Friday, March 28
Los Angeles, Calif.
7:00 p.m. PT
USC
vs
Grand Canyon
Photo by: Kate Tsao
No. 3 USC Men's Volleyball Hosts Lopes in Return to MPSF Action
March 25, 2025 | Men's Volleyball
The Trojans look to extend a seven-match win streak when 13th-ranked Grand Canyon visits Galen Center
LOS ANGELES – No. 3 USC men's volleyball (16-2) takes its new ranking for a spin in a return to MPSF play as host to 13th-ranked Grand Canyon (14-6, 3-3) this weekend at Galen Center. The Trojans—with their highest ranking in more than 10 years—meet the Lopes to do battle on Friday (March 28) at 7 p.m. PT when USC takes the court in its home arena for the first time in 30 days. The teams then meet for a rematch on Saturday (March 29) at 5 p.m. The Trojans have not beaten the Lopes since taking a pair of road wins over GCU at the end of the 2022 season. In the short history of the head-to-head series (since 2010), the Lopes own a 12-6 edge in 18 meetings and have won four in a row.
THIS WEEK
No. 3 USC (16-2, 4-0 MPSF) vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon (14-6, 3-3 MPSF)
Galen Center • Los Angeles, Calif.
MATCH #19 • Friday, March 28 • 7 p.m. PT
TV/STREAM: B1G+ (Thomas Johnson & Kasey Kazliner)
MATCH #20 • Saturday, March 29 • 5 p.m. PT
TV/STREAM: B1G+ (Thomas Johnson & Scott Hills)
SERIES RECORD: USC trails, 6-12 (.333)
LAST MEETING: L 3-0 (Feb. 24, 2024 • Phoenix, Ariz.)
STREAK: Lost 4 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 2-8
OPPONENT WEBSITE: GCULopes.com
FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)
LAST TIME OUT: USC won the Outrigger Invitational with a pair of sweeps over No. 19 Penn State and No. 12 Ball State followed by a stunning 3-1 win over tournament host No. 3 Hawai'i. Dillon Klein was chosen as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and was named to the all-tournament team with hometown kid Jack Deuchar and Parker Tomkinson. Klein collected his 55th-career match in double-digit kills in the win over the Rainbow Warriors as USC extended its win streak to seven matches. The Trojans reached the double-digit mark in blocks for the ninth time this season and recorded their ninth win against a ranked foe, including three against top-10 opponents on the road.
POLL POSITION: The Trojans were ranked No. 7 in the AVCA Preseason Poll. In 2024, the poll expanded to 20 teams (previously 15). USC is currently ranked No. 3in the March 24 poll. The Trojans reached fifth in the coach's poll on Feb. 3 to mark their highest position since they also ranked No. 5 in 2022 (April 18). On March 10, USC's spot at No. 5 marked the 200th time the Trojans have been ranked in the AVCA Poll's top five. The Trojans' reached the top three (March 24) for the first time in over 10 years and were last ranked as high as third on Feb. 16, 2015.
POW-WOW: OH Dillon Klein (Defensive) and MB Parker Tomkinson (Offensive) were chosen for MPSF Player of the Week awards on Jan. 27 and repeated for the opposite awards one week later (Feb. 3). On March 17, Klein earned his second offensive honor and was joined by first-time winner LIB Johnny Dykstra who claimed the defensive award. Klein has now collected five-career weekly honors; four offensive and one defensive. Tomkinson—a freshman—earned both offensive and defensive weekly honors in short order. USC has swept the weekly awards five times since March 7, 2022.
STEEP INKLEIN: OH Dillon Klein was chosen as the AVCA's National Player of the Week on Feb. 4 and repeated the feat on March 18. His second selection made him the first player to win multiple awards this season. He is also the first USC player to be selected for the national weekly award more than once in his career since Tony Ciarelli (four times from 2010-12). Klein joins Ciarelli (4), Murphy Troy (3), Brooks Billings (3), and Eli Fairfield (2) and becomes the fifth Trojan to have won national player of the week honors multiple times. Klein (2025) and Ciarelli (2011) are the only two Trojans to have won more than once in the same season.
EYE ON 900: USC reached 900 all-time victories on a three-set sweep of Central State in Wilberforce, Ohio, on Jan. 29. The team's overall record is now 910-628 (.592) since 1970 when John Smith recorded the team's first-ever win.
