Best of State: The top current NCAA men’s volleyball player from every state

College men’s volleyball is continuing to grow — along with all the places throughout the United States that are producing players.

Off the Block in a recent analysis ranked the top current NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball player from each state entering the upcoming season.

The criteria used to determine the best player from each state included returning players’ on-court performances with their college teams in previous years and participating in any international tournaments this summer. In addition, pre-college accolades and achievements were considered for incoming recruits.

NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball rosters for the upcoming season will feature players from 35 states. To view the Off the Block map showing the hometowns for all current NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball players, click here.

More than 700 players will compete in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball during the upcoming season that begins in January. There are 42 NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball programs throughout the United States with two more Division II schools adding the sport for the 2019 season.

A player’s state for this analysis was based on the hometown listed on their school’s athletics department website.

Arizona

Best current NCAA player from Arizona: JT Hatch, UCLA
The all-conference outside attacker finished last season in the nation’s 25 with a .328 kills per game average and had seven matches with double-digit kills. He also switched positions to libero in the second half of the 2017 season and in his new role had at least 10 digs in two matches.
Number of players from Arizona on NCAA rosters: 18

California

Best current NCAA player from California: TJ DeFalco, Long Beach State
The All-American outside attacker and 2017 AVCA Player of the Year ended last season in the nation’s top 10 with both a 3.99 kills per game average and a .389 attack percentage. The incoming junior also helped lead the 49ers to the NCAA Tournament semifinals for the second consecutive year and spent the offseason playing with the U.S. Men’s National Team in the FIVB World League.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from California: Jake Arnitz, UCLA; Kyle Ensing, Long Beach State; Arvis Greene, CSUN; Calvin Mende, Penn State; Kevin Rakestraw, Stanford; Brenden Sander, BYU; Josh Tuaniga, Long Beach State; Matt Yoshimoto, Lewis
Number of players from California on NCAA rosters: 218

Colorado

Best current NCAA player from Colorado: Jack Carlson, Fort Wayne
Carlson finished last season with a team-high 1.68 digs per game average. The libero had at least five digs in 14 matches, including a season-high 15 digs in a five-game loss against Lindenwood in February.
Number of players from Colorado on NCAA rosters: 2

Connecticut

Best current NCAA player from Connecticut: Brandon Baker, North Greenville
Baker enters his freshman season after leading his high school team to a state championship and being named the most valuable player of the Connecticut State Championship.
Number of players from Connecticut on NCAA rosters: 3

Florida

Best current NCAA player from Florida: Johnny Gomez, George Mason
Gomez was among the EIVA leaders last season with a 2.27 digs per game average. In addition, the all-conference libero ended the 2016 season averaging a nation-best 3.03 digs per game and helped George Mason reach the NCAA Tournament.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from Florida: Kyle Dagostino, Stanford; Bret Rutledge, Mount Olive
Number of players from Florida on NCAA rosters: 39

Georgia

Best current NCAA player from Georgia: Julian Moses, Lewis
Moses as a freshman finished the 2016 season among the MIVA leaders with a 3.00 kills per game average and had double-digit kills in 14 matches. However, he missed the 2017 season because of an injury.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from Georgia: Bryan Cardozo, Erskine
Number of players from Georgia on NCAA rosters: 3

Hawaii

Best current NCAA player from Hawaii: Micah Ma’a, UCLA
The All-American setter running UCLA’s 6-2 offense guided the Bruins to the third-best attack percentage in the nation last season at .326. Ma’a, the 2016 recipient of the Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Server of the Year, also ended last season among the nation’s leaders with a 0.33 aces per game average.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from Hawaii: Evan Enriques, Stanford; Austin Matautia, Hawai’i; Cullen Mosher, Grand Canyon; Larry Tuileta, Hawai’i
Number of players from Hawaii on NCAA rosters: 20

Illinois

Best current NCAA player from Illinois: Jeff Jendryk, Loyola
Jendryk, a finalist for the 2017 Ryan Millar Award, ended last season in the nation’s top 10 with both a .431 attack percentage and a 1.16 blocks per game average. The All-American middle attacker also spent the offseason playing with the U.S. Men’s National Team and was named the 2017 Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Player of the Offseason.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from Illinois: Paul Bischoff, Stanford; Gert Lisha, USC; Mitch Perinar, Lewis; Michael Simmons, Lewis; Jeff Sprayberry, King; Matt Walsh, Ball State; David Wieczorek, Pepperdine
Number of players from Illinois on NCAA rosters: 108

Indiana

Best current NCAA player from Indiana: Tony Price, Fort Wayne
Price ended the 2016 season in the top 20 of the MIVA with both a 2.54 kills per game average and 152 digs. The outside attacker in 2017, though, suffered an injury in the season-opener and missed the rest of the season.
Number of players from Indiana on NCAA rosters: 3

Kentucky

Best current NCAA player from Kentucky: Zach Hendrickson, BYU
Hendrickson helped lead his high school team to three state championships and was a Kentucky all-state selection during all four years in high school. The incoming freshman libero is the only player from Kentucky on a NCAA roster.
Number of players from Kentucky on NCAA rosters: 1

