Cole Hartke Named an AVCA Player of the Year Finalist
5/5/2026 11:27:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 4 Pepperdine men's volleyball team's (24-7, 13-1 MPSF) Cole Hartke is one of four named a National Player of the Year finalist, the AVCA announced Tuesday afternoon.
"Cole has worked tremendously hard to improve his game this season and made great strides from last year," head coach Jonathan Winder said. "He has consistently been one of the most dominant players in college volleyball over the whole year. It's a great honor to be in the mix here on this award and we're proud he's representing Pepperdine so well."
The sophomore from Barrington, Ill. leads the nation in kills per set at 4.30 and points scored with 5.26 per set. As the only opposite on the list, Hartke is joined by UCLA's Andrew Rowan, Hawaii's Tread Rosenthal, and Ball State's Patrick Rogers.
Adding National Player of the Year Finalist to his already decorated resume, Hartke collected multiple player of the weeks throughout the season, both within the MPSF and nationally. The winner will be announced at the AVCA banquet Friday in Westwood before the semifinals of the NCAA tournament Saturday in Pauley Pavilion.
Finishing in the regional final of the NCAA tournament last weekend, the Waves made their first back-to-back NCAA appearances under head coach Jonathan Winder, leaving Firestone Fieldhouse with one final year of shattering attendance records and setting new standards as the team moves to the inaugural year in the Mountain at Mullin Park for the 2027 season.
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.
FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine men's volleyball news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineMVB_ .
"Cole has worked tremendously hard to improve his game this season and made great strides from last year," head coach Jonathan Winder said. "He has consistently been one of the most dominant players in college volleyball over the whole year. It's a great honor to be in the mix here on this award and we're proud he's representing Pepperdine so well."
The sophomore from Barrington, Ill. leads the nation in kills per set at 4.30 and points scored with 5.26 per set. As the only opposite on the list, Hartke is joined by UCLA's Andrew Rowan, Hawaii's Tread Rosenthal, and Ball State's Patrick Rogers.
Adding National Player of the Year Finalist to his already decorated resume, Hartke collected multiple player of the weeks throughout the season, both within the MPSF and nationally. The winner will be announced at the AVCA banquet Friday in Westwood before the semifinals of the NCAA tournament Saturday in Pauley Pavilion.
Finishing in the regional final of the NCAA tournament last weekend, the Waves made their first back-to-back NCAA appearances under head coach Jonathan Winder, leaving Firestone Fieldhouse with one final year of shattering attendance records and setting new standards as the team moves to the inaugural year in the Mountain at Mullin Park for the 2027 season.
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.
FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine men's volleyball news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineMVB_ .
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