BYU Claims Top Spot in MPSF Volleyball Coaches' Poll
Photo: 2019 MPSF Freshman of the Year, BYU's Davide Gardini (Courtesy BYU Athletics)
2020 MPSF Men's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll (PDF)
BYU TOPS 2020 MPSF MEN’S VOLLEYBALL COACHES’ POLL
BYU claimed the No. 1 spot in the 2020 MPSF Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, collecting 35 points and five first-place votes. The Cougars, projected to make the largest leap in the standings from a year ago, tied for fourth in the conference last year and came away with an MPSF Quarterfinal road win. They return 16 players from their 2019 roster, led by a pair of All-American hitters in Gabi Garcia Fernandez and MPSF Freshman of the Year Davide Gardini, as well as All-MPSF middle blocker Felipe de Brito Ferreira. UCLA was picked second, where it finished last year, totaling 31 points and the remaining two first-place votes. Five starters are back for the Bruins, highlighted by first team All-American middle blocker Daenan Gyimah and conference all-freshman picks Adam Parks (S) and Cole Pender (L). Stanford picked up 27 points for a third-place finish in the poll, as all-conference honorees Kyler Presho (MB), Jaylen Jasper (OPP), and Paul Bischoff (S) are back amongst a group of five returning starters. Defending MPSF Champion and NCAA Semifinalist Pepperdine placed fourth with 19 points. All-American setter Rob Mullahey returns for the Waves. USC and Grand Canyon each collected 14 points to share fifth-place. The Trojans also return their starting setter in all-conference and All-MPSF Tournament selection Chris Hall. Twelve letterwinners return for the Antelopes, including 2019 all-freshman outside hitter Christian Janke, who led the team in kills and aces last year. Concordia rounded out this year’s poll with seven points. The Eagles welcome back four starters, including former all-conference hitters Ray Barsemian and Jordan Hoppe.
Each MPSF team has 12 conference matches on its 2020 schedule, featuring a home and away against each opponent. The MPSF Championship Tournament begins with seeds two, three, and four hosting a quarterfinal match on April 18. The conference semifinals are on April 23 on the home floor of the No. 1 seed. The top seed will host the lowest available seed that night. The MPSF Championship match is on April 25, contested at the semifinal site, with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line (hosted by George Mason University).
Rank Team Points (First-Place) 2019 Record 2019 MPSF Finish
1 BYU 35 (5) 13-12 Overall; 6-6 MPSF 4T (MPSF Semifinal)
2 UCLA 31 (2) 19-9 Overall; 8-4 MPSF 2 (MPSF Semifinal)
3 Stanford 27 15-11 Overall; 6-6 MPSF 4T (MPSF Quarterfinal)
4 Pepperdine 19 23-7 Overall; 9-3 MPSF 1 (NCAA Semifinal/MPSF Champ)
5T USC 14 18-11 Overall; 7-5 MPSF 3 (NCAA Quarterfinal/MPSF Final)
5T Grand Canyon 14 13-16 Overall; 3-9 MPSF 6T (MPSF Quarterfinal)
7 Concordia 7 14-19 Overall; 3-9 MPSF 6T (MPSF Quarterfinal)