Off the Block

Category: College

  • Cal State Northridge releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

    Non-conference matches against some of the top MIVA teams and an eight-match mid-season homestand highlights Cal State Nothridge’s 2012 regular season schedule.

    Cal State Nothridge ended last season tied for last place in the MPSF and missed the conference tournament for the first time since 2001. Matadors coach Jeff Campbell has five starters returning for the upcoming season, including 2011 All-MPSF Freshman Team middle attacker Greg Faulkner.

    Check out the five things to take away from Cal State Northridge’s schedule for the 2012 season.
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  • Legendary coaches McGown, Wilton join BYU as assistants for 2012 season

    Two former head coaches who led teams to NCAA men’s volleyball national championships will be on first-year BYU head coach Chris McGown’s staff for the upcoming season.

    Mike Wilton and Carl McGown will be assistant coaches for the Cougars men’s volleyball team during the 2012 season, the BYU athletics department announced Thursday.
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  • UC Irvine releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

    UC Irvine playing nine road matches in the final six weeks of the regular season highlights the team’s upcoming schedule as the Anteaters on Thursday released its 2012 regular season schedule.

    UC Irvine ended last season No. 4 in the final coaches poll and advanced to the MPSF Tournament semifinals. Coach John Speraw has three starters returning for the 2012 season, including All-American outside attacker Carson Clark.

    Check out the five things to take away from UC Irvine’s schedule for the 2012 season.
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  • Pacific releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

    A road match against the defending NCAA champions Ohio State and a 22-match MPSF schedule highlights Pacific’s upcoming season as the team earlier this week released its 2012 regular season schedule.

    Pacific ended last year No. 15 in the final coaches poll and won its most matches since the 2007 season but failed to make the eight-team MPSF Tournament. The Tigers have all their starters returning for the upcoming season, including All-MPSF Honorable Mention outside attacker Taylor Hughes.

    Check out the five things to take away from Pacific’s schedule for the 2012 season.
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  • Multiple All-American Werle to join former coach’s staff at Grand Canyon

    A former National Player of the Year winner will join the Grand Canyon coaching staff this upcoming season.

    The Grand Canyon athletics department announced Wednesday that Matt Werle was hired as a men’s volleyball assistant coach for the 2012 season.

    Werle as a junior was named the 2007 AVCA Division III National Player of the Year after helping lead Juniata to its fourth consecutive Molten Division III national championship, a non-sanctioned NCAA event. The setter was also a four-time All-American while at Juniata playing for current Grand Canyon coach Jeremy Price.
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  • UCLA outside attacker Quiroga wins 2011 Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award

    UCLA outside attacker Gonzalo Quiroga is the inaugural winner of the Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award.

    Quiroga received 324 votes and 32.5 percent of the total vote out of almost 1,000 online votes cast for this national collegiate men’s volleyball award.

    The Offseason Award recognizes the best performances from current NCAA men’s volleyball players in international tournaments during the summer and gives volleyball fans from around the nation the chance to determine who had the best performance through online voting.
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  • Voting now open for the 2011 Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award

    Off the Block selected the eight finalists, and now it is up to the fans to determine who should win the 2011 Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award.

    The Offseason Award recognizes the best performances from current NCAA men’s volleyball players in international tournaments during the summer and gives volleyball fans the chance to determine who was the best player.

    Fans will determine the winner of the Offseason Award through online voting on the Off the Block website. The online poll will open at 12:01 a.m. (EST) Tuesday and end at 12:01 a.m. (EST) Thursday.
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  • Finalists selected for inaugural Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award

    UPDATE: Click here to vote in the online poll that is now open.

    Eight college men’s volleyball players have been selected as finalists for the 2011 Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award.

    The Offseason Award recognizes the best performances from current NCAA men’s volleyball players in international tournaments during the summer and gives volleyball fans from around the nation the chance to determine who was the best player.

    Off the Block selected the finalists for this inaugural award, which includes UCLA middle attacker Thomas Amberg, USC setter Micah Christenson, UC Irvine outside attacker Carson Clark, UC Santa Barbara middle attacker Dylan Davis, UCLA outside attacker Gonzalo Quiroga, Penn State middle attacker Aaron Russell, BYU outside attacker Taylor Sander and Pepperdine outside attacker Matthew Tarantino.
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  • No. 9 USA defeats No. 10 Egypt to finish Youth World Championship in 11th place

    The U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team won its final tournament match to avoid a bottom-five finish at the World Championship.

    No. 9 United States defeated No. 10 Egypt 29-27, 23-25, 25-20, 25-20 on Sunday in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to finish in 11th place at the 16-team international tournament.

    This is the United States’ (3-5) second-best finish at a World Championship in the last 10 years. The United States finished in 10th place at the last World Championship in 2009.
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  • UCLA sophomore Quiroga guides Argentina to 5th place at World Championship

    An All-MPSF player led his nation to a top-five finish at a prestigious international tournament.

    UCLA outside attacker Gonzalo Quiroga had a match-high 16 kills as No. 1 Argentina swept No. 15 Bulgaria 25-20, 25-11, 25-19 in the fifth-place championship match at the Youth World Championship on Sunday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

    This was the fifth time in eight World Championship matches that Quiroga led Argentina (5-3) in kills. The Argentina captain also led all players at the tournament with 138 kills through the first two rounds, including a match-high 27 kills in a victory against the United States in the opening round.
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