Louisiana

Best current NCAA player from Louisiana: Evan Cory, Lincoln Memorial
Cory earned 2017 Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. All-IVA Team honors after leading the first-year program Lincoln Memorial with a 2.65 kills per game average. The freshman also had double-digit kills in 14 regular season matches, including a season-high 24 kills on a .455 attack percentage in an upset victory against Limestone.
Number of players from Louisiana on NCAA rosters: 2

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Maryland

Best current NCAA player from Maryland: Jaylen Jasper, Stanford
Jasper played for the United States at the FIVB U19 World Championship in August and had a tournament-high 21 kills on a 48.84 percent offensive efficiency in a loss to Egypt. The freshman also was ranked the No. 1 recruit in the nation by Volleyball Magazine.
Number of players from Maryland on NCAA rosters: 5

Massachusetts

Best current NCAA player from Massachusetts: Trevor Dow, Harvard
Dow finished last season second in the EIVA and among the national leaders with a 1.05 blocks per game average. The middle attacker had a .390 attack percentage and did not commit more than four attack errors in any match last season.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from Massachusetts: Jalen Penrose, Penn State
Number of players from Massachusetts on NCAA rosters: 2

Minnesota

Best current NCAA player from Minnesota: Wyatt Dimke, McKendree
Dimke, the only player from Minnesota on a NCAA roster, redshirted as a freshman last season and earned Academic All-MIVA honors.
Number of players from Minnesota on NCAA rosters: 1

Missouri

Best current NCAA player from Missouri: George Huhmann, Princeton
Huhmann, the 2017 EIVA Newcomer of the Year, led the conference and was in the nation’s top 10 with a .387 attack percentage. The all-conference middle attacker also was third in the EIVA averaging 1.03 blocks per game last season and spent the offseason playing for the United States at the FIVB U21 World Championship.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from Missouri: Paul Narup, Loyola; Zach Thompson, McKendree; Nick Lavanchy, Ball State; Adam Brewster, Lindenwood; Jacob Thoenen, Stanford
Number of players from Missouri on NCAA rosters: 21

Nebraska

Best current NCAA player from Nebraska: Simon Bruckner, Quincy
As the only player from Nebraska on a NCAA roster, Bruckner came off the bench for Quincy as a serving specialist last season and had two aces.
Number of players from Nebraska on NCAA rosters: 1

Nevada

Best current NCAA player from Nevada: Leo Durkin, BYU
Durkin was a finalist for the 2017 Lloy Ball Award as he guided BYU offense to the nation’s fourth-best attack percentage at .321. The incoming senior also ended last season sixth in the nation with a 10.38 assists per game average.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from Nevada: Price Jarman, BYU
Number of players from Nevada on NCAA rosters: 8

New Hampshire

Best current NCAA player from New Hampshire: Aaron Cambpell, North Greenville
Campbell finished last season among the ConfCarolinas leaders with a 2.39 kills per game average and had eight matches with double-digit kills. The opposite — and only player from New Hampshire on a NCAA roster — also was third on North Greenville with both 38 blocks and a 1.38 digs per game average.
Number of players from New Hampshire on NCAA rosters: 1

New Jersey

Best current NCAA player from New Jersey: Junior Oboh, Princeton
Oboh finished last season with a .432 attack percentage and had four matches with double-digit kills. The all-conference middle attacker who returned to the court after missing the 2016 season also had at least five blocks in five matches.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from New Jersey: Aidan Albrecht, Penn State; Raymond Kowalski, NJIT; Liam Maxwell, Belmont Abbey
Number of players from New Jersey on NCAA rosters: 17

New York

Co-Best current NCAA player from New York: Josh Ayzenberg, Sacred Heart; Dylan Missry, UCLA
Ayzenberg was a 2017 finalist for the Erik Shoji Award and finished second in the nation with a 2.92 digs per game average. The libero also had 13 matches with double-digit kills, including a season-high 22 digs in an upset victory against Penn State in February.
Missry ended last season with a 2.45 kills per game average and had nine matches with double-digit kills. He also was in the nation’s top 20 averaging 0.38 aces per game and then spent the offseason playing for the United States at the FIVB U21 World Championship.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from New York: Kevin Gear, Penn State; Erik Johnsson, Harvard; Collin Mahan, Loyola
Number of players from New York on NCAA rosters: 32

North Carolina

Best current NCAA player from North Carolina: Chase Johnson, Charleston
Johnson was a member of the U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team and competed at the 2017 FIVB U19 World Championship. The freshman setter while in high school also competed at the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships the last three years.
Number of players from North Carolina on NCAA rosters: 5

