Way-Too-Early 2019 VolleyMob Men’s Top 20 Power Rankings (Full List + HM)

With the start of July, we are about six months out from the start of the 2019 Men’s DI-II Volleyball season. That will be the opportunity for Long Beach State to defend their National Championship after downing UCLA in 2018. We should see plenty of those two teams along with their two leagues competing once again. With that being said, it’s time for VolleyMob’s Way-Too-Early 2018 Preseason Top 20.

Since these rankings are early and we don’t necessarily have the full picture in terms of recruiting and transfers still to come, most of this is based on experience and starters returning. As we move closer to the winter, we will update our rankings as needed. Until then, we will released five teams at a time this week, leading to the culmination of #1-5 yesterday. Here is the cumulative results that includes Honorable Mention picks as well.

• #16-20 (Monday)
• #11-15 (Below)
• #6-10 (Wednesday)
• #1-5 (Thursday)
• Full List + Honorable Mentions (Friday)

1. LONG BEACH STATE 49ers

• 2018 Finish/Rank: National Champions, #1 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 28-1 (9-1, 1st Big West)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 5 + Libero
• Key Returners: OH TJ DeFalco (2018 AVCA First-Team AA), OH/RS Kyle Ensing (2018 AVCA First-Team AA), S Josh Tuaniga (2018 AVCA First-Team AA), MB Nick Amado (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), MB Simon Anderson (2018 AVCA All-America HM)
• Key Losses: OH Bjarne Huus (2018 Big West HM)
• Bottom Line: If they really want to, the 49ers can return essentially their entire core that led them to the National Championship. One of the biggest pieces of that all – TJ DeFalco – already announced his intentions to return in 2019 back at the start of this year. In fact, four of the five returning starters would all be seniors. Talk about experience, talent and achievement all wrapped up into one. Not only would they be the favorites again in 2019, but they might even be favored to go undefeated after a 28-1 season in 2018, although the Big West should be quite the challenge.

2. UC IRVINE ANTEATERS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: NCAA Tournament, #6 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 21-10 (6-4, T-2nd Big West)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 6 + Libero
• Key Returners: RS Karl Apfelbach (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), MB Scott Stadick (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), OH Joel Schneidmiller (2018 AVCA All-America HM, Big West Freshman of the Year), OH Aaron Koubi (2018 AVCA All-America HM), L David Parker (2018 Big West HM), S Dante Chakravorti (2018 Big West HM), MB Austin Wilmot (2018 Big West Freshman Team)
• Key Losses: None with award recognition
• Bottom Line: The Anteaters technically had two seniors in Aaron Koubi and David Parker, but UC Irvine lists them both as juniors who have utilized redshirts. We will trust them on the matter, meaning they would be returning their entire starting lineup for 2019. They’ve got NCAA Tournament experience now too and plenty of talent to match.

3. HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: Big West Championship Match, #4 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 19-8 (6-4, T-2nd Big West)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 6
• Key Returners: OH Stijn van Tilburg (2018 AVCA First-Team AA), S Joe Worsley (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), MB Patrick Gasman (2018 AVCA All-America HM), RS Rado Parapunov (2018 AVCA All-America HM), DS/L Gage Worsley (2018 Big West Freshman Team)
• Key Losses: L Larry Tuileta (2018 AVCA First-Team AA) 
• Bottom Line: Hawaii slides right behind UC Irvine, who has the extra starter with the libero, but they should be neck-and-neck with the Anteaters once again in 2019. Beyond that, they should be ready to challenge LBSU again as the only team who was able to take them down. They’ll have to overcome the loss of Tuileta and OH Austin Matautia (transfer to UCLA), but have plenty back. Those two along with these Rainbow Warriors should make for a dynamic race in the Big West next season.

