Standout Performances
We aren't quite halfway done, but let's look at some top-tier performances of 2025, so far.
We are over 400 matches into the 2025 season. 424 if you want to be technical (and I do). I thought it might be fun to give some shout outs to a few of the most stand-out performances of the young-ish season.
Also, I decided to have some fun with AI images. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed prompting them. As a warning, these were the good ones…I’m so sorry.
Killer Whales
30 Kill Club
Max Roquet (Lewis) - 33 kills (5 set win against Mount Olive - 1/24/25)
Willie Lopez Morales (American International) - 32 kills (5 set win against Emerson - 1/30/25)
Eli Zdonek (Catawba) - 30 kills (5 set win against Barton - 1/28/25)
4 Set Wingo
Deklan Wingo (Tusculum) is on another level. He has the most kills in a 4-set match (28 kills) and he also has the 4th most kills in a 4-set match (26 kills).
3 Set Domination
Shout out to True Bauer (Erskine) on having the most kills in a 3-set match (22 kills). Bauer had 56 attacks in that 3-set match…which is exhausting just to type.
Can You Dig It?
20 Dig Club
Fabian Lugo (American International) - 23 digs
Nico Paula (Lewis) - 22 digs
Benjamin Latham (Central State) - 21 digs
Ivaylo Todorov (St. Thomas Aquinas) - 21 digs
Yadiel Diaz (McKendree) - 20 digs
Ace in the Whole
Lucky 7’s (and an 8)
Moni Nikolov (LBSU) - 8 aces
Moni Nikolov (LBSU) - 7 aces [dude is a cheat code]
Kai Vogel (Merrimack) - 7 aces
Ty Carson (Menlo) - 7 aces
Donovan Constable (CSUN) - 7 aces
Bryce Dvorak (UCSD) - 7 aces
Brick Wall
Dozen Domination
Maxim Grigoriev (UC Irvine) - 12 blocks
Double Digits
Stillian Delibosov (CSUN) - 11 blocks
Teon Taylor (BYU) - 11 blocks
Ryan Uridel (Barry) - 10 blocks
Kurt Nusterer (Hawaii) x2 - 10 blocks
Ryan Geraci (Barton) - 10 blocks
Taviian Martin (Fort Valley St.) - 10 blocks
A small reward(?) for making it this far…
Rankings Update
VBelo Rankings
Here are some (continued) surprises for me.
Grand Canyon - I’m not sure what to think about the Lopes. They are 9-3, which is a solid record. We know that they are in the midst of a coaching change (which the model doesn’t know) and that they lost a lot of seniors last year. They start MPSF play tonight, so it will be interesting to see where they land in such a crowded conference.
Penn State - VBelo still has them as a top 10 program, even after their 4-8 start. They had a lot of momentum coming into this season, in terms of wins, but it road ahead looks rocky. I will be fascinated to find out where they land by the end of the season.
McKendree - The Bearcats have been on fire in February. Top 10 feels about right (even if the coaches haven’t gotten there yet). It is fascinating how they have catapulted up the ranks while others have fallen more slowly.
Lincoln Memorial - The IVA deserves more attention. That is all.
Coaches’ Poll
McKendree stans are loving the Bearcats rise. It is a shame that they aren’t ranked higher, but I guess beggars can’t be choosers.
Media Poll
Well done, media, for giving CSUN some big love. I still think the media poll needs to be expanded, but hey, it’s not up to me.
In’s & Out’s
A section for all of the random things that don’t fit anywhere but belong somewhere.
Another poll? Why not! Some (great?) minds, including one of my favorite volleyball nerds (Chad Gordon - volley.dork) made a new poll. It is biased and over the top and a great addition to the poll landscape.
AVCA Player of the Week: Cameron Thorne (Middle Blocker, UCLA)
Thorne is the first Middle to win this honor since Lazar Bouchkov (LBSU) in January of 2024.
Triple-Double Watch 2025: when it happens, you will know!