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Beat Breakdown: What needs to go right for UCLA men’s volleyball at NCAAs, according to DB Sports

Freshman setter Andrew Rowan, sophomore outside hitter/opposite Ido David and redshirt junior middle blocker Merrick McHenry are pictured. Each player holds a key to the success of the Bruins at the 2023 NCAA men’s volleyball tournament. (Photos by Myka Fromm/Daily Bruin and Amelie Ionescu/Daily Bruin senior staff. Photo illustration by Helen Quach/Assistant Design director)

By Ira Gorawara, Anthony Aroyan, and Amelie Ionescu

April 30, 2023 5:52 p.m.

This post was updated April 30 at 9:20 p.m.

For the first time since 2006, No. 1 seed UCLA men’s volleyball has taken home a postseason title after sweeping both matches at the MPSF tournament at Stanford. Now, take a look at what each of the Daily Bruin Sports men’s volleyball writers believes will be the key to securing the Bruins’ first NCAA championships since 2006 as well.

Anthony Aroyan
Daily Bruin reporter
Bottom line: Ido David’s elevation

While UCLA emerged victorious in the MPSF tournament, one notable Bruin didn’t exactly have the best performance.

Ido David, one of the program’s standout outside hitters and primary sources of offensive production this season, found himself struggling in the tournament’s final match against Stanford. While the sophomore led the team in kills throughout the regular season, David could only muster seven kills in the MPSF tournament finale while hitting just .158, a significant drop off from his .368 average on the season.

While the team was able to get it done against the Cardinal and lift the conference title, the NCAA tournament is a whole different ball game.

No. 1 seed UCLA is expected to play at least one, if not two, of the other top four teams in the nation in order to win its first national title since 2006. When competing against the country’s other elite squads – Hawai’i, Long Beach State and Penn State – David has had a rollercoaster of performances.

Let’s start with the bad news first.

David has not been the pinnacle of consistency when facing the other top programs in the nation. The most notable instance was during the team’s road match against Long Beach, where David notched just four kills in three frames, posting a -.050 clip.

Now here comes the good news: UCLA won that match.

Despite David’s worst statistical performance of the season, the blue and gold was able to edge out a victory against the Beach thanks to production from its other weapons and taking advantage of the opposition’s errors.

In other performances against the top four, David has stepped up to lead his team through stiff competition.

Against the Beach at home, David had his best hitting performance of the year, earning a .696 hitting percentage with 17 kills to secure a Bruin sweep. While in Hawaii facing off against Penn State, David posted a match-high 21 kills, even contributing on the defensive side with four blocks.

When it comes down to it, David’s large frame and sheer athletic ability will always make him a threat that other teams need to worry about. The real question is whether David will be able to rise above his recent inconsistencies to be the offensive force that he has been throughout this campaign.

The answer may determine UCLA’s entire season.

(Myka Fromm/Daily Bruin)
Redshirt junior middle blocker Merrick McHenry rises for a hit. McHenry collected MPSF tournament MVP honors as he averaged 20 kills at a .869 clip across both conference tournament matches. (Myka Fromm/Daily Bruin)

Ira Gorawara
Daily Bruin reporter
Bottom line: Postseason prime time

Behind the Bruins’ 17-year-drought-ending MPSF title was one player.

Merrick McHenry.

After displaying his mastery and earning MPSF Player of the Tournament honors, there’s no denying the redshirt junior middle blocker is a force to be reckoned with. But postseason McHenry is a whole different breed.

While leading the nation with a .537 average hitting percentage, the redshirt junior middle blocker proved his No. 1 ranking during the MPSF tournament. Alongside 20 kills over the two games, McHenry posted a .909 and subsequent .833 clip.

Coach John Speraw recognized McHenry’s offensive production as the best performance from any middle blocker in a tournament.

Plenty of awards decorate McHenry’s cabinets as he heads into the national championship with two Middle Attacker of the Week honors, an Outrigger All-Tournament recognition and an All-MPSF selection under his belt.

On top of the middle blocker’s offensive firepower, he leads the blue and gold with 107 blocks and positions second on the roster with 1.08 blocks per set behind redshirt sophomore middle blocker Guy Genis’ 1.25.