4. UCLA BRUINS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: National Runner-Up, #2 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 26-8 (9-3, 2nd MPSF)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 3 + Libero
• Key Returners: MB Daenan Gyimah (2018 AVCA First-Team AA), S Micah Ma’a (2018 AVCA First-Team AA), OH Dylan Missry (2018 MPSF Second-Team)
• Key Losses: OH Jake Arnitz (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), OH/L JT Hatch (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), RS Christian Hessenauer (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), MB Oliver Martin (2018 MPSF HM)
• Bottom Line: The Bruins were so close to winning it all in 2018, and will look to get over that hump in 2019 with two vital stars back to lead the way. Dylan Missry was also a key component to UCLA almost winning the title and should have a nice jump-off point for 2019 with an increased role. They also welcome former Hawaii OH Austin Matautia who hit .349 in his sophomore season. What keeps them out of the top three though is the loss of four important pieces that they will need to replace.

5. BYU COUGARS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: Volley Four, #3 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 22-7 (10-2, 1st MPSF)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 3 + Libero
• Key Returners: RS Gabi Garcia Fernandez (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), MB Felipe de Brito Ferreira (2018 MPSF HM)
• Key Losses: OH Brenden Sander (2018 AVCA First-Team AA), S Leo Durkin (2018 AVCA All-America HM), MB Price Jarman (2018 AVCA All-America HM)
• Bottom Line: BYU still has plenty of firepower back for 2019, led by a pair of sophomores-to-be. The issue is that the three starters they lose were critical pieces to last season’s MPSF regular and post-season championships. On the bright side, BYU did get some experience without Jarman, who was injured and missed some time during the year.

6. LEWIS FLYERS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: MIVA Semifinals, #8 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 19-11 (9-5, 4th MIVA)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 6 + Libero
• Key Returners: OH Ryan Coenen (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), OH/L Michael Simmons (2018 AVCA All-America HM), S Matt Yoshimoto (2018 AVCA All-America HM), RS Mitch Perinar (2018 MIVA Second-Team), MB Tyler Mitchem (2018 MIVA Second-Team), MB TJ Murray (2018 MIVA Freshman Team)
• Key Losses: None with award recognition
• Bottom Line: Lewis could very well be the favorite to win the MIVA in 2019, as they return all of their starters that include a trio with some sort of AVCA All-America recognition. That adds on to star losses for Ohio State and Loyola Chicago, especially after the Flyers took the Buckeyes down to the wire in the MIVA Semifinals.

7. PEPPERDINE WAVES

• 2018 Finish/Rank: MPSF Quarterfinals, #9 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 15-8 (8-4, 3rd MPSF)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 4 + Libero
• Key Returners: OH David Wieczorek (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), MB Max Chamberlain (2018 MPSF Second-Team), S Ryan Mullahey (2018 MPSF HM), MB Michael Wexter (2018 MPSF HM)
• Key Losses: OH Alexander Harthaller (2018 AVCA All-America HM)
• Bottom Line: The Waves had a lackluster finish to 2018, but they should still be excited for 2019 with a majority of their starters back. Most importantly is the potential return of Wieczorek, who starred on the team and coincided with an early turnaround for Pepperdine.

8. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES

• 2018 Finish/Rank: Volley Four, #5 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 25-6 (11-3, T-1st MIVA)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 4 + Libero
• Key Returners: S Sanil Thomas (2018 AVCA All-America HM), MB Blake Leeson (2018 MIVA Second-Team), RS Jake Hanes (2018 MIVA Second-Team)
• Key Losses: OH Nicolas Szerszen (2018 AVCA First-Team AA), OH Maxime Hervoir (2018 AVCA First-Team AA)
• Bottom Line: The Buckeyes two year reign came to a close with a competitive loss in the NCAA Semifinals to Long Beach State. They already lost a good amount last year but still had Szerszen and Hervoir back. Now they bring more back than last year but lose those two, so it will be an interesting transition without one of the best players in the country leading the way.

9. UCSB GAUCHOS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: Big West Quarterfinals, #12 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 11-13 (4-6, 5th Big West)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 6 + Libero
• Key Returners: OH Corey Chavers (2018 Big West First-Team), MB Connor Drake (2018 Big West HM), RS Keenan Sanders (2018 Big West HM), MB Jack Truman (2018 Big West Freshman Team)
• Key Losses: None with award recognition
• Bottom Line: UCSB didn’t finish above .500 last season, but played a tough schedule and even earned some highlight victories such as against Pepperdine, BYU, Fort Wayne, Ball State, CSUN and UC Irvine. Now they’ll look for more consistency, and should find it with all starters back.

