2014 was a special season for the Stanford men’s volleyball team.  After being written off as conference and national title contenders following a 6-7 start to conference play, the team turned a corner and won every remaining regular season match to finish 17-7.  The momentum carried the Cardinal into the MPSF Final, where the BYU Cougars handed the team its first loss in nearly two months.

But the run was enough to earn the Card an at-large berth into the NCAA tournament in Chicago.  After sweeping aside an overmatched Erskine team in the play-in round, head coach John Kosty’s side avenged its MPSF finals defeat with a 3-2 victory over BYU.  A berth in the NCAA final against tournament host Loyola-Chicago was the reward, putting the Cardinal within touching distance of its first title since 2010 and the school’s first national championship of the academic year.  But a four-set loss to the Ramblers ensured an agonizing end to a fantastic season for Stanford.

“Truthfully, it never digested,” said Kosty.

“Every one of their hitters had a career night, and it’s hard to win against that,” added middle Conrad Kaminski.

Two days away from the @AVCAVolleyball Showcase at Stanford. Team info and schedule here: http://t.co/TcEPwb8gFX #gostanford #nowwego

— Men’s Volleyball (@StanfordMVB) January 7, 2015

With a new season comes a new beginning for the Cardinal. Gone are last season’s kill leaders Brian Cook and Steven Irvin, who accounted for 880 kills between them, over half of Stanford’s offensive output. Cook, twice a first-team All-America and thrice an All-Conference selection, vacates the top outside hitter position.  Irvin, the other left-sided starter, graduates after two consecutive second team All-America selections.  Both started every match and played in every set. 

According to Kosty, “you don’t [replace those hitters].  You can’t replace them, and no coach expects to.  They were special players, and they brought four years of experience on the court.” 

Gone also are defensive specialist Scott Sakaida, middle blocker Denny Falls and starting opposite Eric Mochalski, a third-team All-America in 2014.  Overall, three of six starters and two of the top bench options depart, as do two-thirds of the total points accumulated by Stanford this past season.  But the team is unfazed. 

Outside hitter Madison Hayden said, “Most important for us is to get the passing back to where it was last year.  If we keep everything in system, we have a really good shot to compete with the best teams in the nation and get the kills that we need.”  

“It’s our turn to take over leadership of the team and infuse our own culture,” said Kaminski. 

With no true sophomores on the roster (only redshirt freshmen), the class of 2017 will start its long life on the Farm this season with a year of acclimation already under its belt.  Kevin Rakestraw, Colin McCall and Clay Jones will swell the ranks this year and be ready to contribute immediately.  Rakestraw is a seven-foot middle blocker who will add to possibly the best middle blocking corps in the nation.  He is experienced on the international stage, returning with a bronze medal from this summer’s NORCECA Continental Championships as a member of the USA U-21s. 

“Kevin is doing great,” said Kaminski.  “A wise man once said: You can’t teach seven-feet tall.  He’s a great player in his own right, and he will get experience on the floor this year.” 

McCall and Jones combined for four first-team All-CIF selections from southern California, the widely recognized hotbed of men’s volleyball in the U.S.  They will get immediate chances to contribute to the depleted left-sided hitter group. 

“I think they’re doing great,” Kosty said of the class.  “Getting a year under your belt, in the weight room, practicing with the team, looking at the whole season and seeing truly how long it is, how arduous of a journey it is.  I think that gave them a very good insight into how much commitment we’re asking of them, and I think they’re ready to make that commitment.”

The returning letterwinners are some of the best players in the nation.  Junior James Shaw might be the nation’s best setter, collecting two All-America nods in his first two seasons.  He already ranks in the program’s all-time top four in career assists and single-season assists, with half of his eligibility still to come.  At 6-8, Shaw is also an attacking threat, averaging nearly a kill per set and posting the fifth-highest kill total on the team last season.

Fellow junior Kaminski returns after a breakout season that saw him hit over .500 and collect 124 blocks from the middle position.  The former was tops in the MPSF and a school record (for the rally-scoring era), while the latter is number two in program history.  He was not overlooked by Volleyball Magazine, who awarded him a second team All-America selection.

Conrad Kaminski has been voted the #GoStanford Student-Athlete of the week! http://t.co/yuNa8555qU First @StanfordMVB winner since 2013.

