Tuesday, May 3
Los Angeles, Calif.
5:00 p.m. PT
Pepperdine University
at
UCLA (NCAA Opening Round)
Photo by: Martin A. Folb
Men's Volleyball Set for NCAA Tournament at UCLA
4/29/2022 12:00:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
MALIBU, California — After winning the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament, the #5 Pepperdine men's volleyball team makes its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The five-time champion Waves face host UCLA in the opening round.
MATCH #29 — Tuesday (May 3) at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California: #5 Pepperdine (19-9) at #3 UCLA (21-4) in the NCAA opening round at 5 p.m.
MATCH #30 — If Pepperdine wins ... Thursday (May 5) at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California: Pepperdine vs. #2 and top-seeded Long Beach State (20-5) in the NCAA semifinals at 5 p.m.
MATCH #31 — If Pepperdine wins ... Saturday (May 7) at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California: NCAA championship match at 5 p.m.
WATCH/ONLINE — The opening-round matches will be streamed at Pac-12.com, the semifinals will be streamed on NCAA.com and the final will be televised on ESPN2. Links to broadcasts and live stats can be found at PepperdineWaves.com.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY — The Waves' NCAA championships were won in 1978, 1985, 1986, 1992 and 2005. The 1985 and 2005 titles were won in Pauley Pavilion. Pepperdine is making its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance. It's only the third time that the Waves have played in at least three NCAA Tournaments in a row (1976-78 and 1983-86). The Waves made the semifinals in 2019 and played in the opening round in 2021 (there was no 2020 tournament due to COVID-19). Spencer Wickens is the only Wave who will have played in all three in the current run. The Waves have an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 18-12.
UCLA — UCLA (19) and Pepperdine (five) are 1-2 in terms of men's volleyball NCAA championships won. The Waves are 45-85 all-time against the Bruins. This is the seventh time the schools have met in the NCAA Tournament. The previous six all took place in the national championship match (the Waves are 2-4 in those matches, with wins in 1978 and 2005, the latter coming in Pauley Pavilion). UCLA swept both regular-season meetings in 2022. Jaylen Jasper averaged 5.17 kills per set.
MPSF CHAMPIONS — Pepperdine needed to win the MPSF Tournament to have its season continue, and the Waves did just that in Pauley Pavilion. Over four nights, the third-seeded Waves beat sixth-seeded BYU in five sets, second-seeded USC in four sets and fifth-seeded Stanford in five sets. Bryce Dvorak was named MVP and Alex Gettinger and Jacob Steele joined him on the all-tournament team. This was Pepperdine's sixth MPSF Tournament title.
NATIONAL STATS — The Waves are in the top 10 in the nation in assists (12.55, second), kills (13.16, fifth) and hitting (.329, seventh) ... Bryce Dvorak is fourth in assists (10.80).
MPSF AWARDS — David Hunt was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the second time in his five seasons ... Bryce Dvorak and Austin Wilmot were on the All-MPSF second team ... Jaylen Jasper, Jacob Steele and Spencer Wickens were honorable mention ... All five players were repeat All-MPSF honorees ... Wilmot earned his third straight second team honor, while Dvorak has been second team twice in two years ... Jasper received his fourth All-MPSF award (the first three were at Stanford).
ABOUT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY — Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men's sports — one of just 18 schools to have accomplished this feat — and 10 overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a "major" conference. The Waves have won a total of 26 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that's given to the top non-football school, three times (most recently in 2011-12). Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks the Pacific Ocean and its campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the nation's most beautiful. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks #49 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.
MATCH #29 — Tuesday (May 3) at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California: #5 Pepperdine (19-9) at #3 UCLA (21-4) in the NCAA opening round at 5 p.m.
MATCH #30 — If Pepperdine wins ... Thursday (May 5) at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California: Pepperdine vs. #2 and top-seeded Long Beach State (20-5) in the NCAA semifinals at 5 p.m.
MATCH #31 — If Pepperdine wins ... Saturday (May 7) at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California: NCAA championship match at 5 p.m.
WATCH/ONLINE — The opening-round matches will be streamed at Pac-12.com, the semifinals will be streamed on NCAA.com and the final will be televised on ESPN2. Links to broadcasts and live stats can be found at PepperdineWaves.com.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY — The Waves' NCAA championships were won in 1978, 1985, 1986, 1992 and 2005. The 1985 and 2005 titles were won in Pauley Pavilion. Pepperdine is making its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance. It's only the third time that the Waves have played in at least three NCAA Tournaments in a row (1976-78 and 1983-86). The Waves made the semifinals in 2019 and played in the opening round in 2021 (there was no 2020 tournament due to COVID-19). Spencer Wickens is the only Wave who will have played in all three in the current run. The Waves have an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 18-12.
UCLA — UCLA (19) and Pepperdine (five) are 1-2 in terms of men's volleyball NCAA championships won. The Waves are 45-85 all-time against the Bruins. This is the seventh time the schools have met in the NCAA Tournament. The previous six all took place in the national championship match (the Waves are 2-4 in those matches, with wins in 1978 and 2005, the latter coming in Pauley Pavilion). UCLA swept both regular-season meetings in 2022. Jaylen Jasper averaged 5.17 kills per set.
MPSF CHAMPIONS — Pepperdine needed to win the MPSF Tournament to have its season continue, and the Waves did just that in Pauley Pavilion. Over four nights, the third-seeded Waves beat sixth-seeded BYU in five sets, second-seeded USC in four sets and fifth-seeded Stanford in five sets. Bryce Dvorak was named MVP and Alex Gettinger and Jacob Steele joined him on the all-tournament team. This was Pepperdine's sixth MPSF Tournament title.
NATIONAL STATS — The Waves are in the top 10 in the nation in assists (12.55, second), kills (13.16, fifth) and hitting (.329, seventh) ... Bryce Dvorak is fourth in assists (10.80).
MPSF AWARDS — David Hunt was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the second time in his five seasons ... Bryce Dvorak and Austin Wilmot were on the All-MPSF second team ... Jaylen Jasper, Jacob Steele and Spencer Wickens were honorable mention ... All five players were repeat All-MPSF honorees ... Wilmot earned his third straight second team honor, while Dvorak has been second team twice in two years ... Jasper received his fourth All-MPSF award (the first three were at Stanford).
ABOUT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY — Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men's sports — one of just 18 schools to have accomplished this feat — and 10 overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a "major" conference. The Waves have won a total of 26 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that's given to the top non-football school, three times (most recently in 2011-12). Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks the Pacific Ocean and its campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the nation's most beautiful. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks #49 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.
Players Mentioned
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