NCAA Males
April 21, 2024
Defending-champion UCLA obtained the highest seed Sunday when the NCAA’s Nationwide Collegiate Males’s Volleyball Championship bracket was introduced.
Lengthy Seaside State is No. 2, Grand Canyon — the workforce that beat UCLA within the MPSF title match — is No. 3, adopted by UC Irvine and Penn State.
And people two will play what’s going to little doubt be the showcase match of the quarterfinals.
Play begins Tuesday, April 30, with quarterfinals at Lengthy Seaside State’s Walter Pyramid. These matches can solely be seen on NCAA.com.
UCLA, which gained the MPSF common season and has the strongest numbers in all of the elements that go into seeding consideration, obtained one in every of two at-large bids and performs eighth-seeded Fort Valley State, the primary SIAC workforce within the discipline.
“I perceive how the standards work and why we’re No. 1,” UCLA coach John Speraw stated, “however I do know it doesn’t actually matter at this level as a result of there are a variety of groups which can be able to profitable it. I believe it will likely be a extremely thrilling week of volleyball with some groups which can be taking part in nice on the finish of the yr.”
It’s a discipline that’s lastly expanded to eight groups, up one from the previous three years, because the SIAC gained an computerized bid.
Lengthy Seaside State, which gained the Massive West, performs seventh-seeded Belmont Abbey, which gained the Convention Carolinas computerized bid.
GCU, which obtained the MPSF computerized, performs sixth-seeded Ohio State, which gained the MIVA and its bid.
UC Irvine misplaced to Lengthy Seaside State within the Massive West closing and obtained the opposite at-large, whereas Penn State dominated the EIVA this season.
“I believe the 2 representatives from the Massive West appear to be taking part in actually good volleyball,” Speraw stated. “I’ve been actually impressed with each of them. And Penn State, the final time we performed them, they took us 5. So I’ve a ton of respect for everyone. And Grand Canyon and Ohio State, we misplaced to them earlier within the yr. That is only a group of groups the place everybody’s obtained a shot.”
The winners advance to the semifinals Thursday, Might 2, and the championship match is Saturday, Might 4.
“It’s all the time good to play within the championship and it’s all the time good to win your approach into the championship throug the AQ,” stated Lengthy Seaside State coach Alan Knipe, who workforce gained all of it in 2018 and 2019 and was the favourite in 2020 when the season was cancled. Lengthy Seaside misplaced within the 2022 closing to Hawai’i.
“We’ve had, clearly, a really, excellent yr.”
The 4-5 battle ought to be one thing else that includes two of the extra dynamic offensive stars in UCI’s Hilir Henno, who leads the nation with 520 kills, and Penn State’s John Kerr, who’s fourth with 406.
“Any time you possibly can face a workforce with Henno in it, your protection and your block are going to be examined,” stated Thirtieth-year Penn State coach Mark Pavlik, whose Nittany Lions gained the 2008 title, beating UCI within the closing. “You recognize you’re going to battle together with your serve obtain as a result of he’s gonna pull out each trick in his bag.
“And the opposite factor when you simply fear about Henno, the remainder of the workforce will kill you.”
The three-6 might be equally aggressive. GCU is coming off that large victory Saturday over UCLA, whereas Ohio State righted itself down the stretch and is taking part in extraordinarily nicely.
The NCAA committee is chaired by MIVA commissioner Tim O’Brien, who famous how lots of the prime groups beat one another this season. We doc all of the matchups among the many groups within the discipline beneath.
The committee additionally consists of Anthony Archbald, affiliate athletic director at Princeton, Fairleigh Dickinson coach Karl France, SIAC commissioner Anthony Holloman, and UC Irvine AD Paula Smith.
“The seedings have been nearer than chances are you’ll suppose,” O’Brien stated. “Within the precise nitty-gritty comparisons the place you actually dig into the numbers we really feel like we obtained it proper.”
1. UCLA (24-5)
The Bruins had gained 12 in a row earlier than dropping to GCU. They went 11-1 within the MPSF common season and performed as powerful a non-conference schedule as might be imagined.
UCLA has the expertise of profitable all of it, after all, and is loaded, beginning with MPSF participant of the yr Merrick McHenry, a high-flying 6-foot-7 center from Bedford, Texas, who hit .570 this season. He has 190 kills and 100 blocks, seven solo, and 36 aces. Ethan Champlin, a 6-3 senior from Oceanside, California,has a team-best 228 kills (2.28/set) and a team-high 146 digs. Cooper Robinson, a 6-7 sophomore from Pacific Palisades, has 221 kills (2.63/set) and 33 aces. Sophomore setter Andrew Rowan, a 6-6 product of Trabuco Canyon, California, who led his workforce to the title as a freshman, averaged 10.15 assists, has 37 aces, 49 kills whereas hitting .432, and is second in digs with 122.