Ohio

Co-Best current NCAA player from Ohio: Matthew McManaway, North Greenville; Sam Schindler, Lindenwood
McManaway finished last season in the top 10 of the ConfCarolinas with both a 2.86 kills per game average and a .298 attack percentage. The middle attacker also was third in the conference with a 0.95 blocks per game average.
Schindler was in the nation’s top 20 with a 1.01 blocks per game average last season. The 2017 Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshman All-American middle attacker also had a 2.11 kills per game average and was among the MIVA leaders with a .315 attack percentage.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from Ohio: Ian Cowen, Loyola
Number of players from Ohio on NCAA rosters: 15

Oregon

Best current NCAA player from Oregon: Nash Rauen, Lees-McRae
Rauen, the only player from Oregon on a NCAA roster, did not play in any matches during his freshman season with Lees-McRae in 2017.
Number of players from Oregon on NCAA rosters: 1

Pennsylvania

Best current NCAA player from Pennsylvania: Michael Fisher, St. Francis
Fisher finished last season second in the EIVA and among the national leaders with a 3.53 kills per game average. The Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshman All-American also had at least 15 kills in 10 matches.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from Pennsylvania: Luke Braswell, Penn State; Stephen Braswell, St. Francis; Royce Clemens, Penn State; Gabe Woffindin, St. Francis; Jeff Yasalonis, Mount Olive
Number of players from Pennsylvania on NCAA rosters: 43

Rhode Island

Best current NCAA player from Rhode Island: Calin Butler, Sacred Heart
Butler, the only player from Rhode Island in the NCAA, did not play in any matches during his freshman season in 2017.
Number of players from Rhode Island on NCAA rosters: 1

South Carolina

Best current NCAA player from South Carolina: Kyle Brandt, North Greenville
Brandt finished last season averaging 1.20 kills per game. The opposite also was among the team leaders with a 1.38 digs per game average and 31 blocks.
Number of players from South Carolina on NCAA rosters: 6

Tennessee

Best current NCAA player from Tennessee: Jimmy Nuckolls, King
Nuckolls was eighth in the ConfCarolinas last season with a 2.15 digs per game average. In addition, the all-conference libero had double-digit digs in nine matches.
Number of players from Tennessee on NCAA rosters: 2

Texas

Best current NCAA player from Texas: Parker Dixon, Princeton
Dixon in his freshman season was in the top 10 of the EIVA with a 2.86 kills per game average. The all-conference opposite also had double-digit kills in 16 matches last season, including both matches in the EIVA Tournament.
Number of players from Texas on NCAA rosters: 8

Utah

Best current NCAA player from Utah: Cyrus Fa’alogo, BYU
Fa’alogo joins BYU after having a 5.09 kills per game average last season with Long Beach City College and leading the junior college to a conference title. The sophomore also helped the U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team earn a bronze medal at the 2012 NORCECA Continental Championship.
Number of players from Utah on NCAA rosters: 3

Virginia

Best current NCAA player from Virginia: Sam Porter, CSUN
Porter was ninth in the nation with a 10.11 assists per game average last season and guided the CSUN offense to a .310 attack percentage. The setter also contributed a 1.04 digs per game average as a sophomore during the 2017 season.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from Virginia: Nick Drooker, King; Brett Rosenmeier, Hawai’i
Number of players from Virginia on NCAA rosters: 21

Washington

Best current NCAA player from Washington: Conner Brandland, Charleston
Brandland started four matches for Charleston and had multiple blocks in six matches last season. The middle attacker also had more than .500 attack percentage four times.
Number of players from Washington on NCAA rosters: 2

Wisconsin

Co-Best current NCAA player from Wisconsin: Ryan Coenen, Lewis; Scott Stadick, UC Irvine
Coenen, the 2017 AVCA Newcomer of the Year, was fifth in the MIVA with a 3.20 kills per game average. The Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshman All-American outside attacker also had double-digit kills in 20 matches last season.
Stadick in his freshman season was sixth in the nation with both a .421 attack percentage and a 1.19 blocks per game average. The 2017 Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshman All-American middle attacker also spent the offseason playing for the United States at the FIVB U21 World Championship.
Honorable mentions for best current NCAA player from Wisconsin: Blake Leeson, Ohio State; Matt Szews, Ball State
Number of players from Wisconsin on NCAA rosters: 18

Alabama

No players from Alabama on a college men’s volleyball roster.

Alaska

No players from Alaska on a college men’s volleyball roster.

Idaho

No players from Idaho on a college men’s volleyball roster.

Iowa

No players from Iowa on a college men’s volleyball roster.

Kansas

No players from Kansas on a college men’s volleyball roster.

Maine

No players from Maine on a college men’s volleyball roster.

Michigan

No players from Michigan on a college men’s volleyball roster.

Mississippi

No players from Mississippi on a college men’s volleyball roster.

Montana

No players from Montana on a college men’s volleyball roster.

North Dakota

No players from North Dakota on a college men’s volleyball roster.

Oklahoma

No players from Oklahoma on a college men’s volleyball roster.

South Dakota

No players from South Dakota on a college men’s volleyball roster.

Vermont

No players from Vermont on a college men’s volleyball roster.

West Virginia

No players from West Virginia on a college men’s volleyball roster.

Wyoming

No players from Wyoming on a college men’s volleyball roster.

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