contemporary., Loyola (Los Angeles, California), Jaidin Russell, 6-5, RS, Contemporary., Newton South (Newton, Massachusetts), Thiago Zamprogno, 6-7, MB, Contemporary., Cardinal Gibbons (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida), David Flores, 6-1, S, Redshirt Senior, Ball State switch, Disguise Nakamura, 5-10, Libero, Soph., Orange Coast School.
Value noting: Let’s begin with the incoming freshmen. Curci and Graves are extremely adorned SoCal youth standouts and each 2023 Boys Fab 50 picks, whereas Zamprogno was a standout at each the highschool and membership ranges in south Florida — additionally a Fab 50 choice. Curci is the No. 4-ranked recruit within the class (by way of Fab 50 voting). Russell makes the trek cross nation after success in Massachusetts. Russell and Wong Diallo give 2023 national-chamoion UCLA a complete of 5 Fab 50 picks on this class, which additionally contains Ball State switch Flores and Nakamura, who performed beforehand at Orange Coast School, a JUCO in Costa Mesa, California, that could be a constant presence on this yr’s recruiting class rankings.
7. Pepperdine Waves
Who’s new: Jack Graves, 6-4, OH, Contemporary., Beckman (Irvine, California), Ryan Graves, 6-4, S, Contemporary., Beckman (Irvine, California), Matt Mazur, 6-9, RS, Contemporary., Lancaster (New York), Tyler Stewart, 6-5, S, Contemporary., Prospect Ridge Academy (Broomfield, Colorado), Ilay Harver, 6-2, OH, Contemporary., Israel, Alex Mrkali, 6-5, OH, Graduate, Princeton, Martin De Chavarria, 6-7, MB, Graduate, NJIT, Cole Ketrzynski, 6-7, OH-RS, Graduate, UCLA
Value noting: One other class you shouldn’t sleep on. The Graves twins, from Irvine, together with Mazur and Stewart are all 2023 Boys Fab 50 picks. Mrkali and De Chavarria are in from EIVA colleges Princeton and NJIT, respectively, and Canada native Ketrzynski performed beforehand at UCLA and earned all-American honors there. Haver, from Israel, is headed to Malibu in January, the varsity’s sports activities info workplace famous. “I like our class so much,” Waves coach Jonathan Winder mentioned. “Most likely one of the best total class right here in a very long time with the combination of 5 freshmen and three grad transfers. We are going to probably have 4 new starters on this group. Ilay Haver is an outdoor for the Israel nationwide group competing within the European championships this fall earlier than coming to us. We add two high-level U.S. setters in Ryan Graves and Tyler Stewart, who’ve expertise within the nationwide group growth pipeline, plus two good hitters with nice long-term promise in Matt Mazur from New York and Jack Graves from Irvine.
“The transfers are led by Cole, who’s coming right here for his post-graduate diploma. He’s an elite exterior hitter who will probably be trying to make a mark in Malibu. Martin has expertise on the Spanish nationwide group as a center blocker and can assist us out tremendously. Alex can play each on the fitting and left to assist our group immensely. I feel our group is among the many finest within the nation from instant impression to long-term impression.”
8. UC Irvine Anteaters
Who’s new: Shane Aiken, 6-0, Libero, Contemporary., St. Margaret’s (San Clemente, California), Kobe Brown, 6-9, RS, Contemporary., Know-how (Rohnert Park, California), Nicolas Restrepo, 6-10, MB, Contemporary., Rancho Campana (Camarillo, California), Aidan Rigg, 6-6, S-RS, Contemporary., Punahou (Honolulu, Hawai’i), Nolan Flexen, 6-9, OH, Jr., Switch The Grasp’s College, Andon Kiriakou, 6-1, OH-S, Contemporary., Uxbridge Secondary (Ontario), Brett Sheward, 6-2, S, Graduate, Hawai’i.
Value noting: 5 incoming freshmen and two transfers make up this top-10 recruiting class for coach David Kniffin. Flexen earned AVCA and NAIA participant of the yr honors at The Grasp’s College in Santa Clarita, California, the place he led all NAIA gamers in kills per set, hitting proportion (.451) and factors per set (5.9), whereas setting a college report with 424 kills. Sheward was a part of the Hawai’i groups that received NCAA titles in 2021 and 2022 and was the first libero on Large West title groups in 2022 and 2023. Aitken was a member of St. Margaret’s 2022 CIF title group and CIF regional semifinal squad in 2023, and likewise received a gold and two bronze medals at junior nationals with the A4 and 949 membership groups. Brown performed basketball at Know-how Excessive Faculty in Rohnert Park, California, and likewise performed for Mountain View VBC. Kiriakou led his Canadian-based Uxbridge Secondary Faculty group to a Provincial title and was named athlete of the yr in 2023. He additionally represented Canada on the U19 seaside volleyball championships and the Commonwealth Video games in Tobago. Restrepo performed for Level West 118 VBC and received a bronze medal on the 18s stage. Rigg didn’t play his senior yr at Punahou on account of damage, however helped the Buff n’ Blue win earlier state and league titles, plus was a part of an Outrigger membership group that received a nationwide title at 17s.
