MALIBU, Calif. – The Pepperdine men's volleyball team (4-2) saw two Waves listed to the AVCA National Player of the Year as Ryan Barnett and Cole Hartke made the list of 15.
Pepperdine is one of four schools to see multiple players named to the watchlist, with no school seeing more than two. Barnett, a first-team All-American, and Hartke, the reigning MPSF Freshman of the Year, are two returning powerhouses for the Waves this season.
So far this year, Hartke has been named the AVCA National Player of the Week after a reverse sweep against No. 9 Lewis as well as a sweep over No. 7 Loyola Chicago. In the same week, the sophomore also tabbed both offensive and defensive player of the week for the MPSF.
This is the first season the AVCA has released a watchlist for Player of the Year.
The Waves are back in action on the road Friday at California State Northridge. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. with streaming available on ESPN+ (subscription required) and live stats available at www.pepperdinewaves.com
ABOUT PEPPERDINE MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Pepperdine men's volleyball boasts one of the richest histories in collegiate volleyball, with five NCAA National Championships. Four of those championships came under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Marv Dunphy who totaled 612 victories in 34 seasons at the helm. With 19 NCAA Appearances and 63 All-Americans, the program has consistently been a destination for top talent across the country. Under current head coach Jonathan Winder, the Waves reached the NCAA Final Four in his third season at the helm in 2025.
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