LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 18th-ranked UC San Diego men's volleyball team officially opens its 2025 season Tuesday in La Jolla.
The Tritons host No. 20 McKendree at 7 p.m. inside LionTree Arena in the first of four-consecutive home contests.
Continuing the busy first week, UC San Diego hosts Saint Francis on Wednesday (7 p.m.) and Daemen on Friday (7 p.m.).
The Tritons played three exhibition matches this past week at Long Beach State's North American Challenge. They went 3-0 with sweeps against Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Trinity Western. Anthony Cherfan and Bryce Dvorak were named to the all-tournament team, while Cherfan was also tabbed the Big West Defensive Player of the Week Monday.
McKendree, out of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA), has already dipped into its regular season, falling twice at Hawai'i.
Saint Francis opens its season in La Jolla.
Daemen played its first match of the season Thursday night, falling at No. 7 USC, 3-1.
THE ESSENTIALS
--- Match 1: Non-Conference ---
• No. 18 UC San Diego (0-0) vs. No. 20
McKendree (0-0)
• Tuesday / January 7 / 7 p.m.
•
LionTree Arena / La Jolla, Calif. (
map)
•
Tickets
•
ESPN+ ($)
•
Live Stats (free)
•
KSDT Online Radio (free)
•
Twitter /
Instagram
--- Match 2: Non-Conference ---
• No. 18 UC San Diego (1-0) vs. RV
Saint Francis (0-0)
• Wednesday / January 8 / 7 p.m.
•
LionTree Arena / La Jolla, Calif. (
map)
•
Tickets
•
ESPN+ ($)
•
Live Stats (free)
•
KSDT Online Radio (free)
•
Twitter /
Instagram
--- Match 3: Non-Conference ---
• No. 18 UC San Diego (2-0) vs.
Daemen (0-1)
• Friday / January 10 / 7 p.m.
•
LionTree Arena / La Jolla, Calif. (
map)
•
Tickets
•
ESPN+ ($)
•
Live Stats (free)
•
KSDT Online Radio (free)
•
Twitter /
Instagram
ABOUT THE UC SAN DIEGO TRITONS
Roster |
Schedule & Results |
Statistics
• Location: La Jolla, Calif.
• Conference:
Big West
• Overall: 2-0
• Big West: 0-0
• Home: 2-0
• Away: 0-0
• Neutral: 0-0
• Streak: 2 wins
• AVCA national ranking: 18
• Big West Preseason Poll: 6th of 6
ABOUT THE MCKENDREE BEARCATS
Roster |
Schedule & Results |
Statistics
• Location: Lebanon, Ill.
• Conference:
MIVA
• Overall: 0-1
• MIVA: 0-0
• Home: 0-0
• Away: 0-1
• Neutral: 0-0
• Streak: 1 loss
• AVCA national ranking: 20
• MIVA Preseason Poll: 5th of 9
ABOUT THE SAINT FRANCIS RED FLASH
Roster |
Schedule & Results |
Statistics
• Location: Loretta, Pa.
• Conference:
Northeast
• Overall: 0-0
• NEC: 0-0
• Home: 0-0
• Away: 0-0
• Neutral: 0-0
• Streak: N/A
• AVCA national ranking: Receiving votes
ABOUT THE DAEMEN WILDCATS
Roster |
Schedule & Results |
Statistics
• Location: Amherst, NY
• Conference:
Northeast
• Overall: 0-1
• NEC: 0-0
• Home: 0-0
• Away: 0-1
• Neutral: 0-0
• Streak: 1 loss
ACE FREELY
Bryce Dvorak wasted no time putting his name in the UC San Diego Men's Volleyball record book. The grad student setter was able to floor seven service aces Wednesday against Saint Francis, the most by a Triton during the team's NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II era (since 2001). Teammate
Anthony Cherfan was the previous record holder as he had six aces against USC in 2024.
CHERFAN NAMED THE SEASON'S FIRST BIG WEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
UC San Diego's
Anthony Cherfan was named the Big West Men's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week on Jan. 6. A senior opposite hitter, Cherfan was instrumental in helping the Tritons go 3-0 at the North American Challenge in Long Beach. UC San Diego swept all three of its opponents - Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Trinity Western - in exhibition matches. Friday against Calgary, Cherfan finished with a match-high 10 kills on .533 hitting with four blocks, four digs, two aces, and two assists. In Saturday's topping of Trinity Western, the Los Angeles native had a match-best eight kills to go along with a team-high five blocks and three aces. Cherfan was named to the North American Challenge All-Tournament Team for his efforts.