Towards the sphere: The Bruins opened their season January 4 with a sweep of Fort Valley State, misplaced in 5 to Ohio State in Austin on January 19, swept Penn State the following day, beat UCI in 5 on January 31 after which beat the Anteaters in 4 two days later, and break up with Lengthy Seaside State the following week, dropping in 4 at Lengthy Seaside earlier than profitable in 4 the following evening. On March 8 at USC, UCLA beat Penn State in 5 and two days later swept Ohio State. The Bruins beat Grand Canyon on back-to-back MPSF nights, sweeping on April 5 after which profitable in 5.
2. Lengthy Seaside (25-2)
Knipe stated when his workforce obtained swept at UC Irvine on April 12, it was a turning level. The Seaside got here again and swept UCI the following day at residence to finish the common season.
Lengthy Seaside has a core group of skilled, gifted seniors, together with setter Aidan Knipe, the coach’s son. He’s top-of-the-line at his place, averaging 10.15 assists/set, and Mason Briggs, is regarded by many as the highest libero within the nation. He averages 2.24 digs/set. Spanaird Simon Torwie, the 6-9 center, has 112 blocks, 14 solo, and averages 1.32 kills/set and hits .417 to go together with 28 aces. And classmate Clarke Godbold, a 6-5 product of San Pedro, California, has 225 kills (3.31/set).
Sotiris Siapainis, a 6-3 junior from Cyprus, leads with 269 kills, 3.16/set, and had 27 aces. Skyler Varga, a 6-7 reverse from Saskatchewan, has 242 kills (2.92/set) and a team-best 30 aces.
Towards the sphere: Lengthy Seaside break up with UCLA eaerly, profitable in 4 at residence on February 9 earlier than dropping in 4 in Los Angeles the following day. The Seaside beat visiting Penn State in 4 on March 1 earlier than the aforementioned back-to-back matches with UC Irvine. Lengthy Seaside beat the Anteaters once more in 4 on Saturday.
3. Grand Canyon (25-4)
The Lopes, who made the sphere for the primary time final yr, have had their greatest season but. Their solely MPSF losses have been to UCLA they usually’ve gained 5 in a row since.
GCU has loads of weapons, however it all begins with Camden Gianni and Jackson Hickman. Gianni, a 6-5 senior from Carlsbad, California, leads with 339 kills (3.53/set), has 55 aces, and 60 blocks. Hickman, a 6-4 product of Phoenix, has 299 kills (2.93/set) and is third on the workforce with 141 digs. Cameron Thorne, a 6-4 sophomore center from Hollywood, Florida — who has a team-high 138 blocks, 17 solo, has 199 kills and Rico Wardlow, a 6-7 center from Bolingbrook, Illinois, has 178.
Setter Nicholas Slight, a junior from Storm Lake, Iowa, has had an amazing season for ninth-year coach Matt Werle, averaging 10.50 assists to go together with 45 blocks.
Towards the sphere: GCU misplaced to UC Irvine in 5 in Hawai’i on March 7, dropped back-to-back matches to UCLA close to the tip of the common season, after which beat the Bruins in 5 on Saturday.
4. UC Irvine (19-10)
Coach David Kniffin’s squad has all of the items to show the event on its ear after developing with some enormous victories and taking the highest groups to the restrict.
UCI has the highest offensive weapon within the nation in Hilir Henno, who has 520 kills — his closest teammate, Maxim Grigoriev has 240 — whereas hitting .382. He averages 4.77 kills a set. Henno, a 6-8 junior from France, has a team-best 47 aces, is second on the workforce with 152 digs and had 58 blocks, 9 solo. Grigoriev, a 6-4 sophomore from Walnut Creek, California, averages 2.20 kills/set, has 34 aces, 110 digs and 97 blocks, 11 solo. Three different gamers are proper up there. William D’Arcy and Connor Campbell have 181 kills every and Nolan Flexen has 173. Campbell lead with 108 blocks, 9 solo. Setter Brett Sheward has had a superb season, averaging 10.58 assists, and has 61 blocks and 190 digs.
