Though the men’s volleyball team only went 6-11 (2-4 MPSF) in a shortened season, junior opposite hitter Jaylen Jasper was awarded honorable mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association for the third straight season.
With his selection, Cardinal men’s volleyball increased its all-time total number of selections to 72.
Maryland native Jasper led the MPSF with 4.11 kills per set, with his season-high 28 kills coming on Feb. 6 against No. 8 Pepperdine. He also registered a season-best 30 points in five sets against Pepperdine, marking just the third time in his collegiate career that he scored at least 30 points in one game. Jasper recorded three double-doubles this season, bringing his career total to eight, while his 4.64 points per set ranked third in the conference and ninth in the nation. The versatile hitter also ranked seventh in the MPSF with an average 1.70 digs per set.
Jasper’s impressive season is even more remarkable considering that the Cardinal played with four different setters through 17 games. After 2019 starter and former honorable mention All-American Paul Bischoff, a senior, was injured following the AVCA Men’s Showcase in early January, freshman outside hitter Kevin Lamp started against UCI. Unfazed by the change, Jasper led the team with 15 kills that night. For the remainder of the season, redshirt freshman libero Justin Lui and freshman setter Nathan Lietzke split time as the Cardinal’s starting setter, while Jasper continued to lead the team with double-digit kills nearly every game.
The adaptable opposite also earned All-MPSF first-team honors this season, extending his streak to three straight years on the All-MPSF team.
Contact Sofia Scekic at sscekic ‘at’ stanford.edu.