The Place for College Men's Volleyball
Brendan Yu | Special Contributor
Following an early exit from the NCAA Tournament last season, it’s tempting to say UC Irvine is entering the 2019 season looking to rectify that loss from the previous season.
Coach David Kniffin, now entering his seventh year at the helm, said as much in the team’s postgame news conference after the season-ending loss to Ohio State, noting that it felt like “unfinished business.” Continue reading “Asian tour gives UC Irvine head start to 2019 season”
There’s no question who is the preseason favorite to win the national title.
The defending NCAA champions Long Beach State received every first-place vote to finish atop the preseason AVCA National Coaches Poll that was released on Tuesday. Continue reading “Long Beach State voted unanimous No. 1 in preseason coaches poll”
Loyola isn’t wasting any time in the 2019 season playing a marquee non-conference match.
The defending co-MIVA regular season champions announced on Sunday that it will play UC Irvine in its season opener on Jan. 4 in Chicago. Continue reading “Massive season opener set: Loyola to play host to UC Irvine”
[Editor’s note: Off the Block in collaboration with the EIVA is presenting The Top 15 EIVA Non-Conference Matches. This list spotlights the best non-conference matches scheduled for EIVA teams in 2019 and will be the first time several of these matches have been publicly announced. George Mason versus UC Irvine is ranked No. 2 on the list.]
George Mason will get a shot on its home court next season to end the 24-year drought against a likely preseason top-10 nationally ranked team. Continue reading “George Mason schedules home match vs. UC Irvine for 2019”
[Editor’s note: Off the Block in collaboration with the EIVA is presenting The Top 15 EIVA Non-Conference Matches. This list spotlights the best non-conference matches scheduled for EIVA teams in 2019 and will be the first time several of these matches have been publicly announced. Charleston versus UC Irvine is ranked No. 13 on the list.]
The second time traveling out west in Charleston’s program history will feature a match against a likely top-10 national ranked team. Continue reading “Charleston schedules 2019 non-conference match vs. UC Irvine”
The club careers for eight incoming NCAA men’s volleyball freshmen now includes leading their program to an unprecedented fourth straight national title.
The Southern California team 949 B12 Black swept Balboa Bay 25-16, 25-21 in the Open 18 Division championship match at the USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championship earlier this week in Phoenix, Arizona. Continue reading “Club team featuring eight NCAA recruits wins USA Volleyball national title”
Two NCAA men’s volleyball players have been selected to play for Canada as the country tries to qualify for the 2019 FIVB U21 World Championship.
UC Irvine opposite Alexandre Nsakanda and Stanford libero Justin Lui were among the players named to the Canadian Men’s Junior National Team that announced its roster earlier this week. Continue reading “Stanford, UC Irvine players make Canadian Junior National Team”
Freshman opposite Jake Hanes had a match-high 22 kills and set a NCAA Tournament single-match record with eight aces as Ohio State beat UC Irvine on Tuesday.
Check out the video highlights of this NCAA Tournament first-round match filmed by Off the Block associate editor Jonathan Bates. Continue reading “Video: Ohio State edges UC Irvine in fifth-game OT to advance to VolleyFour”
Watch the postmatch news conference with UC Irvine players and coach David Kniffin following the team’s five-game loss to Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament first round on Tuesday. Continue reading “Video: UC Irvine NCAA Tournament first round postmatch news conference”
Brendan Yu | Off the Block special contributor
The NCAA Tournament first round on Tuesday in the Pauley Pavilion featured a slugfest between two heavyweights in the world of men’s volleyball – UC Irvine and Ohio State – whom together have combined for seven of the last 10 national championships. But while the Anteaters held more titles than the Buckeyes (4-3), the recent success of both programs couldn’t have been more different. Continue reading “Freshman Hanes delivers big for Ohio State senior class in NCAA win”
Follow