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It’s all about the numbers — particularly the number on the jersey.
Off the Block is unveiling the best player to wear each jersey number in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball during the 25-point rally scoring era.
The final installment in this summer series examines the best to don the No. 31-99 jerseys.
Best player to wear No. 31
Spencer Olivier, Long Beach State (2018 – present)
Awards and honors: 2020 All-Big West Honorable Mention
Player bio: Olivier was in the top 10 of the Big West with a 2.90 kills per game average and hit .307 during his first season in the starting lineup. The outside attacker in that shortened 2020 season because of the coronavirus pandemic had double-digit kills in eight matches, including a season-high 15 kills on a .321 attack percentage in a road victory against Ohio State.
Best player to wear No. 32
Donovan Bethel, Queens (2018-2020)
Awards and honors: N/A
Player bio: Bethel in Queens’ inaugural season finished among the team leaders with a 0.99 kills per game average and had at least five kills in six matches. He also was second on the team with 65 blocks, including a season-high six blocks in a five-game victory against Belmont Abbey. After redshirting the 2019 season, Bethel appeared in two matches last season.
Best player to wear No. 33
John Hodul, Lewis (2014-17)
Awards and honors: N/A
Player bio: Hodul as a senior was eighth in the MIVA with a 0.95 blocks per game average, including having a season-high seven blocks in a road victory against Penn State. The middle attacker also had a team-high .407 attack percentage and had seven matches with at least five kills and zero errors. Among his top performances that season featured a season-high nine kills while hitting .750 in a victory versus Pepperdine.
Best player to wear No. 34
John Zappia, UCLA (2013-16)
Awards and honors: N/A
Player bio: Zappia started three matches during his senior season and hit .562. The middle attacker had a season-high seven kills and zero errors on a .700 attack percentage along with five blocks in a non-conference sweep against Princeton. The previous season he appeared in five matches and had a career-high 11 kills in a victory versus Saint Francis.
Best player to wear No. 35
Kyle Merchen, Concordia-Irvine (2019)
Awards and honors: N/A
Player bio: Merchen played one season for the Eagles and did not appear in any matches.
Best player to wear No. 36
Vincent Tuminelli, Princeton (2008-11)
Awards and honors during the 25-point rally scoring era: N/A
Player bio: Tuminelli as a senior split time at outside attacker and libero and finished the season in the conference’s top 20 with both a 2.55 kills per game average and a 2.12 digs per game average. Among his top performances included having a season-high 26 kills on a .510 attack percentage and 14 digs against Sacred Heart in the season finale. Tuminelli the previous year during the 30-point rally scoring era finished in the conference’s top 10 for kills and earned EIVA All-Tournament Team honors.
Best player to wear No. 37
Chris Kennedy, Princeton (2014-17)
Awards and honors: 2015 Second-Team All-EIVA
Player bio: Kennedy spent his first two seasons wearing No. 37 before changing to No. 7 at the start of his junior season. The setter earned a spot in the starting lineup as a freshman and finished that season second in the conference with a 10.40 assists per game average as the Tigers reached the EIVA Tournament finals. Kennedy the following season had a 9.32 assist per game average and helped guide Princeton to multiple wins against nationally ranked teams and another EIVA Tournament appearance.
Best players to wear No. 38-41
No players have worn these numbers.
Best player to wear No. 42
Andrew Salmon, Mount Olive (2016)
Awards and honors: N/A
Player bio: Salmon in his only season at Mount Olive finished third in the conference with a 2.85 digs per game average. The libero had double-digit digs in four matches, including a season-high 18 digs in three-game loss to King.
Best players to wear No. 43
No player has worn this number.
Best player to wear No. 44
Nate Saksa, Mount Olive (2015-16)
Awards and honors: N/A
Player bio: Saksa as a freshman appeared in four matches and had a season-high four kills on a .375 attack percentage in a late-season match against Pfeiffer. The following season he also appeared in two matches and had two digs.
Best players to wear No. 45-50
No players have worn these numbers.
Best player to wear No. 51
Thomas Kovanic, Loyola (2018-19)
Awards and honors: N/A
Player bio: Kovanic appeared in six matches during his final season with Loyola and had two kills and two blocks in a conference victory against McKendree. In addition, Kovanic’s freshman season featured him playing in four matches and having a kill against BYU.
Best players to wear No. 52-69
No players have worn these numbers.
Best player to wear No. 70
Kevin Vaz, Cal Baptist (2016-17)
Awards and honors: N/A
Player bio: Vaz in his final season at Cal Baptist led the team and was among the MPSF leaders with a 2.64 kills per game average, including having a match-high 25 kills in a near upset against Cal Baptist. He also had more than 100 blocks during his two seasons with the Lancers. After Cal Baptist disbanded its program after the 2017 season, Vaz transferred to Pepperdine and wearing the No. 22 jersey helped the Waves reach the 2019 NCAA Tournament semifinals.
Best players to wear No. 71-87
No players have worn these numbers.
Best player to wear No. 88
Peyton Schirman, Mount Olive (2015-16)
Awards and honors: 2016 First-Team All-ConfCarolinas, 2015 ConfCarolinas All-Tournament Team
Player bio: Schirman was in the conference’s top five with a 3.77 kills per game average on a .301 attack percentage during the 2016 season. Among his top performances included a season-high 24 kills while hitting .489 in a four-game loss to Barton. As a freshman, Shirman finished in the top 15 of the ConfCarolinas with a 2.88 kills per game average and had at least 15 kills in seven matches.
Best players to wear No. 89-90
No players have worn these numbers.
Best player to wear No. 91
Andrew Miller, Limestone (2011-14)
Awards and honors: 2013 Second-Team All-ConfCarolinas, 2013 ConfCarolinas All-Tournament Team
Player bio: Miller ended his junior season in the nation’s top 20 with a 1.13 blocks per game average and had a career-high 115 blocks. The opposite also was among the conference leaders that season averaging 2.12 kills per game on a nation-best .351 attack percentage. Miller had at least 100 kills in each of his four college seasons. In addition, Miller as a senior was seventh in the ConfCarolinas with a career-best 2.19 digs per game average.
Best players to wear No. 92-99
No players have worn these numbers.