Off the Block

Tag: BYU

  • 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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  • The aftermath of the World Championship: 5 things to take away from Team USA

    The World Championship ended Wednesday, but there are many things college men’s volleyball teams and fans should take away from the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team’s performance.

    No. 9 United States reached the final four for the first time in World Championship history before losing to No. 1 Argentina in the semifinals and No. 5 Serbia in the bronze medal game. The United States roster was comprised of 15 current college men’s volleyball players and four incoming freshmen.

    Check out the top five things to take away from the World Championship for the upcoming NCAA men’s volleyball season in January.
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  • Former Hawai’i, Cal Poly coach Wilton selected for Cal Poly Hall of Fame

    A multiple winner of the AVCA Men’s Volleyball Coach of Year award will be inducted into a college’s athletics hall of fame for his work with women’s volleyball.

    Mike Wilton, a former men’s volleyball coach at Hawai’i and women’s volleyball coach at Cal Poly, was selected to the Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame, the school’s athletics department announced Tuesday.

    Wilton in his 11 years at Cal Poly from 1978-89 guided the Mustangs to nine NCAA Tournament appearances. In addition, the coach reached the NCAA Regional Finals three times, and the Mustangs were ranked No. 1 in the coaches poll during the 1985 season.
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  • No. 9 USA gold medal hopes dashed, lose to No. 1 Argentina in semifinals

    The U.S. Men’s Junior National Team’s dream of winning the country’s first gold medal at the World Championship is officially finished.

    No. 1 Argentina rallied from a one-game decifit to defeat No. 9 United States 27-29, 28-26, 25-19, 25-20 in the World Championship semifinals Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    With this victory, Argentina (6-1) will play the winner of the other semifinals match between No. 2 Russia and No. 5 Serbia in the gold medal match Wednesday. The United States (4-3) will play the loser of the Russia-Serbia match for the bronze medal Wednesday.
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  • Sander, Torres boost USA past Spain and into World Championship semifinals

    No. 11 Spain could only contain Taylor Sander for so long before the BYU All-American outside attacker unloaded and help lift the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team to the World Championship semifinals.

    After being held to five kills in the first two games, Sander ended with a match-high 25 kills as the No. 9 United States defeated Spain 25-21, 20-25, 26-24, 28-30, 15-11 on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    With this second-round victory the United States (4-1, 2-0 Pool E) clinched a spot in the semifinals for the first time in the tournament’s 40-year history. The United States previous best finish at a World Championship in the last 10 years was seventh place in 2007.
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  • BYU outside attacker Sander pounds Japan, USA in 2nd round of World Championship

    With the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team facing elimination from the World Championship, BYU All-American outside attacker Taylor Sander had his biggest performance at the international tournament.

    Sander had a match-high 19 kills as the No. 9 United States defeated No. 13 Japan 25-20, 21-25, 25-18, 25-19 to advance to the second round of the World Championship on Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    The United States (2-1, 2-1 Pool A) entered this match tied for second place in Pool A after losing to No. 6 Brazil on Tuesday and had to beat Japan in at least four games to guarantee it would be one of the two Pool A teams advancing to the second round.
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  • USA Volleyball reveals roster for 2011 World University Games

    Five current college men’s volleyball players and seven recent graduates will represent the United States at the World University Games.

    USA Volleyball announced Monday its 12-player roster and six alternates for the 2011 World University Games on Aug. 12-23 in Shenzhen, China.

    “The team motto is ‘The Tradition Continues,’” head coach Gordon Mayforth said in a statement released Monday. “The USA has had a long tradition of doing well at this event. When you read the players and names on the list, I think we should expect to be in the mix.”
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  • BYU’s Sander leads U.S. in sweep against Bulgaria at World Championship

    Playing in his first World Championship match, U.S. and BYU All-American outside attacker Taylor Sander was quick to make a name for himself

    Sander had a match-high 11 kills as the No. 9 U.S. Men’s Junior National Team swept No. 15 Bulgaria 25-22, 25-18, 25-21 in its pool-play opener Monday at the World Championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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  • Q&A with new BYU head coach Chris McGown

    Chris McGown can’t help but have a little flashback every time he enters his BYU coaching office.

    As a teenager McGown would run into the same office every week to visit his father, Carl McGown the BYU men’s volleyball head coach. Almost 25 years later it is now the son working out that office — and just like his father working to coach BYU to a NCAA championship.

    The Cougars in June hired McGown, an assistant coach with the BYU women’s volleyball team, to become the new head coach of the BYU men’s volleyball team.
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