The University of Hawaiʻi men’s volleyball team placed four players on the NVA/AVCA (National Volleyball Association/American Volleyball Coaches Association) All-America team, including junior setter Jakob Thelle, who was the team’s lone representative on the first team.
Sophomore outside hitter Spyros Chakas and sophomore middle blocker Guilherme Voss were selected to the second team, while sophomore opposite Dimitrios Mouchlias was honorable mention. This year marks the sixth consecutive year in which at least four UH players received All-America recognition.
Thelle was named Big West Player of the Year and Big West Tournament Most Valuable Player after leading the Rainbow Warriors (24-5) to their second conference title. He also received honorable mention All-America honors last season.
The AVCA Player of the Year award will be announced on Wednesday, May 4. Thelle is looking to become UH‘s second straight Player of the Year recipient and fifth overall after Rado Parapunov took home the award last year.
In addition to Thelle, Chakas and Voss were also first-team all-Big West recipients. Chakas is in his first season as a full-time starter. He is second on the team in kills (3.25) and aces (44), and leads the team with 17 double-digit kill matches. Voss ranks No. 2 nationally in blocking at 1.36 blocks per set while also averaging 1.89 kills per set, hitting .487.
Mouchlias leads the team with a 3.59 kill average, hitting .351. He also ranks third with 30 aces and fourth with 0.91 blocks per set. The opposite has reached double-figure kills in 15 matches this season.
The Rainbow Warriors are chasing their second-straight national title in the NCAA Championship Tournament in Los Angeles. Their first match is May 3, against North Greenville University.
