DeFalco tops locals named All-MPSF in men’s volleyball

Long Beach State sophomore outside hitter TJ DeFalco, a Huntington Beach High product, has been named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Year in men’s volleyball.

UC Irvine seniors Michael Saeta and Tamir Hershko, as well as Long Beach State sophomore setter and Huntington Beach High product Josh Tuaniga have been named first-team all-conference.

UCI’s Scott Stadick is the Freshman of the Year.

UCI senior Thomas Hodges, Newport Harbor High graduate Kevin Rakestraw, and Huntington Beach High graduate Brenden Sander, a junior at BYU, were second-team honorees.

DeFalco, who helped the 49ers earn the No. 1 seed in the upcoming MPSF Tournament, ranks ninth in the NCAA in hitting percentage (.400) and is No. 6 nationally with 4.10 kills per set.

Saeta, a setter, is second in the conference in aces per set (0.63), ranks 10th in hitting percentage (.408) and seventh in assists (9.45 per set). His 45 aces in conference play led all MPSF players and allowed him to set a school single-season ace record of 62 heading into the Anteaters’ MPSF Tournament quarterfinal against UCLA on Saturday at the Bren Events Center.

Saeta’s 65 assists at Pepperdine are the most in a four-set match in the country this season.

He earned second-team recognition last season.

Hershko, a 6-foot-6 opposite, is averaging 3.22 kills per set. He was a first-team honoree and an All-American in 2015.

Stadick, a 7-foot middle blocker, becomes the third UCI player to earn Freshman of the Year laurels, joining Carson Clark (2009) and Brent Asuka (2006). His 22 solo blocks lead all MPSF players and his 110 total blocks rank second in the conference. His 1.20 blocks per set are fifth nationally and his 88 block assists rank third among MPSF performers.

Stadick ranks eighth in the conference and second among freshmen with a .414 hitting percentage and his 12 total blocks in Friday’s home win over Stanford tied for the most in a match this season in the nation.

Hodges, a 6-4 outside hitter, averaged 2.91 kills and 0.82 digs per set in MPSF matches. He was named to the All-Freshmen team in 2014 while at the University of the Pacific.

Stadick and UCI junior libero Dillon Hoffman received honorable mention in all-conference voting.

No. 5-ranked UCI finished the regular season 19-6, 13-5 in conference to finish fourth.

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