10. LOYOLA CHICAGO RAMBLERS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: MIVA Championship, #7 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 23-7 (11-3, T-1st MIVA)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 3 + Libero
• Key Returners: OH Collin Mahan (2018 AVCA All-America HM), S Garrett Zolg (2018 AVCA All-America HM)
• Key Losses: MB Jeff Jendryk (2018 AVCA First-Team AA), RS Ricky Gevis (2018 MIVA First-Team)
• Bottom Line: The Ramblers just missed out on the NCAA Tournament in 2018 and they’ll have the tall task of replacing Jendryk and Gevis if they want to reach it in 2019. That provides some questions, but the duo of Mahan and Zolg should be enough to keep them in the top 10 with potential to rise if they can come up with some answers.

11. CSUN MATADORS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: Big West Semifinals, #10 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 16-11 (5-5, 4th Big West)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 4 + Libero
• Key Returners: MB Eric Chance (2018 Big West First-Team), OH Dimitar Kalchev (2018 Big West First-Team), OH Maciej Ptaszynski (2018 Big West Freshman Team)
• Key Losses: RS Arvis Greene (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), MB Josiah Byers (2018 Big West HM)
• Bottom Line: CSUN brings back a majority of its roster, but they’ll have the challenge of finding a replacement for Arvis Greene, who carried the team in stretches. Maybe the Matadors can do it by committee with as much as they return besides that, but they’ll be counting on internal growth.

12. USC TROJANS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: MPSF Semifinals, RV in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 8-20 (3-9, T-6th MPSF)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 5 + Libero
• Key Returners: OH Jack Wyett (2018 AVCA All-America HM), OH Gianluca Grasso (2018 MPSF HM), RS Ryan Moss (2018 MPSF HM), MB Sam Lewis (2018 MPSF Freshman Team), L Cole Paxson (2018 MPSF Freshman Team)
• Key Losses: None with award recognition 
• Bottom Line: Similar to Stanford, USC did not have quite the season they envisioned. However, their youth allows them to bring back a majority of their team and almost all of their starters. They showed what the future could hold late in the year with an upset of Pepperdine in the MPSF Tournament, which they will hope is a springboard to 2019.

13. FORT WAYNE MASTODONS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: MIVA Quarterfinals, #13 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 18-11 (6-8, T-5th MIVA)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 6 + Libero
• Key Returners: OH Pelegrin Vargas (2018 AVCA All-America HM), S Michael Keegan (2018 MIVA Second-Team), MB Tomas Gago (2018 MIVA Second-Team)
• Key Losses: None with award recognition
• Bottom Line: Fort Wayne exploded on the scene in 2018, but 2019 should be even better. That combination comes with Ohio State and Loyola Chicago losing important players and the Mastodons potentially bringing back all of their starters. They should be a dark horse to compete for the MIVA crown.

14. STANFORD CARDINAL

• 2018 Finish/Rank: MPSF Quarterfinals, UR in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 6-20 (3-9, T-6th MPSF)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 5
• Key Returners: RS Jaylen Jasper (2018 AVCA All-America HM), MB Kyler Presho (2018 MPSF HM)
• Key Losses: L Evan Enriques (2018 AVCA Second-Team AA), MB Kevin Rakestraw (2018 MPSF Second-Team)
• Bottom Line: 2018 did not go at all how the Cardinal wanted as they were hit with a rash of injuries and had plenty of youth beyond that. They do lose two players who kept the team competitive in Enriques and Rakestraw, but bring back five starters and a wealth of depth from those returning from injury and other young-guns.

