UCSB’s Dylan Davis
Senior middle blocker Dylan Davis was named as a Preseason All-American by Off the Block, it was announced on Monday morning. Davis earned the award after putting up impressive numbers in his first three years as a Gaucho.
Off the Block ? a website dedicated to collegiate men’s volleyball ? selected the team based on ballots submitted from a nationwide voting committee of coaches and media members.
Davis, the lone representative from UC Santa Barbara on the two-team list, was named as a starting middle attacker on the Second Team, and was just one of four middle hitters from the entire nation to be recognized.
“It’s a great thing for our program to have Dylan be named to this team,” said UCSB head coach Rick McLaughlin.” “In the future, we hope to have more guys up there with him, that’s the goal.”
Davis led the Gauchos with 1.16 blocks per game last season, while also putting up a sparkling .344 hitting percentage and being just one of three UCSB players to appear in every match.
Though he was the sole underclassman starter on the 2011 squad that reached the national championship match, Dylan played a pivotal role in getting the Gauchos there, hitting a tournament record .882 on 15 kills in the semifinal match against USC.
“Dylan has certainly earned the chance to be named to this team,” McLaughlin continued. “He has worked really hard, and he has an exciting senior year ahead of him.”
Off the Block Preseason First-Team All-American
Setter: Micah Christenson, USC
Setter: BJ Boldog, Lewis
Middle attacker: Russell Lavaja, BYU
Outside attacker: Jay Petty, Lewis
Outside attacker: Aaron Russell, Penn State
Outside attacker: Taylor Sander, BYU
Outside attacker: Joseph Smalzer, Loyola
Outside attacker: Kevin Tillie, UC Irvine
Outside attacker: Maurice Torres, Pepperdine
Libero: Henry Cassiday, USCOff the Block Preseason Second-Team All-American
Setter: Matt West, Pepperdine
Middle attacker: Dylan Davis, UC Santa Barbara
Middle attacker: Robert Feathers, USC
Middle attacker: Eric Mochalski, Stanford
Outside attacker: Brian Cook, Stanford
Outside attacker: Taylor Crabb, Long Beach State
Outside attacker: Jeremy Dejno, UC Irvine
Outside attacker: Gonzalo Quiroga, UCLA
Libero: Javier Caceres, Pacific
Libero: Peter Jasaitis, Loyola
