2014 NCAA MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Anteaters seek rare three-peat
Talented returning core gives UC Irvine the early edge over UCLA, BYU
The favorites
UC Irvine (25-7) ■ 2014 AVCA Preseason Rank: 1 ■ Key returnees: Michael Brinkley (L, Jr., Hunting- ton Beach, Calif.), Connor Hughes (OH, Sr., Costa Mesa, Calif.), Scott Kevorken (MB, Sr., San Jose, Calif.), Daniel Stork (S, Sr., Topanga, Calif.). ■ Outlook: The post John Speraw era got off to a strong start in 2013. A second consecutive national champion- ship was pretty strong tonic for a program which lost its marquee coach. It didn’t take replacement David Kniffi n long to prove he is also one of the nation’s elite coaches. The Anteaters return a strong core from a team seeking a rare three-peat in modern-day men’s volleyball. Hughes was spectacular in the NCAA Championship match, earning most outstanding player honors and the reputaion as one of the nation’s best “big- game” players. Stork shared the setting duties with Chris Austin for much of the last two seasons and will have to battle new- comer Roberto Frazzoni from Chile this year.
UCLA (21-11) ■ 2014 AVCA Preseason Rank: 2 ■ Key
returnees: Gonzalo Quiroga (OH, Sr., San Juan, Argentina), Spencer Rowe (OPP, Sr., Trabuco Canyon, Calif,) Clayton Paullin (MB, Jr., Palos Verdes, Calif.), Robart Page (OH, Sr., Rochester, N.Y.) ■ Outlook: The Bruins return four starters from a team that fi nished strong in John Speraw’s fi rst season back at Westwood. Quiroga was a consensus fi rst-team All-American and has been the Bruins’ most productive weapon for the past two seasons. Rowe emerged as a force last year, while Page has bounced around the lineup in different positions but has proven his seven-foot frame is hard to stop from anywhere on the court. Speraw has settled into his dual role as the head coach of both the Bruins and the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team. It means the same players he recruits to play at UCLA are some of the ones he may be coaching after college.
THE GAMER: Connor Hughes had a memorable championship match for UC Irvine last year when the Anteaters swept BYU in straight sets. (Photo: Don Liebig)
46 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at
usavolleyball.org/mag
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