SWEEPING THROUGH THE NORTH AMERICAN CHALLENGE
UC San Diego went 3-0, all sweeps, in exhibition matches at Long Beach State's North American Challenge Jan. 3-4. The Tritons topped Canadian universities Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Trinity Western. Opposite
Anthony Cherfan and setter
Bryce Dvorak were named to the all-tournament team.
CHERFAN SELECTED TO BIG WEST COACHES' PRESEASON TEAM
Senior opposite hitter
Anthony Cherfan earned a spot on the 2025 Big West Coaches' Preseason Team. In 2024, he was named AVCA All-America Honorable Mention as well as All-Big West First Team. He led the Tritons in kills (279), kills/set (3.13), points (348), points/set (3.91), service aces (37), and service aces/set (0.24). He was third on the team in blocks (61). Cherfan registered a double-figure kill total in 17 matches, including eight of his final nine outings. He put down a career-best 17 kills in late January in a five-set win against USC. His six service aces in that victory were the most by a Triton since 2006. In Big West matches, Cherfan ranked high among conference players as well, finishing fourth in kills, fifth in points and aces, 10th in hitting percentage, and 13th in blocks.
2025 BIG WEST STANDINGS
(through 1/9)
| Team |
Big West |
Overall |
| Hawai'i |
0-0 |
3-0 |
| UC San Diego |
0-0 |
2-0 |
| CSUN |
0-0 |
1-0 |
| UC Santa Barbara |
0-0 |
1-0 |
| Long Beach State |
0-0 |
0-0 |
| UC Irvine |
0-0 |
0-0 |
2025 UC SAN DIEGO ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Starters Returning (5)
•
Anthony Cherfan (Sr., OPP)
•
Sebastian Lara (Sr., OH)
•
Jim Garrison (Jr., MB)
•
Peter Selcho (Jr., MB)
•
Josh Schellinger (Jr., OH)
Starters Lost (1)
•
Gabriel Dyer (S)
Primary Liberos Returning (1)
• Evan Boyle (So.)
Others Returning (12)
• Luke Chandler (Sr., OPP)
• Keegan Cook (So., L)
• Josh Ewert (Jr., OH)
• Matthew Lim (Sr., OH)
• Leo Pravednikov (Jr., OH)
• Brett Pursley (Jr., OH)
• Nick Rigo (Sr., MB)
• Michael Robertson (Jr., OPP)
• Sam Warren (Sr., OH)
• Leo Wiemelt (So., MB)
• Charlie Wilson (So., MB)
• Cameron Wurl (So., S)
Others Lost (2)
• Andrew Boyle (S)
• Paya Vatanshenas (L)
Newcomers (3)
• Bryce Dvorak (Grad, S)
• Landon Seymour (Jr., S)
• Ben Warren (Fr., OH)
UC SAN DIEGO'S RECORD ...
(through 1/9)
| Overall |
2-0 |
| In the Big West |
0-0 |
| At home |
2-0 |
| On the road |
0-0 |
| At a neutral site |
0-0 |
| In 3 set matches |
2-0 |
| In 4 set matches |
0-0 |
| In 5 set matches |
0-0 |
| On Tuesdays |
1-0 |
| On Wednesdays |
1-0 |
| On Thursdays |
0-0 |
| On Fridays |
0-0 |
| On Saturdays |
0-0 |
| On Sundays |
0-0 |
| In January |
2-0 |
| In February |
0-0 |
| In March |
0-0 |
| In April |
0-0 |
| vs. Nationally-ranked teams |
1-0 |
| vs. Unranked teams |
1-0 |
| With more kills than opponent |
2-0 |
| With fewer kills than opponent |
0-0 |
| When kills are equal |
0-0 |
| When out-hitting opponent |
2-0 |
| When out-hit by opponent |
0-0 |
| When hitting is equal |
0-0 |
| With more aces than opponent |
2-0 |
| With fewer aces than opponent |
0-0 |
| When aces are equal |
0-0 |
| With more blocks than opponent |
2-0 |
| With fewer blocks than opponent |
0-0 |
| When blocks are equal |
0-0 |
| With more digs than opponent |
1-0 |
| With fewer digs than opponent |
0-0 |
| When digs are equal |
1-0 |
THE LAST TIME UC SAN DIEGO ...
