Photo by: Big West Conference
A Look Back At 2019
April 25, 2019 | Men's Volleyball
UC Irvine ended the season 18-11 overall, winning 12 matches against teams currently ranked in the AVCA top 15 and one receiving votes.
Seven of those 12 wins against nationally ranked teams were on the road. UCI was one of just three teams to beat BYU in Provo this season (Hawaii, McKendree).
The Anteaters have recorded 18 or more wins in 12 of the last 15 seasons.
UCI finished third in the Big West with a 5-5 record.
The third seeded Anteaters advanced to the semifinals of the Big West Championship for the second consecutive year, falling to host and second-seed Hawaii, 3-0. The Anteaters swept sixth-seeded UC San Diego in the quarterfinals.
UCI is No. 8 in the AVCA rankings. The Anteaters spent 11 weeks in the top 5, including seven weeks at No. 3 and one at No. 2.
The Anteaters ended the season strong winning four of the final five matches.
In the national statistics, the Anteaters ranked eighth nationally in assists (12.13), kills (12.79) and blocks (2.40).
Four Anteaters were named to All-Big West teams, highlighted by first team honorees Joel Schneidmiller and Karl Apfelbach.
Scott Stadick was named honorable mention, while Alexandre Nsakanda was selected to the All-Freshman team.
UCI also received several weekly honors from the Big West led by Joel Schniedmiller who was named Big West Player of the Week three times and Defensive Player of the Week once. Stadick earned Defensive Player of the twice, while Patrick Sohacki claimed Big West Defensive Player of the Week honors, his first career weekly accolade. Alexandre Nsakanda was named Freshman Player of the Week twice.
Outside hitter Joel Schneidmiller had an impressive sophomore campaign. He was second in the league in service aces and was ranked fifth nationally with a 0.54 average. He was also second in the Big West in points (4.49), third in kills (3.65) as well as sixth in hitting percentage (.323). The sophomore, who missed six matches with an arm injury, led UCI in kills on 14 occasions, including a career-high 28 kills versus Loyola which were the most in the league this season and fourth most nationally.
UCI's four seniors, Karl Apfelbach, Dante Chakravorti, David Parker and Aaron Koubi, have each made an impact on the Anteater program.
Apfelbach, who is a two-time first team All-Big West choice as well as an All-American, ends his career ranked 10th in career aces with 92. He was second on the team in kills with a 2.90 average, which ranked 10th in the Big West.
Chakravorti graduates ranked fifth in UCI career set assists list with 3,315. The setter was an honorable mention All-Big West selection and received the department's highest academic honor, Big West Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Parker garnered All-Big West honorable mention as well as Big West Defensive Player of the Week accolades in his career. He ranks fourth all-time in digs at UCI with 704 and was third in the Big West with a 2.33 average.
Koubi, who earned AVCA All-America honorable mention honors as well as first team All-Big West last season, ended the year averaging 2.66 kills and 1.50 digs.
In the middle, UCI will return the duo of Scott Stadick and Patrick Sohacki. Stadick was fifth nationally in blocks with a 1.21 average. He ranks third in career solo blocks all-time with 75 and owns three of the top four spots in solo blocks in a season.
Sohacki ended the year with a 1.21 kill and 0.90 block average.
Seven of those 12 wins against nationally ranked teams were on the road. UCI was one of just three teams to beat BYU in Provo this season (Hawaii, McKendree).
The Anteaters have recorded 18 or more wins in 12 of the last 15 seasons.
UCI finished third in the Big West with a 5-5 record.
The third seeded Anteaters advanced to the semifinals of the Big West Championship for the second consecutive year, falling to host and second-seed Hawaii, 3-0. The Anteaters swept sixth-seeded UC San Diego in the quarterfinals.
UCI is No. 8 in the AVCA rankings. The Anteaters spent 11 weeks in the top 5, including seven weeks at No. 3 and one at No. 2.
The Anteaters ended the season strong winning four of the final five matches.
In the national statistics, the Anteaters ranked eighth nationally in assists (12.13), kills (12.79) and blocks (2.40).
Four Anteaters were named to All-Big West teams, highlighted by first team honorees Joel Schneidmiller and Karl Apfelbach.
Scott Stadick was named honorable mention, while Alexandre Nsakanda was selected to the All-Freshman team.
UCI also received several weekly honors from the Big West led by Joel Schniedmiller who was named Big West Player of the Week three times and Defensive Player of the Week once. Stadick earned Defensive Player of the twice, while Patrick Sohacki claimed Big West Defensive Player of the Week honors, his first career weekly accolade. Alexandre Nsakanda was named Freshman Player of the Week twice.
Outside hitter Joel Schneidmiller had an impressive sophomore campaign. He was second in the league in service aces and was ranked fifth nationally with a 0.54 average. He was also second in the Big West in points (4.49), third in kills (3.65) as well as sixth in hitting percentage (.323). The sophomore, who missed six matches with an arm injury, led UCI in kills on 14 occasions, including a career-high 28 kills versus Loyola which were the most in the league this season and fourth most nationally.
UCI's four seniors, Karl Apfelbach, Dante Chakravorti, David Parker and Aaron Koubi, have each made an impact on the Anteater program.
Apfelbach, who is a two-time first team All-Big West choice as well as an All-American, ends his career ranked 10th in career aces with 92. He was second on the team in kills with a 2.90 average, which ranked 10th in the Big West.
Chakravorti graduates ranked fifth in UCI career set assists list with 3,315. The setter was an honorable mention All-Big West selection and received the department's highest academic honor, Big West Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Parker garnered All-Big West honorable mention as well as Big West Defensive Player of the Week accolades in his career. He ranks fourth all-time in digs at UCI with 704 and was third in the Big West with a 2.33 average.
Koubi, who earned AVCA All-America honorable mention honors as well as first team All-Big West last season, ended the year averaging 2.66 kills and 1.50 digs.
In the middle, UCI will return the duo of Scott Stadick and Patrick Sohacki. Stadick was fifth nationally in blocks with a 1.21 average. He ranks third in career solo blocks all-time with 75 and owns three of the top four spots in solo blocks in a season.
Sohacki ended the year with a 1.21 kill and 0.90 block average.
Players Mentioned
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