BYU (26-5) n 2014 AVCA Preseason Rank:
3 n Key returnees: Taylor Sander (OH, Sr., Huntington Beach, Calif.), Josue Rivera (OH, Jr., San Juan, PR), Phil Fuchs (OPP, Jr., Lindon, Utah) n Outlook: Chris McGown may miss spectacular freshman Ben Patch (gone for two years on a church mission), but with Sander there is no reason to brood. The senior is on most people’s short list for national player of the year honors. Rivera is also a solid all-around player who will provide backcourt stability and post-sea- son experience.
Long Beach State (24-8) n 2014 AVCA Preseason Rank:
STAR POWER: BYU’s Taylor Sander would like another shot at the UC Irvine block on the national stage. (Photo: Don Liebig)
4 n Key returnees: Taylor Crabb (OH, Sr., Honolulu, Hawaii), Connor Olbright (Setter, Sr., Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Dalton Ammerman (OH, Sr., Parker, Colo.), Taylor Gregoy (MB, So., Saugus, Calif.), Andrew Sato (L, So., Calabasas, Calif.) n Outlook: The 49ers were ranked No. 1 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation coaches’ poll with BYU, mainly on the strength of con- siderable depth that includes five returning starters and 13 total lettermen. Crabb was the AVCA National Player of the Year in 2013, a remarkable accomplishment for a six-foot outside hitter. Olbright is sixth in assists on the Long Beach State career list and is the latest in a long history of star setters. He was tabbed as a second-team AVCA All-Ameri- can in 2013. Ammerman, Sato and Gregory all earned MPSF post-season accolades. In short, the 49ers have the firepower to go all the way.
The contenders
Stanford (15-13) n 2014 AVCA Preseason Rank: 5 n Key returnees: Eric Mochalski (MB, Sr., Manhat- tan Beach, Calif.), Brian Cook (OH, Sr., Santa Cruz, Calif.), Steven Irvin (OH, Sr., Pacific Pali- sades, Calif.), James Shaw (S, So., Woodside, Calif.) n Outlook: With one season of college experience, Shaw is poised to be the type of leader to get the Cardinal back into title contention. Mochalski would be a lottery pick middle blocker in men’s fantasy college vol- leyball. He has produced big numbers in his first three seaons. Cook led the team in kills and passing efficiency, while Irvin was tops on the team in digs with 183.
Pepperdine (14-12) n 2014 AVCA Preseason Rank: 6 n Key
returnees: Matt West (S, Jr., Seattle, Wash.), Josh Taylor (OH, Jr., Honolulu), Scott Rhein (OH, Jr., Pleasant View, Tenn.), Parker Kalm- bach (MB, Jr., Coto de Caza, Calif.), Kyle
Gerrans (OH, Sr., Los Gatos, Calif.) n Out- look: The Waves are just 28-26 the last two seasons, not numbers usually associated with head coach Marv Dunphy. In West, they have a setter who has vast international experience at the junior level and a player who led the nation last season with 11.25 assists per set. Taylor, Gerrans and Kalmbach were the top three point scorers for the Waves in 2013, so the Waves have both depth and experience heading into Dunphy’s 31st season.
Loyola-Chicago (22-11) n 2014 AVCA Preseason Rank: 7 n Key
returnees: Joseph Smalzer (OPP, Sr., Palos Heights, Ill.), Thomas Jaeschke (OH, So., Wheaton, Ill.) Peter Jasaitis (L, Sr., Manhattan Beach, Calif.). n Outlook: The extra motiva- tion of hosting the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championships should keep the Ramblers sharp as they battle with Lewis and Ohio State to become participants in their own party. The Ramblers made their first ever national semifinal appearance in 2013, but accomplishing the same thing as the host would be even sweeter. The Ramblers are the preseason favorite to win the MIVA and they have the conference’s top player in Smalzer, who led the team in kills (430), service aces (74) and points (539.5).
Penn State (23-8) n 2014 AVCA Preseason Rank: 9 n Key
returnees: Aaron Russell (MB, Jr., Ellicott City, Md.), Peter Russell (OH, Sr., Ellicott City, Md.) Taylor Hammond (S, So., Mission Viejo, Calif.), Matt Seifert (MB, So., Reading, Pa.) Connor Curry (L, Jr., Newport Beach, Calif.). n Out- look: The Nittany Lions lose five starters from a team that made its 19th straight appearance in the NCAA Championship semifinals, but head coach Mark Pavlik is renown for get- ting the most out of his roster. Aaron Russell shouldered much of the offensive load in 2013 and picked up some additional experience
this summer travelling with the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team at the FIVB U21 World Champi- onship in Turkey. Older brother Peter is expected to provide some additional support for a team picked by the conference coaches to win another EIVA title. Hammond is an emerg- ing setter, while Curry provides stability at libero.
Lewis (20-10) n 2014 AVCA Preseason Rank:
10 n Key returnees: BJ Boldog (S, Sr., Palatine, Ill.), Geoff Powell (OH, Jr., Claremont, Calif.), Greg Petty (OH, Jr., Downers Grove, Ill.) n Outlook: In Boldog, Petty and Powell the Flyers have post- season experience and would like nothing better than to travel within the state to this year’s
NCAA Championship (Loyola-Chicago). Pow- ell and Petty ranked one-two in kills in 2013, while Boldog’s 10.29 assists per set was one of the top numbers in the nation.
Southern California (6-18) n 2014 AVCA Preseason Rank: 11 n Key
returnees: Micah Christenson (S, Jr., Ho- nolulu), Henry Cassiday (L, Sr., Honolulu), Robert Feathers (MB, Jr., Pacific Palisades, Calif.), Cristian Rivera (OH, Jr., San Juan, Puerto Rico); Tanner Jansen (OPP, Sr., San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) n Outlook: Micah Christenson is considered the premier setter in college volleyball by many and is in the USA Volleyball pipeline, definitely in the derby for 2016 Olympic playing time. First things first, which includes directing the Trojans back into the national championship picture after a steep drop in 2013 (from national runner-up to a sub-500 team). The nucleus is there with returning hitters Jansen, Rivers and Feath- ers — who ranked one, two and three in kill production last season. Appropriately, the Trojans also have two Yoders on the team in the presence of freshman setter Jack Yoder and junior outside hitter Paul Yoder. Their uncle Bob Yoder coached USC to the national championship in 1988.
Ohio State (19-8) n 2014 AVCA Preseason Rank: 12 n Key
returnees: Peter Heinen (S, Jr., Wauwatosa, Wis.), Michael Henchy (OH, Jr., Ventura, Calif.), Andrew Lutz (OPP, Jr., North Reading, Mass.) n Outlook: Pete Hanson enters his 30th season at the helm of the Buckeyes. If Ohio State is to make a run at another national title it will have to get big production from its key trio of juniors (Heinen, Henchy and Lutz) as well as get some contributions from a talented, but untested roster that in- cludes Mitch Beal, who is the son of USA Vol- leyball CEO and Ohio State alum Doug Beal.
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