15. CONCORDIA IRVINE EAGLES

• 2018 Finish/Rank: MPSF Semifinals, #14 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 16-15 (5-7, 4th MPSF)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 4
• Key Returners: MB Hunter Howell (2018 AVCA All-America HM), S Chandler Gibb (2018 MPSF Second-Team), OH Raymond Barsemian (2018 MPSF Second-Team)
• Key Losses: L Jacob Weiser (2018 MPSF Second-Team) 
• Bottom Line: The Eagles do sustain some losses, notably Weiser, but of the four they return, three were on some sort of all-league or national award list. That is led by Howell, who should push Concordia Irvine to yet another strong season in 2019.

16. BALL STATE CARDINALS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: MIVA Semifinals, #11 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 18-12 (10-4, 3rd MIVA)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 4 + Libero
• Key Returners: S Jake Romano (2018 MIVA Second-Team), OH Ben Chinnici (2018 MIVA Freshman Team)
• Key Losses: MB Matt Walsh (2018 AVCA All-America HM), OH Mitch Weiler (2018 MIVA Second-Team)
• Bottom Line: The Cardinals had a strong finish to the season in MIVA play after an up-and-down non-conference. That could push them into 2019, though they’ll have to figure out the loss of their top two attackers and best player in Walsh.

17. GEORGE MASON PATRIOTS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: EIVA Semifinals, #18 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 17-12 (13-1, 1st EIVA)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 4
• Key Returners: RS Hayden Wagner (2018 AVCA All-America HM), OH Kyle Barnes (2018 EIVA First-Team), MB Jack Reese (2018 EIVA Second-Team)
• Key Losses: S Brian Negron (2018 AVCA All-America HM, EIVA POTY), OH Christian Malias (2018 EIVA Second-Team), L Johnny Gomez (2018 EIVA Second-Team)
• Bottom Line: The Patriots are tough to judge when comparing to the other EIVA teams, because they bring back more starters than Harvard and Penn State, but lose the league’s top player in Negron along with other key pieces. What they have coming back, combined with moving off of a 13-1 EIVA season leaves them as the top ranked team in the conference.

18. PRINCETON TIGERS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: EIVA Championship, #19 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 12-16 (7-7, 4th EIVA)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 4 + Libero
• Key Returners: RS George Huhmann (2018 AVCA All-America HM)
• Key Losses: MB Junior Oboh (2018 EIVA Second-Team)
• Bottom Line: Princeton made a jump at the end of last season and ended the year hot, as although they lost in the EIVA Championship they upended George Mason in the EIVA semifinals. They do lose Oboh, who has been a key contributor for years, but bring back Huhmann and the most returning starters (including the libero) of the 2018 EIVA Tournament participants.

19. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: EIVA Semifinals, #20 in final VM Top 20
• 2018 Record: 15-11 (10-4, T-2nd EIVA)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 3 + Libero
• Key Returners: OH Matthew McLaren (2018 EIVA First-Team), RS Calvin Mende (2018 EIVA First-Team)
• Key Losses: MB Kevin Gear (2018 EIVA Second-Team)
• Bottom Line: The Nittany Lions should benefit from a full season of Calvin Mende if he can be more healthy for 2019, but questions remain for a Penn State team that left something to be desired last year and loses three starters.

20. BARTON BULLDOGS

• 2018 Finish/Rank: Conf. Carolinas Championship, RV in final VM Top 25
• 2018 Record: 21-8 (15-1, T-1st Conf. Carolinas)
• Starters That Can Return for 2018: 6 + Libero
• Key Returners: RS Angelos Mandilaris (2018 Conf. Carolinas First-Team), OH Aleksa Brkovic (2018 Conf. Carolinas First-Team), OH Vasilis Mandilaris (2018 Conf. Carolinas Second-Team), S Oscar Fiorentino (2018 Conf. Carolinas Second-Team)
• Key Losses: None with award recognition 
• Bottom Line: Barton couldn’t win their second straight Conference Carolinas postseason title, falling just short to King in 2018. They look ready to avenge that in 2019 with all starters on par to be back, which would not just make them the clear-cut league favorite, but give them the best chance of any Conference Carolinas team to win the league’s first NCAA Tournament match.

On the Cusp/’Receiving Votes’:

Harvard

Grand Canyon

Lindenwood