(through 1/9)
| Won a match |
1/8/25 vs. Saint Francis (3-0) |
| Lost a match |
4/18/24 vs. CSUN (0-3) |
| Won at home |
1/8/25 vs. Saint Francis (3-0) |
| Lost at home |
4/12/24 vs. Hawai'i (1-3) |
| Won on the road |
3/15/24 at CSUN (3-2) |
| Lost on the road |
4/5/24 at UC Santa Barbara (2-3) |
| Won at neutral site |
2/16/24 vs. Edward Waters (3-0 at Long Beach State) |
| Lost at a neutral site |
1/5/24 vs. Grand Canyon (0-3 at UC Santa Barbara) |
| Won 3-0 at home |
1/8/25 vs. Saint Francis (3-0) |
| Won 3-0 on the road |
3/16/23 at CSUN |
| Won 3-0 at a neutral site |
2/16/24 vs. Edward Waters (at Long Beach State) |
| Lost 0-3 at home |
3/30/24 vs. Long Beach State |
| Lost 0-3 on the road |
3/29/24 at Long Beach State |
| Lost 0-3 at a neutral site |
1/5/24 vs. Grand Canyon (at UC Santa Barbara) |
| Won in four sets |
3/14/24 vs. CSUN |
| Lost in four sets |
4/12/24 vs. Hawai'i |
| Won 3-2 at home |
1/31/24 vs. USC |
| Won 3-2 on the road |
3/15/23 at CSUN |
| Won 3-2 at a neutral site |
1/6/24 vs. NJIT (at UC Santa Barbara) |
| Lost 3-2 at home |
3/5/23 vs. Ball State |
| Lost 3-2 on the road |
4/5/24 at UC Santa Barbara |
| Lost 3-2 at a neutral site |
4/20/23 vs. UC Santa Barbara (at UC Irvine) |
| Won in five sets after trailing 0-2 |
3/15/23 at CSUN |
| Lost in five sets after leading 2-0 |
1/7/23 vs. USC (at UC Santa Barbara) |
| Defeated a Big West opponent |
4/13/24 vs. Hawai'i (3-0) |
| Lost to a Big West opponent |
4/12/24 vs. Hawai'i (1-3) |
| Defeated a non-conference opponent |
1/8/25 vs. Saint Francis (3-0) |
| Lost to a non-conference opponent |
2/8/24 at Concordia (0-3) |
| Defeated a ranked opponent |
1/7/25 vs. #20 McKendree (3-0) |
| Lost to a ranked opponent |
4/18/24 vs. #14 CSUN (0-3) |
| Played the No. 1 team |
3/30/24 vs. Long Beach State (0-3) |
| Defeated the No. 1 team |
4/23/21 at Hawai'i (3-2 in Big West semifinal) |
UC SAN DIEGO SEASON-HIGHS
(through 1/9)
| Statistic |
Team |
Individual |
| Kills |
39 (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
12, Schellinger (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
| Attack Attempts |
87 (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
26, Schellinger (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
| Attack Percentage |
.439 (32-7-57) (1/8 vs. Saint Francis) |
.400, Pravednikov (1/8 vs. St. Francis) |
| Assists |
35 (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
34, Dvorak (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
| Aces |
12 (1/8 vs. Saint Francis) |
7, Dvorak (1/8 vs. Saint Francis) |
| Digs |
33 (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
9, Cook/Schellinger (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
| Block Solo |
2 (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
2, Garrison (1/7/ vs. McKendree) |
| Block Assist |
13, two times (1/8 vs. Saint Francis) |
5, Garrison/Pravednikov (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
| Total Blocks |
8.5 (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
7, Garrison (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
| Points |
53.5 (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
13, Schellinger (1/7 vs. McKendree) |
MATCH-BY-MATCH LEADERS
(through 1/9)
| Opponent |
Kills |
Assists |
Aces |
Blocks |
Digs |
Points |
| vs. McKendree |
Schellinger 12 |
Dvorak 34 |
Dvorak 4 |
Garrison 7 |
Cook/Schellinger 9 |
Schellinger 13 |
| vs. Saint Francis |
Pravednikov 8 |
Dvorak 26 |
Dvorak 7 |
Garrison/Pravednikov/Selcho 3 |
Dvorak 5 |
Pravednikov 10.5 |
AVCA PRESEASON NATIONAL POLL
(12/30/24)
1. UCLA
2. Long Beach State
3. UC Irvine
4. Hawai'i
5. Ball State
6. BYU
7. USC
8. Penn State
9. Grand Canyon
10. Pepperdine
11. Ohio State
12. Loyola Chicago
13. Stanford
14. Lewis
15. CSUN
16. UC Santa Barbara
17. George Mason
18. UC San Diego
19. Princeton
20. McKendree
Receiving votes: Purdue Fort Wayne, Saint Francis (Pa.), UC Santa Barbara
UC SAN DIEGO IN THE 2025 AVCA NATIONAL POLL
•Preseason (12/30): 18
BIG RANKINGS FOR THE BIG WEST
All six Big West teams can be found in the latest AVCA Top 20 National Poll.