BIG BLOCK ENERGY: The Trojans' 2.91 blocks per set rank first in both the MPSF and in the NCAA. USC has racked up double-digit blocks in nine of its 18contests including a season-high 17 at CSUN (Jan. 22). Four Trojan starters rank in the MPSF's top 20 for blocks led by MB Guy Genis who is second in the league at 1.15 bps to rank eight in the NCAA. MB Parker Tomkinson puts up 1.12 bps for third in the MPSF and 10th in the nation. OH Sterling Foley ranks 15th at 0.75 bps and OH Dillon Klein is 18th at 0.71 bps.
RECORD HIGH: USC's .691 hitting percentage against Dominican (Feb. 8) set a new school record. It also tied the third-highest single-match output by an MPSF team—a mark also equaled by Pepperdine this season. The Trojans have hit north of .300 in 16 matches. Six times, USC has logged a hitting percentage higher than .450. USC's .387 hitting leads the MPSF and is second in the NCAA.
PRIORITY DELIVERY: S Caleb Blanchette leads the nation in assists at 11.41 aps. He has equaled his career-high mark in two matches this season with 61 at UC Irvine (Feb. 12) and at BYU (March 7) and crossed the 1,500-assist mark in his career. Blanchette is one of just two players to average better than 11.00 assists per set (Tread Rosenthal, Hawai'i; 11.01 aps).
JOHNNY ON THE SPOT: LIB Johnny Dykstra leads the MPSF in digs with 2.33 dps. He has produced six matches in double-digit digs and ranks 11th in the nation for digs, fourth best among the nation's freshmen.
DK 1K WATCH: OH Dillon Klein has reached double-digit kills in 55 of 70 career matches and is on pace to reach the 1,000-kill mark at the end of the 2025 regular season. He has 941 career kills and needs 59 to reach the mark.
JUST DEU IT: OPP Jack Deuchar has played in just half of the team's contests this spring. After missing the first eight matches of the season, his return yielded immediate dividends. He has produced five matches in double-digit kills including a season-high 23 in a win at BYU and is the team's second-leading scorer at 4.54points per set (3.82 kps). Deuchar also leads the team with 0.32 service aces per set.
THIS WEEK
No. 3 USC (16-2, 4-0 MPSF) vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon (14-6, 3-3 MPSF)
Galen Center • Los Angeles, Calif.
MATCH #19 • Friday, March 28 • 7 p.m. PT
TV/STREAM: B1G+ (Thomas Johnson & Kasey Kazliner)
MATCH #20 • Saturday, March 29 • 5 p.m. PT
TV/STREAM: B1G+ (Thomas Johnson & Scott Hills)
SERIES RECORD: USC trails, 6-12 (.333)
LAST MEETING: L 3-0 (Feb. 24, 2024 • Phoenix, Ariz.)
STREAK: Lost 4 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 2-8
OPPONENT WEBSITE: GCULopes.com
FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)
- USC is led by 10th-year head coach Jeff Nygaard, a three-time Olympian in indoor and beach volleyball and a two-time NCAA champion.
- The Trojans are ranked third in the AVCA Coaches Poll. USC reached third on March 17, the team's highest ranking since it was also third on Feb. 16, 2015.
- USC leads the MPSF in all statistical categories with the exception of service aces and opponent hitting. The Trojans are the NCAA leader in kills (13.73 kps), assists (12.76 aps), and blocks (2.91 bps). USC is second in hitting percentage nationally (.387).
- The Trojans have reached double-digit blocks in nine of their 18 matches.
- Jr. OH Dillon Klein has reached double-digit kills in 14 matches and has had 55 double-digit matches in his career. His 4.25 kills per set lead the MPSF (6th, NCAA) and he is first in points at 4.86 pps (9th, NCAA).
- Klein won his third MPSF Player of the Week award last week and was chosen for the AVCA's National Player of the Week honor for a second time.
- So. S Caleb Blanchette leads the nation in assists (11.41 aps).
- Fr. LIB Johnny Dykstra leads the MPSF in digs (2.33 dps), 11th in the NCAA.
- Gr. MB Guy Genis is second in the MPSF in blocks (1.15 bps, 8th in the NCAA). Fr. MB Parker Tomkinson is third in the MPSF (10th, NCAA) with 1.12 bps.