9. Princeton Tigers
Who’s new: James Vaccaro, 6-4, OH-S, Contemporary., Bishop’s (La Jolla, California), Tristan Whitfield, 6-7, MB, Contemporary., Cape Henry Collegiate (Virginia Seashore, Virginia), William Gil 5-11, OH, Contemporary., Goleman (Miami, Florida), Nolan Kelly 6-1, S, Contemporary., El Segundo (California)
Value noting: Whitfield not too long ago helped lead the U.S. boys U19 nationwide group to a fourth-place end on the FIVB world championship in Argentina, the group’s finest placement in that occasion ever. Vaccaro and Whitfield are Boys Fab 50 picks with Vaccaro from the San Diego space the place he performed with the WAVE membership.
10. Ohio State Buckeyes
Who’s new: Owen Pickering, 6-1, OH, Contemporary., Ottawa (Ontario), Nathan Habermas, 6-7, MB, Contemporary., Bloomington (Minnesota), William McElveen, 6-6, S, Contemporary., Windemere (Florida), Tyler Tharpe, 6-8, RS, Contemporary., Whitney Younger (Chicago Illinois), Kristian Kold, 6-7, OH, Contemporary., Slagelsa (Denmark), Aaron Grimm, 6-7, MB, Contemporary., (Louisville, Kentucky), Thomas Leahey, 6-9, MB, Graduate, St. Francis (PA)
Value noting: McElveen, from the Orlando space, was a VolleyballMag.com boys highschool first-team All-American choice. Grimm, from Louisville, helped lead Trinity Excessive Faculty to the state title in 2022 and a runner-up end in 2021. Pickering, from Ontario, helped his Ottawa Fusion membership group earn a gold medal on the U18 seaside Canadian championships. Tharpe was a 2023 Boys Fab 50 choice and made the all-city group for Whitney Younger Excessive Faculty in Chicago. Habermas lettered in soccer and volleyball at Jefferson Excessive Faculty in Bloomington, Minnesota. Kold was a part of a number of national-championship groups in Denmark, together with twice profitable a U14 title. Leahey transferred from St. Francis College. “This group will present our program with a wealth of versatility, permitting us to get artistic with coaching and lineups,” Ohio State coach Kevin Burch mentioned. “Every of the seven incoming Buckeyes represents a unique state or nation. “This class represents the expansion of boys volleyball within the U.S., and overseas and we couldn’t be happier to see what they accomplish right here,” Burch added.
Excessive Honorable Point out: Lewis, George Mason
Excessive Honorable Point out notes: Lewis and George Mason every completed some extent out of 10th place. Lewis, below the path of longtime coach Dan Buddy, reloaded with 12 incoming gamers, 11 freshmen and one switch. The freshman crew contains Brendan Horn (6-5, OH), Quin Zilch (6-3, Libero), Luke Pekol (6-9, RS), Zach Pekol (6-9, MB), Cameron Hoying (6-8, S), Tyler Walenga (6-2, OH), Colton Mendez (6-6, OH), Hunter Cahalan (6-4, OH), Deyan Todorov (6-5, OH) and Diego Estrada (6-4, S), whereas Tate Sandvig (6-5, OH) is in from Mount Olive College. Hoying (Columbus, Ohio), the Pekol twins (south Chicago suburbs), Walenga (south Chicago suburbs) and Zilch (Pennsylvania) had been all Boys Fab 50 picks.
George Mason and coach Jay Hosack additionally loaded up on incoming freshmen with Jackson Herbert (6-4, RS), Derek Nagel (6-10, RS), Sebastian Sanchez (6-6, OH), Franco Roark (6-4, OH), Blake Pohevitz (6-4, OH), Alex Wright (6-8, MB), Gabe Metcalf (6-3, S) and Robert Evangelista (6-5, OH). Evangelista (of the famed McQuaid Jesuit program in Rochester, New York), Sanchez (Orlando, Florida) and Metcalf (Flintridge, California) had been Boys Fab 50 picks.
Honorable Point out (alphabetical): Ball State, BYU, Charleston, Concordia-Irvine, Grand Canyon, Penn State, Stanford, UC San Diego.