Hawaii men’s volleyball: Program-record 5 named All-Americans

Congratulations to the Rainbow Warriors on their bounty of All-America selections.

Hawaii senior hitter Stijn van Tilburg was named to the AVCA All-America first team for a third time and the top-ranked Rainbow Warriors had a program-record five players selected, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced today.

Joining Van Tilburg on the 10-member first team were senior setter Joe Worsley, junior opposite Rado Parapunov and sophomore libero Gage Worsley. Junior middle Patrick Gasman was named to the 10-member second team.

It is the first time Hawaii had four players on the first team. The five selections ties the program record from 2015 and 2018.
The Worsleys are the second set of brothers to be selected to the first team in the same year. Stanford’s Kawika and Erik Shoji were the first in 2010.
Joe Worsley was named to the second team last season, and Gasman and Parapunov were honorable mentions.

This gives Hawaii 42 All-America certificates, including 28 first-teamers, and recognizes 29 individuals.

Also named to the first team for a third time is Micah Ma’a (PUnahou), a setter-hitter for UCLA. UC Santa Barbara freshman hitter Ryan Wilcox (Punahou) was named national newcomer of the year as well as one of the 25 honorable mentions.

Long Beach State had three first-teamers.

Van Tilburg is the second Warrior to be named to the first team three times. Costas Theocharidis is the program’s only four-time first-team selection (2000-03).

The AVCA All-American banquet is scheduled for Wednesday at the Terrace Theater in Long Beach, Calif.

Top-seeded Hawaii has a bye into Thursday’s NCAA semifinal at Long Beach State and will meet the winner of Tuesday’s first-round match between Lewis and USC. The second-seeded and host 49ers will meet the winner of the other first-round match between Pepperdine and Princeton.

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UPDATE: Here’s video of the team departing the Stan Sheriff Center for the NCAA tournament, and interviews with Joe Worsley, Rado Parapunov and van Tilburg.

#HawaiiMVB embarks for the NCAA tournament. pic.twitter.com/bQYRx8cWJh

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— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) April 29, 2019

#HawaiiMVB All-American setter Joe Worsley on the traveling fan support as the Rainbow Warriors hit the road for Long Beach. pic.twitter.com/WYZGSrbjY1

— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) April 29, 2019

#HawaiiMVB All-American opposite Rado Parapunov on what the team’s national honors meant. pic.twitter.com/1aNYVCWxHu

— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) April 29, 2019

#HawaiiMVB All-American Stijn van Tilburg on the NCAA tournament sendoff the team got as it left the Stan Sheriff Center. pic.twitter.com/07Hk6pmLZ8

— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) April 29, 2019

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From UH
Stijn van Tilburg is second on the team in kills per set (3.92) and ranks No. 2 nationally in hitting percentage (.473). The team’s leading attacker is Rado Parapunov, who was an honorable mention selection last season. The Sofia, Bulgaria native ranks No. 5 nationally in points per set (5.14), No. 6 in hitting percentage (.432), No. 7 in kills per set (4.14) and No. 8 in aces per set (0.477).

Joe Worsley was a second-team All-American last season. He leads the nation is assists (11.33 aps) and directs an offense that is No. 1 nationally in three offensive categories – hitting percentage (.442), kills per set (14.21), and assists per set (13.32).

Brother Gage Worsley ranks No. 5 nationally and first in the Big West in digs per set (2.51). Gasman, an honorable mention All-American last season, is No. 2 nationally in blocking (1.42) while also averaging 1.72 kills per set on .465 hitting.