After a stellar year of men’s volleyball season, Long Beach State’s TJ DeFalco was named the AVCA Division I-II Player of the Year.
DeFalco earns the honor for the first time in his career and the fourth 49er to earn the award, with the last coming in 2013 when Taylor Crabb took the honor. The award was handed out at the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship Banquet In Columbus Wednesday evening.
Your 2017 AVCA Player of the Year…TJ DeFalco!!! #GoBeach #FinalFour pic.twitter.com/6BHo7CLUhH
— LBSU Mens Volleyball (@LBSU_MVB) May 4, 2017
This isn’t the first honor that DeFalco has claimed this 2017 season as he garnered a First Team All-American award earlier this week – his second First-Team honor, his first in 2016. He also earned the MPSF Tournament MVP, helping Long Beach State to their first MPSF title. In addition, DeFalco took home a VolleyMob National Player of the Week honor after his MPSF tournament performance.
A sophomore for the 49ers, DeFalco has a terrific season, ranking 6th in the nation with 3.99 kills per set and 407 kills on the year and 7th nationally with a .394 hitting percentage. DeFalco has amassed 28 double-digit kill outings in the team’s 30 matches this season and hitting at least .400 in 15 matches.
DeFalco also adds 1.73 digs and 0.72 blocks per set for 49ers.
Long Beach State and DeFalco will look to win their first national title since 1991, starting with BYU tomorrow, who just took down Barton in a three-set sweep in the opening round of the NCAA Men’s Tournament.
Congratulations to TJ DeFalco!!! #GoBeach #FinalFour pic.twitter.com/SPoqQG9585
— LBSU Mens Volleyball (@LBSU_MVB) May 4, 2017
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