2013 NCAA MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Anteaters on the attack
John Speraw leaves UC Irvine after leading the MPSF team to a national title in 2012 to return to UCLA to guide his alma mater, but the Anteaters still start the NCAA men’s collegiate season as the team to beat
The favorites
UC Irvine (26-5) ■ 2013 AVCA Preseason Rank: 1 ■ Key returnees: Kevin Tillie (OH, Sr., Cagnus- sur-Mer, France), Chris Austin (S, Sr., Henderson, Nev.), Michael Brinkley (L, So., Huntington Beach, Calif.), Connor Hughes (OH, Jr., Costa Mesa, Calif.), Scott Kevorken (MB, Jr., San Jose, Calif.), Daniel Stork (S, Jr., Topanga, Calif.). ■ Outlook: The Anteat- ers received all 16 fi rst-place votes in the AVCA preseason poll after starting the previ- ous three seasons ranked second nation- ally. UC Irvine has won three of the last six national championships, including last season’s triumph over Southern California in the title match. The proverbial cupboard was left anything but empty for new head coach David Kniffi n, who has perhaps the nation’s most dynamic weapon in French- man Kevin Tillie. Tillie averaged almost four kills per set in 2012. Setter Chris Austin emerged as a star with a classic postseason run, but the Anteaters also have heralded Daniel Stork as an option at setter. Connor Hughes is a beach star in the making with an indoor checklist still to complete.
BYU (24-7) ■ 2013 AVCA Preseason Rank: 2 ■ Key re-
turnees: Russ Lavaja (MB, Sr., St. Charles, Ill.), Taylor Sander (OH, Jr., Huntington Beach, Calif.), Josue Rivera (OH, So., San Juan, PR) ■ Outlook: Chris McGown enters his second season at the helm of the Cougars with tempered enthusiasm. Look for Taylor Sander, who led the MPSF in kills per set as a sophomore, to carry the offensive load. Josue Rivera started every match for BYU last season and led the team with 186 digs. Key freshmen include opposite Ben Patch and outside hitter Bennett Bird, already an accomplished beach player. One key for the Cougars will be Ryan Boyce, who shared the setting duties in 2012, but will take over the reins full time in his senior season.
Pepperdine (14-14) ■ 2013 AVCA Preseason Rank: 4 ■ Key re-
turnees: Maurice Torres (OPP, Sr., Riverside, Calif.), Matt West (S, So., Seattle, Wash.), Josh Taylor (OH, So., Honolulu), Scott Rhein (OH, So., Pleasant View, Tenn.) ■ Outlook: Maurice Torres provides the Waves with a wealth of experience, leading the team with 543 points and .307 hitting percentage in 2012. Sophomore setter Matt West should benefi t from a year of college experience under his belt after averaging over 11 as- sists per set during his freshman season. Josh Taylor, an outside hitter from one of the nation’s top volleyball factories (Punahou
FRENCH ROAST: Kevin Tillie can smoke the ball on the outside for UC Irvine. Tillie, a native of France, averaged nearly four kills a set last season.
24 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at
usavolleyball.org/mag
PHOTO: DON LIBIG
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