Photo by: Jeff Golden
Waves Open 2022 at #3; OTB Preseason Honors Out
12/20/2021 2:33:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
MALIBU, California – The Pepperdine men's volleyball team checks in at #3 in the AVCA's national preseason poll, the best start for the Waves since the 2015 season.
Pepperdine, which was named the favorite in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in last week's preseason coaches poll, received one first-place vote in the opening AVCA poll and trails just Hawai'i and UCLA.
Additionally on Monday, five Waves received preseason acclaim from Off the Block. Pepperdine put a national-best four players on the OTB preseason All-American team. Austin Wilmot made the first team, while Trey Cole, Bryce Dvorak and Spencer Wickens were on the second team. Also, Jaylen Jasper, who was a three-time All-American at Stanford, was named the nation's top transfer.
Pepperdine concluded the 2021 season ranked #5 in the country. The Waves went 13-7 overall, finished third in the MPSF regular season, was the runner-up at the MPSF Tournament and competed in the opening rounds of the NCAA Championships. Pepperdine is seeking a third straight appearance at the national tournament. The Waves made the semifinals in 2019, while the 2020 postseason was canceled at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 squad returns five of six starters plus the libero.
Pepperdine begins the 2022 season with a four-match trip to North Carolina to play Mount Olive (Jan. 5-6) and Barton (Jan. 7-8). The home opener is January 14 vs. Erskine.
AVCA preseason poll: 1. Hawai'i, 2. UCLA, 3. Pepperdine, 4. Long Beach State, 5. Penn State, 6. BYU, 7. Loyola-Chicago, 8. Lewis, 9. Grand Canyon, 10. UC San Diego, 11. UC Santa Barbara, 12. UC Irvine, 13. Ohio State, 14. McKendree, T15. Ball State, T15. George Mason, T15. NJIT.
Pepperdine, which was named the favorite in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in last week's preseason coaches poll, received one first-place vote in the opening AVCA poll and trails just Hawai'i and UCLA.
Additionally on Monday, five Waves received preseason acclaim from Off the Block. Pepperdine put a national-best four players on the OTB preseason All-American team. Austin Wilmot made the first team, while Trey Cole, Bryce Dvorak and Spencer Wickens were on the second team. Also, Jaylen Jasper, who was a three-time All-American at Stanford, was named the nation's top transfer.
Pepperdine concluded the 2021 season ranked #5 in the country. The Waves went 13-7 overall, finished third in the MPSF regular season, was the runner-up at the MPSF Tournament and competed in the opening rounds of the NCAA Championships. Pepperdine is seeking a third straight appearance at the national tournament. The Waves made the semifinals in 2019, while the 2020 postseason was canceled at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 squad returns five of six starters plus the libero.
Pepperdine begins the 2022 season with a four-match trip to North Carolina to play Mount Olive (Jan. 5-6) and Barton (Jan. 7-8). The home opener is January 14 vs. Erskine.
AVCA preseason poll: 1. Hawai'i, 2. UCLA, 3. Pepperdine, 4. Long Beach State, 5. Penn State, 6. BYU, 7. Loyola-Chicago, 8. Lewis, 9. Grand Canyon, 10. UC San Diego, 11. UC Santa Barbara, 12. UC Irvine, 13. Ohio State, 14. McKendree, T15. Ball State, T15. George Mason, T15. NJIT.
Players Mentioned
S
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's Volleyball
