A number of these players are set to face-off at the 2021 MPSF Men's Volleyball Championships and even if they walk away empty handed, they will still come out of the season with some hardware.

Watch 2021 MPSF Men's Volleyball Championships

April 22-24

via MPSF.org

Gabi Garcia Fernandez · #5 · Senior · Opposite · BYU

BYU senior opposite Gabi Garcia Fernandez (San Juan, Puerto Rico) repeats the MPSF Player of the Year award, and is the fifth all-time to go back-to-back (David Wieczorek-Pepperdine, 2018-19; Taylor Sander-BYU, 2012-13; George Roumain-Pepperdine, 1998-99; Jeff Nygaard-UCLA, 1994-95). He is a four-time All-MPSF First-Team selection, the third all-time to achieve the feat (Sander, 2011-14; Carson Clark-UCI, 2009-12). Garcia Fernandez helped the second-ranked Cougars to a 17-3 (.850) regular season and No. 1 seed in the MPSF Tournament. He has recorded the MPSF’s top-two single-match hitting percentages this year (12-kill minimum), in back-to-back matches which resulted in MPSF Offensive Player of the Week recognition following both efforts. He attacked for an errorless .833 clip with 15 kills against Pepperdine (Feb. 12) and an errorless .800 clip with 12 kills against UCLA (Feb. 6). In the MPSF’s regular season, he compiled the most kills (254), most points (317.5), and served the most aces (33). His 33 aces are the fourth-most across the country, while he ranks ninth in the NCAA in points per set (4.67). Garcia Fernandez recorded 14 double-digit kill matches, while hitting at least .300 in 12 of BYU’s 20 matches. His 172 career aces entering the postseason are within four of the MPSF’s all-time top-10. Garcia Fernandez represents BYU’s sixth MPSF Player of the Year (Garcia Fernandez-2021, ‘20; Taylor Sander-2014, ‘13; Carlos Moreno-2004; Ryan Millar-1997).

2021 MPSF Freshman of the Year

Camden Gianni  · #5 · R-Freshman · Outside Hitter · Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon redshirt freshman outside hitter Camden Gianni (Carlsbad, CA/La Costa Canyon HS) finished the regular season in the MPSF’s top-three in kills per set (3.76, T-3rd), points per set (4.71, 3rd), and aces per set (0.65, 1st) to help the Antelopes to a fourth-place finish. Each of those averages lead the MPSF Freshman class, while he completed his first two regular seasons in the top-five in each category. Gianni also ranks third in the nation in ace average and eighth in point average. On March 17, Gianni served an MPSF season-high seven aces in a straight-set home win over USC. On February 25, Gianni hit .567 with 19 kills (6.33 K/S) in a 3-0 home outcome over then top-ranked BYU, helping Grand Canyon to its first-ever win over a No. 1-ranked team. Against the Cougars on February 20 in Provo, Gianni totaled 32 points and 24 kills, the second and third-highest single-match totals in the conference this year. A two-time all-conference selection, he is the only freshman on this year’s first-team list. Gianni, who returned to the team in 2020 after a life-threatening medical emergency in the first practice of 2019, is Grand Canyon’s only MPSF major award winner in the four years in the conference. Gianni repeats the MPSF Freshman of the Year honor, receiving the year back after the shortened 2020 season.

First Team

Student-Athlete           No.  Year          Position             School         Hometown/Last School 

$ Gabi Garcia Fernandez       5              Senior            Opposite                                BYU           San Juan, Puerto Rico/St. Francis HS

# Davide Gardini          1    Junior        Outside Hitter      BYU           Ravenna, Italy/Manfredi Azzarita

^ Cole Ketrzynski         3   Sophomore  Opposite            UCLA  Toronto, Ontario, Canada/Yorks Mills Collegiate 

Spencer Wickens                7      Senior             Outside Hitter  Pepperdine           Irondequoit, N.Y./ McQuaid Jesuit HS

^ Camden Gianni         5  R-Freshman  Outside Hitter    Grand Canyon  Carlsbad, CA/La Costa Canyon HS

Sam Kobrine                5   R-Senior     Setter                 UCLA         Newport Beach, CA/Corona Del Mar HS

^ Wil Stanley                3    Grad          Setter                 BYU            Honolulu, HI/Punahou HS

Second Team

^ Austin Wilmot           20   R-Junior    Middle Blocker     Pepperdine   Valley Village, CA/UC Irvine

% Felipe de Brito Ferreira 16  Senior    Middle Blocker     BYU           Maringa, Brazil/Colegio Regina Mundi

# Raymond Barsemian 1 R-Senior  Opposite Concordia La Crescenta, CA/Pierce College Merrick McHenry 13 R-Freshman   Middle Blocker UCLA Bedford, TX/L.D. Bell HS

^ Zach Eschenberg     11    Grad         Outside Hitter       BYU           Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park HS

Bryce Dvorak 6 Freshman   Setter Pepperdine Newport Beach, CA/Corona Del Mar HS Billy Fauntleroy 11 Junior  Opposite USC Wilmette. IL/New Trier HS 

All-Freshman Team

Camden Gianni            5  R-Freshman  Outside Hitter    Grand Canyon  Carlsbad, CA/La Costa Canyon HS

Merrick McHenry 13 R-Freshman   Middle Blocker UCLA Bedford, TX/L.D. Bell HS Bryce Dvorak 6 Freshman  Setter Pepperdine Newport Beach, CA/Corona Del Mar HS 

Ethan Champlin 20 Freshman  Outside Hitter UCLA Oceanside, CA/Classical Academy HS Nathan Lietzke 12 R-Freshman  Setter Stanford Austin, TX/St. Andrews Episcopal

Will Rottman 15 R-Freshman   Outside Hitter Stanford Santa Barbara, CA/Santa Barbara HS Trey Cole 18 Freshman  Libero Pepperdine Long Island, NY/Connetquot HS

Honorable Mention

^ Austin Matautia        23   R-Senior    Outside Hitter       UCLA          Ewa Beach, HI/U. of Hawaii

^ Christian Janke 11 Sophomore  Outside Hitter Grand Canyon Carlsbad, CA/Sage Creek HS Jacob Steele 12 Sophomore  Opposite Pepperdine Trabuco Canyon, CA/El Toro HS 

^ Miki Jauhiainen        18    Grad         Middle Blocker     BYU            Tampere, Finland/Kuortane HS

^ Jordan Hoppe          23   Senior       Outside Hitter      Concordia   Greendale, WI/Orange Coast College

Cole Paxson                3    Senior        Libero                 USC           Laguna Beach, CA/Laguna Beach HS

^ Hugo Fischer           19  R-Sophomore Opposite          Grand Canyon  Verviers, Belgium/Waremme

% Kyler Presho          14   Senior       Middle Blocker     Stanford      San Clemente, CA/San Clemente HS

 $ Four-Time All-MPSF First Team Selection 

% Four-Time All-MPSF Selection 

# Three-Time All-MPSF Selection 

^ Two-Time All-MPSF Selection