— Men’s Volleyball (@StanfordMVB) January 6, 2015

Primary libero and third-team All-America Grant Delgado will anchor the defense.  The fifth-year senior comes off a stellar year, posting a team-leading 2.51 digs/set.  That mark is fifth all-time, and especially impressive considering the top four marks belong to 2012 graduate and current Team USA starter Erik Shoji.

Spencer Haly is the fourth returning starter for the Card, starting 21 times at middle blocker opposite Kaminski. The senior hit .416 and collected 77 kills last term.

Senior Daniel Tublin was a solid contributor at opposite a year ago, starting eight matches.  He will move to the left side this year and compete for a starting job.  This leaves room for Alex Stephanus to step up on the right side.  After limited action his first two seasons, the junior posted nine kills and six blocks in the season opener against UC Santa Cruz.

Hayden will provide stability at outside hitter, stepping into the starting lineup after two effective seasons as a rotation player.  The junior nearly produced a double-double in his first outing this season, posting eight kills and 10 blocks against UC Santa Cruz.  The Cardinal also eagerly anticipate the contributions of junior outside Gabriel Vega, who missed most of the last two season with injuries.

The returners will be counted on to provide “a much more team-wide sense of leadership,” says Hayden.  “We’re looking for leadership from a lot of different spots.”

Four freshmen join the Cardinal ranks for 2015, and much will be asked of them early.  Kyle Dagostino, recruited as a libero, will step in as the primary setter as Shaw works his way back into the lineup.  The Tampa, Fla., product was impressive in early action, posting 38 assists in his collegiate debut against UC Santa Cruz.  “Dagostino is doing a tremendous job in the setter position,” said Kosty.  “He understands offense; he understands what the defense is trying to do.”

Evan Enriques won five consecutive junior national championships (2008-2012) for the Hawaiian club powerhouse Ka Ulukoa.  Previously an outside hitter, Enriques will play libero for Stanford with an eye towards a post-collegiate career at the position.

“Evan has worked his way into both the libero and outside hitter positions. He’s a tremendous libero; he’s been with the youth national team.  He’s going to find his role, and he’ll fit in nicely,” says Kosty.

Enriques was a national teammate of Rakestraw in El Salvador this summer, with the USA U-21s.

Middle blocker Cole Paullin was a Volleyball Magazine first-team All-America as a senior at Loyola High School in Los Angeles.

“Cole put a lot of effort into the gym, and he’s already improved a lot this fall,” says Kaminski.

Local product Jake Stuebner joins the outside hitter group after successful high school and club careers at Mountain View and MVVC.

Guiding the ship for the ninth consecutive year will be head coach John Kosty. The reigning MPSF Coach of the Year and second team All-America coach has placed his teams among the top ten nationally in each of the past seven years.  With a national title from 2010 already in hand, he has the experience and credentials to lead a deep run this season.

Stanford will be tested early and often this year.  The non-conference slate includes a rematch of last May’s NCAA title game when Loyola-Chicago visits Maples Pavilion on Jan. 10.  The clash is part of the AVCA Showcase Tournament, featuring four of the teams from the NCAA tournament.  Along with No. 2 Loyola, No. 10 Stanford will face No. 9 Lewis.  MPSF rival No. 6 BYU will also take part, though they will not face the Cardinal.

“We’re looking forward to [this tournament] because this is our first opportunity to compete against the top teams in the country and see where we’re at right now,” said Kosty.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the 2015 season will come at its close, when Stanford hosts the NCAA tournament.  From May 8-10, Maples Pavilion will bring “the best men’s volleyball to the Bay Area,” says Kosty.

The Card are not guaranteed a spot in the tournament; they must earn one by winning the MPSF title or securing an at-large selection to the six-team field. But should they advance to the championships, they will have home-court advantage.

“Once you’re there, you have as good a shot as anybody,” Kaminski pointed out.  “Loyola proved that last year.”

Stanford is undefeated at home in the NCAA tournament, winning the 2010 title in front of massive home support.

“It’s something we talk about pretty much daily,” said Hayden.  “Playing in front of a packed Maples crowd is something that keeps us going.”

As always, the program’s goal is to bring a national title to the Farm.  After coming just short a year ago, the team has many new faces.  But all are up for the challenge, and the imminent arrival of the tournament to Maples provides all the more incentive.  As Hayden said, “you don’t want to be the school hosting the finals if you’re not in them.”

It may be enough to put the Cardinal over the top in 2015.

Contact Kevin Bishop at kbishop ‘at’ stanford.edu.