2. Long Beach State
3. UC Irvine
4. Hawai'i
15. CSUN
16. UC Santa Barbara
18. UC San Diego
HEAD COACH BRAD ROSTRATTER
Brad Rostratter enters his third season leading UC San Diego in 2025. He was named head coach of the men's volleyball program on October 7, 2022. Rostratter earned his first career win with the Tritons on Jan. 5, 2023, when the team defeated Lincoln Memorial in five sets at UC Santa Barbara's Asics Invitational. It was the team's season opener. Rostratter collected his first Big West victory on the road at CSUN when the Tritons swept the Matadors on March 16. A National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Coach of the Year and two-time Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) Coach of the Year, Rostratter came to La Jolla from Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, Calif., where he served as the men's volleyball head coach since the program's inception in 2019. He led the Lions to a pair of GSAC regular season titles, a league tournament title, and two appearances at the NAIA National Tournament.
Complete Rostratter Bio
2025 AWARD WINNERS
•
Anthony Cherfan: Big West Preseason Coaches' Team, Big West Defensive Player of the Week (1/7)
2024 AWARD WINNERS
•
Anthony Cherfan: All-Big West First Team, Big West Offensive Player of the Week (4/15)
•
Sebastian Lara: All-Big West Honorable Mention
•
Josh Schellinger: Big West Defensive Player of the Week (2/26)
•
Leo Wiemelt: Big West Freshman of the Week (2/19)
•
Peter Selcho: Big West Defensive Player of the Week (1/8), Asics Invitational All-Tournament Team (1/6)
•
Matthew Lim: Asics Invitational All-Tournament Team (1/6)
BE SOCIAL!
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FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the
Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!
GEAR HERE
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, visit the official team store of the Tritons
here.
WHY THE TRITONS?
The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego's close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became our mascot in 1964.
NCAA MEN'S VOLLEYBALL LANDSCAPE
The NCAA combines Division I and Division II teams into a single national championship (National Collegiate Championship), while Division III squads have a stand-alone championship (NCAA Division III National Championship). There are 61 Division I and Division II teams combined, with 53 of those making up eight conferences. Another eight institutions are independent.
Big West (6)
CSUN (DI)
Hawai'i (DI)
Long Beach State (DI)
UC Irvine (DI)
UC San Diego (DI)
UC Santa Barbara (DI)
Conference Carolinas (8)
Barton (DII)
Belmont Abbey (DII)
Emmanuel (GA) (DII)
Erskine (DII)
King (TN) (DII)
Lees-McRae (DII)
Mount Olive (DII)
North Greenville (DII)
East Coast Conference (4)
American International (DII)
Dominican (NY) (DII)
Roberts Wesleyan (DII)
St. Thomas Aquinas (DII)
Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (6)
Charleston (WV) (DII)
George Mason (DI)
Harvard (DI)
NJIT (DI)
Penn State (DI)
Princeton (DI)
Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (9)
Ball State (DI)
Lewis (DII)
Lindenwood (DI)
Loyola Chicago (DI)
McKendree (DII)
Ohio State (DI)
Purdue Fort Wayne (DI)
Queens University of Charlotte (DI)
Quincy (DII)
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (7)
BYU (DI)
Concordia (DII)
Grand Canyon (DI)
Pepperdine (DI)
Stanford (DI)
UCLA (DI)
USC (DI)
Northeast Conference (7)
Daemen (DII)
D'Youville (DII)
Fairleigh Dickinson (DI)
Long Island University (DI)
Merrimack (DI)
Sacred Heart (DI)
Saint Francis (Pa.) (DI)
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (6)
Benedict (DII)
Central State (DII)
Edward Waters (DII)
Fort Valley State (DII)
Kentucky State (DII)
Morehouse (DII)
Independent (8)
Lincoln Memorial (DII)
Maryville (DII)
Missouri S&T (DII)
Puerto Rico at Bayamon (DII)
Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (DII)
Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras (DII)
Thomas More (DII)
Tusculum (DII)
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