Towards the sphere: The Anteaters misplaced in 5 to UCLA on January 31 and to the Bruins in 4 two days later, they beat Grand Canyon in 5 on March 7, and break up with Lengthy Seaside State to finish the common season, sweeping at residence earlier than getting swept on the Pyramid. UCI then misplaced to Lengthy Seaside once more, this time in 4, within the Massive West closing.
5. Penn State (23-6)
The Nittany Lions gained the EIVA for thirty fourth time. Penn State went 10-0 within the EIVA common season earlier than beating Harvard after which George Mason within the closing.
Penn State, which led the EIVA in practically each statistical class, has an explosive offense led by John Kerr. The 6-6 graduate-student reverse from Derry, Pennsylvania, has 406 kills (3.94/set), 28 aces and 51 blocks. Excessive-flying center Toby Ezeonu, a 6-7 center from North Brunswick, New Jersey, has 251 kills (2.30/set) whereas hitting a outstanding.498 to go together with 36 aces and 92 blocks, 17 solo. Owen Rose, a 6-7 center from New York, who leads in blocks with 97, 12 solo, has 183 kills.
Towards the sphere: Penn State obtained swept by UCLA in Austin on January 20, beat Ohio State in back-to-back matches in late January, misplaced in 4 at Lengthy Seaside State on March 1, after which misplaced in 5 at UCLA on March 8.
6. Ohio State (22-8)
The Buckeyes, who’ve gained their final 5, had a tricky patch late within the season, going 1-4 within the first half of March. However Ohio State completed robust and gained all three of its MIVA Match matches in 4, beating Lewis, Loyola Chicago after which Lindenwod. It marked the nineteenth time Ohio State, which additionally gained final yr, gained the MIVA title.
Fourth-year coach Kevin Burch’s program is headed again to the NCAA Match for the twenty third time. Ohio State gained all of it in 2016 and 2017.
The Buckeyes lead the nation in kills, beginning with Jacob Pasteur, a 6-4 exterior from Westminster, Maryland, who has 379 kills (3.54/set) whereas hitting .336 to go together with an unimaginable NCAA-leading 61 aces. Shane Wetzel, a 6-7 sophomore from Lake Mary, Florida, has 332 kills, 23 aces and 60 blocks. Justin Howard, a 6-6 sophomore from Pacific Palisades, California, has 172 kills and leads with 76 blocks.
Towards the sphere: Ohio State beat UCLA in 5 on January 19 in Austin, misplaced to Penn State in 4 on January 25 after which in 5 two days later, and was swept at UCLA on March 10.
7. Belmont Abbey (21-4)
The Crusaders went 13-1 throughout the Convention Carolinas common season. Belmont Abbey, which has gained 9 matches in a row, swept Mount Olive within the convention semifinals and beat North Greenville within the closing 25-21, 25-20, 21-25, 25-17.
Third-year coach Derek Sullivan had back-to-back 15-16 seasons in his first two years on the helm after two years as an assistant. His workforce led Convention Carolinas in opponent hitting proportion (.198) and was second in hitting proportion (.279). Zach Puentes, a 6-2 freshman exterior from Wellington, Florida, was second in kills (315, 3.46/set) and Matthew Staskunas, a 6-5 junior from New Berlin, Wisconsin, was third (296, 3.22/set). Staskunas tied for the league lead in aces with 38 and Jibriel Elhaddad, a 6-7 freshman from Jupiter, Florida, led in blocks with 109 (1.30/set).
Towards the sphere: The Crusaders didn’t play any of the opposite NCAA groups.
Belmont Abbey is situated in Belmont, North Carolina, a western suburn of Charlotte.
8. Fort Valley State (17-8)
The Wildcats, who’ve gained six in a row, are coming off sweeps of Kentucky State and Central State to win the SIAC’s first computerized NCAA bid.
Coach Larry Wrather, whose program is in its third yr, completed 8-15 in 2022 and 8-20 in 2023. Fort Valley completed 10-0 within the SIAC and its non-conference schedule included getting swept at UCLA within the second match of the season on January 4.
Jaxon Hicks, a 6-3 junior from Seaside Park. Illinois leads in kills with 203 (3.32/set) and Isaiah Fedd, a 6-3 sophomore from Apopka, Florida, has 193 (3.45/set) whereas hitting .347 and main in aces with 37.
Towards the sphere: The Wildcats obtained swept by UCLA in early January.
Fort Valley State is situated in Fort Valley, Georgia, about 29 miles southwest of Macon.