CSUN signs two standout opposites from recent national championships

Photo courtesy of CSUN.

An All-Tournament Team selection form the most recent club national championships along with an opposite who hit more than .400 at that tournament have committed to CSUN.

CSUN coach Jeff Campbell announced that high school seniors Nathan Merren and Griffin Walters have signed national letters of intent to join the Matadors for the 2020 season.

Merren led his club team to a bronze-medal finish and earned All-Tournament honors in the 17 Open Division at the 2018 USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championship. The 6-foot-5 opposite from Quartz Hill, California, also was the most valuable player of his high school team in 2018 and was named to the all-league team.

<

“Nathan is more of a pure opposite, he’s a lefty but he can also hit outside,” Campbell said in a statement. “He has excellent jumping ability and can hit the ball very hard. He’s got a great attitude and is a hard worker, he’ll fit in very well with our system.”

Walters, a 6-foot-6 opposite from Fair Oaks, California, is a two-time all-league recipient and helped lead his high school team to the state sectional finals last season. In addition, Walters with his club team at the national championship this summer finished with a .417 attack percentage and led the team in blocks.

“Griffin is also an excellent athlete and by virtue of being able to play almost any position on the court, he will be extremely valuable to us,” Campbell said. “He set for his high school team as a junior and has hit outside and opposite. He’s got such a great attitude and is an excellent student.”

CSUN finished last season at No. 9 in both the national coaches poll and national media poll. Among the starters returning for the Matadors in 2019 includes all-conference outside attacker Dimitar Kalchev, who was among the Big West leaders with a 3.20 kills per game average last season.