Locals featured in World University Games

UC Irvine men’s volleyball coach David Kniffin will lead the U.S. men’s team that includes Anteaters players Jason Agopian, Kyle Russell and Michael Saeta at the World University Games, Saturday through July 12 in Gwangju, South Korea.

The squad also includes Newport Harbor product Kevin Rakestraw, now at Stanford.

Agopian, a 6-foot-7 middle blocker, was a second-team All-American in 2015, when he helped lead the Anteaters to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation regular-season and tournament titles and a trip to the NCAA semifinals. Agopian hit .402 and led UCI with .095 blocks per set.

Russell, a 6-9 outside hitter, will be a senior next season, while Saeta, a 6-5 setter, started most of the campaign as a sophomore in 2015.

Rakestraw, a 7-0 middle blocker, started five matches as a redshirt freshman last season for the Cardinal.

Kniffin, who will be assisted by Mount Olive’s David Heller and Ball State’s Joel Walton, heads a team of 12 collegiate players from seven universities. UCI leads the way with three players on the team.

— From staff reports