DeFalco tops local All-Americans

Long Beach State sophomore outside hitter TJ DeFalco, a Huntington Beach High product, has been named NCAA Division I-II National Player of the Year in men’s volleyball.

DeFalco, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Year who led the 49ers to the MPSF regular-season and tournament titles and a berth in the NCAA semifinals, was joined among the American Volleyball Coaches Assn. first-team All-American honorees by teammate Josh Tuaniga.

UC Irvine seniors Michael Saeta and Tamir Hershko received second-team recognition.

The 6-foot-4 DeFalco, a first-team selection as a freshman, when he was also AVCA Newcomer of the Year, entered the NCAA Championship averaging 3.99 kills per set and a .394 hitting percentage. He averaged 5.67 points per set and hit at least .400 in 15 matches. His 30 aces through the MPSF Tournament tied Tuaniga for team-high honors.

DeFalco was also named Karch Kiraly Award winner by Off the Block, an honor given to the top outside hitter in the nation.

Tuaniga, sophomore who earned the Lloy Ball Award, given to the nation’s top setter by Off the Block, earned second-team All-American status as a freshman. The Huntington Beach High product entered the NCAA Championship leading the nation at 11.13 assists per set.

Tuaniga triggered a Long Beach State attack that hit a nation-leading .371, the best by any MPSF team in the rally scoring era. He also hit .474 with 69 kills and averaged 1.41 digs per set.

Long Beach State fell to BYU in the NCAA semifinals to finish 27-4.

Hershko, a 6-6 outside hitter, hit .318 and averaged 3.21 kills per set. He was a first-team All-American as a sophomore.

Saeta, a 6-5 senior setter, averaged 9.51 assists per set and hit .320. His 62 aces were a school single-season record. He averaged 1.51 kills and 1.31 digs per set to help the Anteaters reach the semifinals of the MPSF Tournament and finish 20-6.

Both Saeta and Hershko were first-team All-MPSF honorees.

UCI senior outside hitter Thomas Hodges, senior libero Dillon Hoffman, freshman middle blocker Scott Stadick, Stanford junior middle blocker and Newport Harbor High product Kevin Rakestraw, and BYU junior outside hitter Brenden Sander, out of Huntington Beach High, received honorable mention.

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