Three MVB Bruins Named NVA/AVCA All-Americans
Three Bruins – setter Sam Kobrine, opposite Cole Ketrzynski and middle blocker Merrick McHenry - were recognized on the NVA/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America selections released on Monday. Each earned honorable mention honors. UCLA finished second in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) and compiled a 15-6 season record.
Kobrine, a redshirt senior, started all 21 matches for the Bruins. He directed the team to a .330 hitting percentage which ranks fourth in the nation. Kobrine posted a career-best 61 set assists in a win at Stanford (3/23) and had four matches with 10 digs this season. He rated eighth in the nation in set assists (10.34) and was named the Molten/MPSF Defensive Player of the Week during the season. A first-team All-MPSF pick, Kobrine was the only player in the nation in 2021 to record a triple-double (14 kills, 15 set assists, 10 digs vs. USC).
Ketrzynski ranked among the nation's best attackers in kills per set (3.98, 12th in the nation and fourth on the UCLA single-season list in the rally scoring era), points per set (4.78, eighth in the NCAA) and hitting percentage (.345, 21st nationally) this season. He registered double-digit kills in 14 matches in 2021 with three matches of 20 or more kills including a career-best 24 kills in an MPSF Quarterfinal win this season against Concordia. Ketrzynski also rated among the nation's best in service aces per set (0.49). His total of 32 aces led the Bruins and his average of 0.49 per set is sixth-best on the UCLA season list. The sophomore was a first-team All-MPSF selection.
McHenry rated among the nation's best middle attackers in hitting percentage (.423, 12th in the NCAA) and blocks per set (1.02, 18th nationally). He led the Bruins in block solos (15, tied for fourth on the all-time single-season school list) and block assists (48). He totaled double-digit kills in eight matches this season with a high of 18 at Grand Canyon. McHenry was named Off the Block's National Freshman of the Week twice during the season for his performances in a couple of regular season meetings with Pepperdine (24 kills, 12 blocks) and after hitting a combined .581 in three wins against Stanford and Concordia. For the season, the redshirt freshman had three or more block assists in 11 contests.
The 2021 selections were made by the AVCA Division I-II Men's Volleyball All-America Committee: chairperson Dan Friend (Lewis); Kevin Ring (UC San Diego); Rick McLaughlin (UC Santa Barbara); Ali'i Keohohou (Mount Olive); Ryan Booher (King); Jay Hosack (George Mason); Mike Rumbaugh (Saint Francis); Kevin Burch (Ohio State); David Hunt (Pepperdine); Shawn Olmstead (BYU); John Cash (Lincoln Memorial).