Four Cougars named Off the Block preseason All-Americans

PROVO, Utah – Four BYU men's volleyball players were named 2017 Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Preseason All-Americans, the organization announced Monday.

Junior opposite Ben Patch and junior outside hitter Brenden Sander led the way being selected to the first team, while senior outside hitter Jake Langlois and junior middle blocker Price Jarman were added to the second team.

BYU led the nation in selections with four. Long Beach State also had four selections while both Ohio State and UCLA had three players recognized.

A nationwide voting committee of men's volleyball head coaches and nationwide media selected a total of 20 players to the preseason All-American teams. The selections recognize the NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball players projected to be the best in the nation during the upcoming season.

Players eligible for the preseason award had to be on an active roster of a Division I-II men’s volleyball team in 2016.

The Cougars kick off their season January 6, when they travel to Lewis for a nonconference match.

OFF THE BLOCK/SPRINGBAK, INC. FIRST-TEAM PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS

Setter: Micha Ma’a, UCLA
Setter: Josh Tuaniga, Long Beach State
Opposite: Miles Johnson, Ohio State
Opposite: Ben Patch, BYU
Outside attacker: TJ DeFalco, Long Beach State
Outside attacker: Brenden Sander, BYU
Outside attacker: Nicolas Szerszen, Ohio State
Middle attacker: Jeff Jendryk, Loyola
Middle attacker: Mitch Stahl, UCLA
Libero: Evan Enriques, Stanford

OFF THE BLOCK/SPRINGBAK, INC. SECOND-TEAM PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS

Setter: Christy Blough, Ohio State
Opposite: Kyle Ensing, Long Beach State
Opposite: Jabarry Goodridge, NJIT
Opposite: Tamir Hershko, UC Irvine
Opposite: Mitch Perinar, Lewis
Outside attacker: Jake Arnitz, UCLA
Outside attacker: Jake Langlois, BYU
Outside attacker: Chris Nugent, Penn State
Middle attacker: Price Jarman, BYU
Libero: Johnny Gomez, George Mason