Press Release courtesy of UCSB Athletics
Team Notes
- Record: 2-1
- AVCA: Receiving votes
- Victories over No. 8 Stanford (3-0) and NJIT (3-1)
- Loss to St. Francis (3-1)
- All three matches were played in the 2018 UCSB Asics Invitational. Other teams in field included Long Beach State, CSUN, and Princeton
- This weekend kicks off a seven-match, four-week road swing for UCSB
- Next home match is Feb. 21 vs. Pepperdine; 46-day gap between home matchups is longest of McLaughlin era (hired 2009)
- Big West was a combined 16-1 in season’s first week (UCSB only team w/ loss)
- Gauchos rank 3rd in league in blocking (2.64 per game) and digs (8.36)
- UCSB ranks in top-10 nationally in blocking (fifth), attacks per game (27.6, fifth), and serving (1.73 aces per game, seventh)
- Gauchos hit over .300 in two of three matches last week, a feat they accomplished just eight times in 2017
- All-time record vs. UCLA: 37-125 (0-2 last season)
- Record vs. UCLA under Rick McLaughlin: 8-13
- Record at UCLA under McLaughlin: 2-7
- All-time record vs. USC: 63-55 (1-1 last season)
- Record vs. USC under McLaughlin: 9-9 (7-2 since 2013)
- Record at Galen Center under McLaughlin: 3-7
Player Notes
No. 2 Casey McGarry – S – 6-0 – So. – Manhattan Beach, Calif. – Loyola HS
- Started match vs. St. Francis
- Appeared in other two matches as a late-game serving specialist
- Had 50 assists vs. SFU, his fourth career 50+ assist performance
- 9.56 A/S last year as freshman
No. 3 Roy McFarland – OH – 6-4 – So. – Manhattan Beach, Calif. – Mira Costa HS
- Named to UCSB Asics Invitational All-Tournament Team
- Had 33 kills (3.0/s) on .397 hitting with three aces and 14 digs (1.27/s)
- Hit over .300 in every match last week
- Had 12 kills on .391 hitting vs. NJIT
- Added match-high nine kills vs. Stanford w/ a .571 H%
- Big West Player of the Week nominee
- Averaged 2.88 K/S in March 2017, his only month of solid playing time, which would have ranked second on the team for the whole season
No. 5 Keenan Sanders – MB – 6-6 – So. – San Diego – Scripps Ranch HS
- Missed opening weekend w/ minor injury
- 2017 Off the Block Freshman All-American, MPSF All-Freshman Team
- 2017: 2.22 K/S (second on team), .373, 0.68 B/S
No. 8 Brandon Hopper – MB – 6-6 – RSo. – San Clemente, Calif. – San Clemente HS
- Opening Day starter at MB
- Started two of three matches last week
- Totaled seven kills and four blocks
No. 11 Grady Yould – L – 6-0 – So. – Laguna Niguel, Calif. – Dana Hills HS
- Named to UCSB Asics Invitational All-Tournament Team
- Big West Defensive Player of the Week nominee
- Totaled 20 digs (1.82 per set)
- Had nine in four sets against NJIT
No. 12 Corey Chavers – OH – 6-4 – Jr. – Downey, Calif. – Gahr HS
- Started all 3 matches at OH
- Totaled 36 kills, 11 digs, three aces, three blocks
- Registered most kills, swings, of any Gaucho
- Career 2.29 K/S average
- Second on the 2017 squad in kills per set and total aces
- 3rd in Big West, 4th in nation with 8.73 attacks/set average
- 5th in league with 3.27 K/S average
No. 13 Connor Drake – MB – 6-8 – Jr. – Granite Bay, Calif. – Del Oro HS
- Started two matches last week
- Racked up 13 blocks, incl. 9 vs. NJIT
- Nine total blocks and three solo blocks vs. NJIT were career highs
- Leads Big West in blocking (1.63 per game)
- Added seven kills on 13 swings vs. NJIT
- Led team in blocking last year (1.16)
- Career 1.18 B/S average
No. 16 Hayden Boehle – OH – Sr. – 6-1 – Westchester, Calif. – Loyola HS
- Heavy contributor last three years at L/OH, will redshirt 2018 due to injury
No. 19 Randy DeWeese – S – So. – 6-6 – Sacramento – Natomas Pacific Prep
- Opening Day starter at setter, started two of three matches last week
- Appeared in third match as a late-game serving specialist
- Totaled 62 assists in his two starts (31 in both), an average of 8.86 per game
- Was an all-around threat vs. NJIT, adding five kills on nine attempts, eight digs, five blocks (two solo) and two aces
- Ranks third in the Big West and ninth in the country with a 0.55 aces per set average
- Had exactly two aces in each match last week (incl. his non-start)
- Team hit over .300 in both his starts, something 2017 Gauchos did just eight times
No. 20 Jack Truman – MB – 6-11 – RFr. – Redondo Beach, Calif. – Loyola HS
- Started final two matches of weekend
- Had 15 kills on 21 swings vs. SFU, a UCSB rally era record for debut kills by a MB
- Most kills by any Gaucho in a debut in the McLaughlin era (since 2009)
- He is one of just three UCSB MB’s to have 15 K in a match in the McLaughin era and the first since Dylan Davis had 17 vs. LBSU on Mar. 12, 2012 (Scott Slaughter in 2009 was the other)
- Totaled 20 kills on the week on .517 hitting, added five blocks
- Leads conference in hitting percentage
- Big West Freshman of the Week nominee
No. 23 Spencer Fredrick – Opp. – So. – 6-3 – Lynwood, Calif. – Valley Christian HS
- Started all three matches last week on right side
- Totaled 20 kills (1.82/s) on 52 swings with 18 digs, seven blocks (three solo), and four aces
- Flirted with a double-double vs. SFU (8K, 10D)
- 1.54 K/S in 24 sets as true freshman last season
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