January 11, 2022
Men's Volleyball Season Preview: Finally Back in Action
By: SID Chase Dodge
Last Season? It has been 2 years since Westcliff Men's Volleyball were on the court. The last game that was played for Westcliff was on March 5, 2020. Men's Volleyball finished the 2020 season (7-9, 4-4) with notable wins against Hope International, Arizona Christian and the Master's. Westcliff also had some notable wins against conference opponents with Simpson, Saint Katherine and Park. There have been a lot of build up to get back to this season for these athletes. This season will begin with a tough schedule, which is the standard at Westcliff University. Westcliff is committed to helping improve our athletes and test them both on the court and in the classroom. We asked Coach Alex Griffiths some questions about her team and players along with some goals for the upcoming season.
1. This will be the 2nd official season of Westcliff Men's Volleyball. This will also be your 1st year at the helm as Head Coach, What are some of your expectations and goals for this season?
"Our goal is to establish a winning culture at Westcliff while instilling our 5Cs. Teams quotes: pressure is a privilege. Good isn't good enough when greatness is expected."
There are a ton of newcomers to the team heading into this season can you talk about what they bring to the team and to the university?
"We are blessed to have hardworking athletes bring their "All In" mentality every day to the court."
-Hendrik: Hendrik is our 6'6 middle from Germany that's brings high level intensity & volleyball to the court. He brings power, range, & aggressiveness that establishes him as one of the top attackers on the team.
-Jordan VonBorstel is a transfer veteran that brings experience & leadership for be court. His range & speed makes him a swift & threat in our offense & defensive line. We are excited to watch him take the court.
-Robert Jones is our 6'5 lefty opposite. He brings physicality, athleticism, & an established volleyball background coming from a Jr. National club qualified team & established high school program- in both which he lead. We are excited to watch him take control of the game.
-Luke Grafton: Luke is a 3x jr. National champion Libero , all American athlete, & national stand out from the south bay. He grew up playing the game. We are excited for him to have him compete & run the show.
3.You also have a few returners who will be asked to fill some pretty big shoes, talk about some of those returners whose names we may not be familiar with yet, but we will be by the end of the season.
"TJ MEYER: TJ is our four year veteran that brings commitment, leadership, passion to the program. He leads by his work ethic & his pure love for the team. He exemplifies the 5cs and we are excited to watch him finally be able to take the floor again after sitting 2 years out due to COVID.
Ghie Lubrica: Ghie is a returner that has been a prominent leader for the program. He brings versatility as he sets & also plays opposite for us. He brings cagey -beach volleyball craftiness to inside the gym. He has great court awareness that will definitely be an asset to us this season."
4.Talk about your team captains this year, who are your leaders and why are they your leaders?
"Dane Johnson: Dane comes from a high level background that has created his well seasoned performance & control of the court. Dane is our go to 6 rotational pin that has helped us a establish our system. His exceptional play, calmness on the court, & volley IQ has identified him as our leader.
BUT
We had a team reading this year "Legacy" by James Kerr - amazing book about the rugby team Sevens & how the establish a winning culture. The quote, "Leaders create leaders by passing on responsibility, creating ownership, accountability and trust."
Dane does this, he doesn't seek titles. He works in humility & creates an environment where all our athletes can be leaders in different aspects. At the end of the day, everyone has to be all in not just one person. Dane like the team just exudes love for the game.
5.Talk about the schedule coming up this year, what are some opponents we should be looking forward to facing?
"Nothing worthwhile comes easy, We are looking forward to competing with some big fish: Missouri Valley College, Park, Benedictine, AZ Christian. We also love the local rivalry of Hope International."
6.Talk about heading into Cal Pac and NAIA play, how exciting is it for your players to see how they stack up in conference play after finishing in 2019 at (4-4 in conference)?
"We are looking forward to competition. It has been 2 years for our returners & we are ready to go. We have read, studied, zoomed, trained, & now we are excited it's time to compete."
7. Final Thoughts
"We have an amazing group of men that is excited to make Westcliff history. Not only that but we are blessed with amazing coaching staff.
Asst. Gus Tuaniga: Gus is a previous professional beach volleyball player & former indoor player for the D1 U of Hawaii. He has coaching experience at the collegiate & professional level. Gus also brings volleyball lineage/royalty to Westcliff university. His brother Josh is 2018 AVCA Player of the Year, 2X National Champion & currently on our USA National roster. His sister Mia is the 2021 All PAC conference setter for USC. "
Westcliff Men's Volleyball have two matches to open up their season at the Slug Slam. The Event will take place on Friday, 14th against UC Santa Cruz 8:00am and New Paltz 11:00am. No Spectators allowed inside due to COVID Protocols.