LAST TIME OUT: USC won the Outrigger Invitational with a pair of sweeps over No. 19 Penn State and No. 12 Ball State followed by a stunning 3-1 win over tournament host No. 3 Hawai'i. Dillon Klein was chosen as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and was named to the all-tournament team with hometown kid Jack Deuchar and Parker Tomkinson. Klein collected his 55th-career match in double-digit kills in the win over the Rainbow Warriors as USC extended its win streak to seven matches. The Trojans reached the double-digit mark in blocks for the ninth time this season and recorded their ninth win against a ranked foe, including three against top-10 opponents on the road.
POLL POSITION: The Trojans were ranked No. 7 in the AVCA Preseason Poll. In 2024, the poll expanded to 20 teams (previously 15). USC is currently ranked No. 3in the March 24 poll. The Trojans reached fifth in the coach's poll on Feb. 3 to mark their highest position since they also ranked No. 5 in 2022 (April 18). On March 10, USC's spot at No. 5 marked the 200th time the Trojans have been ranked in the AVCA Poll's top five. The Trojans' reached the top three (March 24) for the first time in over 10 years and were last ranked as high as third on Feb. 16, 2015.
POW-WOW: OH Dillon Klein (Defensive) and MB Parker Tomkinson (Offensive) were chosen for MPSF Player of the Week awards on Jan. 27 and repeated for the opposite awards one week later (Feb. 3). On March 17, Klein earned his second offensive honor and was joined by first-time winner LIB Johnny Dykstra who claimed the defensive award. Klein has now collected five-career weekly honors; four offensive and one defensive. Tomkinson—a freshman—earned both offensive and defensive weekly honors in short order. USC has swept the weekly awards five times since March 7, 2022.
STEEP INKLEIN: OH Dillon Klein was chosen as the AVCA's National Player of the Week on Feb. 4 and repeated the feat on March 18. His second selection made him the first player to win multiple awards this season. He is also the first USC player to be selected for the national weekly award more than once in his career since Tony Ciarelli (four times from 2010-12). Klein joins Ciarelli (4), Murphy Troy (3), Brooks Billings (3), and Eli Fairfield (2) and becomes the fifth Trojan to have won national player of the week honors multiple times. Klein (2025) and Ciarelli (2011) are the only two Trojans to have won more than once in the same season.
EYE ON 900: USC reached 900 all-time victories on a three-set sweep of Central State in Wilberforce, Ohio, on Jan. 29. The team's overall record is now 910-628 (.592) since 1970 when John Smith recorded the team's first-ever win.
BIG BLOCK ENERGY: The Trojans' 2.91 blocks per set rank first in both the MPSF and in the NCAA. USC has racked up double-digit blocks in nine of its 18contests including a season-high 17 at CSUN (Jan. 22). Four Trojan starters rank in the MPSF's top 20 for blocks led by MB Guy Genis who is second in the league at 1.15 bps to rank eight in the NCAA. MB Parker Tomkinson puts up 1.12 bps for third in the MPSF and 10th in the nation. OH Sterling Foley ranks 15th at 0.75 bps and OH Dillon Klein is 18th at 0.71 bps.
RECORD HIGH: USC's .691 hitting percentage against Dominican (Feb. 8) set a new school record. It also tied the third-highest single-match output by an MPSF team—a mark also equaled by Pepperdine this season. The Trojans have hit north of .300 in 16 matches. Six times, USC has logged a hitting percentage higher than .450. USC's .387 hitting leads the MPSF and is second in the NCAA.
PRIORITY DELIVERY: S Caleb Blanchette leads the nation in assists at 11.41 aps. He has equaled his career-high mark in two matches this season with 61 at UC Irvine (Feb. 12) and at BYU (March 7) and crossed the 1,500-assist mark in his career. Blanchette is one of just two players to average better than 11.00 assists per set (Tread Rosenthal, Hawai'i; 11.01 aps).
JOHNNY ON THE SPOT: LIB Johnny Dykstra leads the MPSF in digs with 2.33 dps. He has produced six matches in double-digit digs and ranks 11th in the nation for digs, fourth best among the nation's freshmen.
DK 1K WATCH: OH Dillon Klein has reached double-digit kills in 55 of 70 career matches and is on pace to reach the 1,000-kill mark at the end of the 2025 regular season. He has 941 career kills and needs 59 to reach the mark.
JUST DEU IT: OPP Jack Deuchar has played in just half of the team's contests this spring. After missing the first eight matches of the season, his return yielded immediate dividends. He has produced five matches in double-digit kills including a season-high 23 in a win at BYU and is the team's second-leading scorer at 4.54points per set (3.82 kps). Deuchar also leads the team with 0.32 service aces per set.
Players Mentioned
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MB
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