[Mick]

Thanks again Mick.

Happy to post. I should mention that Stanford will have a very experienced team this year. The team was 15-13 last year, but improved enough during the season to make the finals of the MPSF, which they did for the second year in a row.

Here's the starters. This is one experienced team, let me tell you:

Nathaniel Gates, Middle Blocker, 5th year senior
Nathan Lietzke, Setter, 5th year senior
Will Rottman, Outside Hitter, 5th year senior
Kevin Lamp, Outside Hitter, 5th year senior
Ethan Hill, Middle Blocker, Redshirt Senior
Theo Snoey, Opposite/Right Side, Sophomore (elected to Frosh All America team by Off the Block and MPSF All Freshman team, and played on the American U21 team)

Alex Rottman, got a little playing time, is also on the American U21 team.

So...some post-season thoughts.

1) After making the MPSF finals two years in a row, Stanford started 7-0 for the first time since 1998. Their highly experienced team lost in the semis to Grand Canyon who beat UCLA 3-2 in the final. Still, the Cardinal finished the season ranked #6 in the AVCA, highest final ranking since 2016.

In the NCAA championships, all four first round games were by 3-0 set scores. UCLA beat UC-Irvine in one semi, Long Beach State beat Grand Canyon in the other semi. Both were 3-2 matches. UCLA won the NCAA championship.

Stanford finished 14-12, and 12 of the wins came against ranked opponents.

2) Stanford has four players on their roster listed as "5th year seniors" who started all or most of the year; including Kevin Lamp (OH), Will Rottman (OH), Nate Gates (MB), and Nathan Lietzke (S). MB Adam Chang was also listed as "Fifth Year". Ethan Hill was listed as a "Redshirt Senior", he also started. True senior Luke Turner started at libero. Not sure how COVID years factor into this, so I don't know how many of those seven players are returning -- if any. My suspicion is that none will return except maybe Turner.

Rottman was All-MPSF and second Team All American. Lietzke was HM All-MPSF.

The other starters were soph oppos Moses Wagner and Theo Snoey. Sophs Ryan DuRoss and Alex Rottman started a few games as well. My guess is those four will step into starting roles in 2025, and perhaps Theo Brouillette, who didn't start but played 58 sets.

3) Both of Kosty's new coaches, Taylor Hammond and Spencer Wickens, were selected as VolleyballMag.com Coaching Hotshots, which lists terrific new coaches under age 40.

Feeling good about the team over the next few years...

[Mick]

Thanks again Mick.

Happy to post. I should mention that Stanford will have a very experienced team this year. The team was 15-13 last year, but improved enough during the season to make the finals of the MPSF, which they did for the second year in a row.

Here's the starters. This is one experienced team, let me tell you:

Nathaniel Gates, Middle Blocker, 5th year senior
Nathan Lietzke, Setter, 5th year senior
Will Rottman, Outside Hitter, 5th year senior
Kevin Lamp, Outside Hitter, 5th year senior
Ethan Hill, Middle Blocker, Redshirt Senior
Theo Snoey, Opposite/Right Side, Sophomore (elected to Frosh All America team by Off the Block and MPSF All Freshman team, and played on the American U21 team)

Alex Rottman, got a little playing time, is also on the American U21 team.

So...some post-season thoughts.

1) After making the MPSF finals two years in a row, Stanford started 7-0 for the first time since 1998. Their highly experienced team lost in the semis to Grand Canyon who beat UCLA 3-2 in the final. Still, the Cardinal finished the season ranked #6 in the AVCA, highest final ranking since 2016.

In the NCAA championships, all four first round games were by 3-0 set scores. UCLA beat UC-Irvine in one semi, Long Beach State beat Grand Canyon in the other semi. Both were 3-2 matches. UCLA won the NCAA championship.

Stanford finished 14-12, and 12 of the wins came against ranked opponents.

2) Stanford has four players on their roster listed as "5th year seniors" who started all or most of the year; including Kevin Lamp (OH), Will Rottman (OH), Nate Gates (MB), and Nathan Lietzke (S). MB Adam Chang was also listed as "Fifth Year". Ethan Hill was listed as a "Redshirt Senior", he also started. True senior Luke Turner started at libero. Not sure how COVID years factor into this, so I don't know how many of those seven players are returning -- if any. My suspicion is that none will return except maybe Turner.

Rottman was All-MPSF and second Team All American. Lietzke was HM All-MPSF.

The other starters were soph oppos Moses Wagner and Theo Snoey. Sophs Ryan DuRoss and Alex Rottman started a few games as well. My guess is those four will step into starting roles in 2025, and perhaps Theo Brouillette, who didn't start but played 58 sets.

3) Both of Kosty's new coaches, Taylor Hammond and Spencer Wickens, were selected as VolleyballMag.com Coaching Hotshots, which lists terrific new coaches under age 40.

Feeling good about the team over the next few years...