With a total of 10 during the MPSF tournament, McHenry’s defensive output was showcased throughout the weekend and proved his efforts in all facets of the game.

But this wasn’t a first for McHenry, who landed an All-MPSF pick last season as well.

Even though the Cardinal handed the Bruins a heartbreaking elimination from last year’s MPSF tournament, McHenry delivered with nine kills and five blocks behind an effective .529 clip. And in the face of a Long Beach matchup that dashed UCLA’s national championship aspirations, McHenry still mustered eight kills off 10 attempts to marshal a .700 clip in the game.

McHenry is no stranger to postseason success.

The middle blocker’s sheer athleticism coupled with his tenacity on the court make him a player on most opponent’s scouting reports. At 6 feet, 7 inches and a sky-high vertical, McHenry isn’t someone teams get excited to see across the net.

If McHenry doesn’t maintain his playoff production, an arduous journey lies ahead of the Bruins. If he does, UCLA could bring trophy No. 121 to Westwood.

(Amelie Ionescu/Daily Bruin senior staff)
Ethan Champlin lunges after a ball. The junior outside hitter has been a source of incredible saves for the Bruins. (Amelie Ionescu/Daily Bruin senior staff)

Amelie Ionescu
Assistant Sports editor
Bottom line: Defensive desires

Ethan Champlin has given Speraw plenty of heart attacks.

From jumping over a table against BYU to a kick-save keeping the ball in play against Stanford, the junior outside hitter’s defensive capabilities have proven themselves crucial to the success of the team, especially after the departure of a defensive star in junior setter/opposite Miles Partain.

[Related: With a dive over a table, UCLA men’s volleyball secures win against Irvine]

Despite not making the All-Tournament team for the MPSF tournament, Champlin proved integral to the Bruins’ success in heart and spirit, compiling a highlight reel of some of the most intense men’s volleyball saves of the season.

My co-writers above covered two of the Bruins’ strongest offensive pieces. David and McHenry can combine to be a deadly combination. But there is one more duo that has proven to be just as critical.

Alongside Champlin, Andrew Rowan has the ability to succeed.

The freshman’s story of stepping into the role of the Bruins’ starting setter has been worked and reworked.

[Related: Amy’s Angle: Amid roster tumult, Andrew Rowan promises stability for UCLA men’s volleyball]

But alongside his offensive capabilities – with 995 assists over the year, an improving setter dump and 49 aces – Rowan has proven himself on the defensive end.

UCLA’s signal-caller played the best games of his career against the top teams in the country, with 40 assists, five blocks and six digs in UCLA’s sweep of Long Beach, a season-high 53 assists in UCLA’s four-set loss to Hawai’i and his season’s greatest defensive effort – 10 digs and two blocks – against Penn State.

Instead of folding under pressure, the freshman sealed the deal.

Rowan helped lead the Bruins to their best record since the turn of the century, the most sweeps in a season since 1996. He is only 45 assists away from Partain’s total last year.

Champlin has chased after balls that almost no one believed anyone could get. He has overcome all odds to keep the ball in play.

Needing that kind of play is a lot of pressure to put on a duo. But it rests on them.

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Ira Gorawara | Assistant Sports editor
Gorawara is a 2023-2024 assistant Sports editor on the men's volleyball, women's volleyball, men's tennis and rowing beats and is a Copy contributor. She was previously a reporter on the men's volleyball and rowing beats. She is also a second-year communication and economics student.
Gorawara is a 2023-2024 assistant Sports editor on the men's volleyball, women's volleyball, men's tennis and rowing beats and is a Copy contributor. She was previously a reporter on the men's volleyball and rowing beats. She is also a second-year communication and economics student.
Amelie Ionescu | Sports senior staff
Ionescu was previously an assistant Sports editor on the men's volleyball, women's volleyball, swim and dive and rowing beats, and a contributor on the women's tennis beat.
Ionescu was previously an assistant Sports editor on the men's volleyball, women's volleyball, swim and dive and rowing beats, and a contributor on the women's tennis beat.
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