UCLA Tops 2025 MPSF Men's Volleyball Coaches' Poll
Photo by: UCLA Athletics
2025 MPSF Men's Volleyball Coaches' Poll (PDF)
Back-to-back defending NCAA Champion UCLA was picked to win a fourth-straight regular season conference title in the 2025 MPSF Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ poll, collecting the maximum possible totals of 64 points and eight first-place votes. The Bruins, under first-year Head Coach John Hawks, return two-time AVCA First-Team All-American setter Andrew Rowan and All-American pin hitters Cooper Robinson and Ido David. Further, all-conference and all-tournament middle blocker Cameron Thorne has transferred in.
Projected to make the largest leap in the standings from last year, USC placed second in the poll with 51 points. Two-time AVCA All-American Dillon Klein (3.44 K/S) returns on the outside as does Trojan second-leading scorer Jack Deuchar (2.98 K/S, 25 SA). In the middle, all-freshman honoree Wesley Smith is also back (73 TB), while two-time All-American Guy Genis has transferred in.
BYU took the No. 3 spot with 48 points along with the remaining first-place vote. The Cougars, who also finished third in 2024, bring back AVCA All-American outside hitters Miks Ramanis and Luke Benson, as well as All-MPSF senior middle blocker Teon Taylor (73 TB). BYU also welcomes Hawaii transfer Keoni Thiim, who started nearly half of UH’s matches last year as an outside hitter.
Pepperdine collected 45 points for fourth-place. The Waves have 12 returning players, including redshirt juniors Ryan Barnett (200 K, 82 digs, 14 SA), Kevin Roberts, and Cole Rasic. Ethan Watson is also back from an MPSF Freshman of the Year season (74 TB).
Defending MPSF Champion and NCAA Semifinalist Grand Canyon was picked in the middle with 39 points. The ‘Lopes return opposite Jarrett Anderson, who enters 2025 as the nation's active leader in service aces (264) across all divisions. Anderson had 19 kills (.405) at No. 1 UCLA at the end of the regular season, and later, 12 kills and nine digs in the MPSF title match. Transfer Trent Moser, formerly on the MPSF’s all-freshman team, adds to the GCU hitting depth. The ‘Lopes are also experienced at libero with Cooper Herndon.
Stanford placed sixth in the poll with 31 points. The Cardinal does not have a senior on the 2025 roster. The most experience returning is junior outside hitter/opposite Theo Snoey, who has seen significant time in his first two years. Juniors Theoren Brouillette, Ryan DuRoss, Alex Rottman, and Moses Wagner also have some on-court experience.
Concordia (21), Vanguard (16), and Menlo (9) round out the 2025 MPSF Coaches’ poll. MPSF All-Freshman pin hitters Ties Cornelison and Christian Galoppo return for the Golden Eagles. The Lions and Oaks are making their debut seasons in the MPSF. Three starters return from NAIA Semifinalist Vanguard; Reza Tahmasebi (2.39 K/S, .313, 74 digs), Micah Sybesma (1.59 K/S, .488, 55 TB) and Sean Nguyen (35 A, 59 digs). Julius Steimer, meanwhile, accumulated 204 kills, 22 service aces and 24 blocks for Menlo last year.
First serve to the 2025 season is January 3. Each MPSF team is scheduled for 12 regular season conference matches, beginning in mid-February. The MPSF Championship Tournament will be hosted by Pepperdine (Apr. 22-26), with the champion earning automatic entry to the NCAA Tournament two weeks later at Ohio State.
Rank Team Points (First-Place) 2024 Record
1 UCLA 64 (8) 26-5 Overall; 11-1 MPSF
2 USC 51 13-15 Overall; 3-9 MPSF
3 BYU 48 (1) 16-9 Overall; 7-5 MPSF
4 Pepperdine 45 17-11 Overall; 5-7 MPSF
5 Grand Canyon 39 26-5 Overall; 10-2 MPSF
6 Stanford 31 14-12 Overall; 6-6 MPSF
7 Concordia 21 6-19 Overall; 0-12 MPSF
8 Vanguard 16 15-4 Overall
9 Menlo 9 12-8 Overall