2020's Top 10 Boys Long Island Volleyball Players

1. Ryan Barnett

Position: Outside

School: Westhampton Beach High School Class of 2021

Committed to Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA

Club: Academy Volleyball 18's

Height: 6’5

Awards/Accomplishments

2019 Long Island Champion (Small School)

Getting to Know Ryan

Pump up song: Public Service Announcement by Jay z

All-Time Favorite Athlete: Kevin Kisner

Inspiration as a young athlete: Trey Cole

Favorite Volleyball Memory: Winning the L.I.C.

Advice for younger athletes: Trust the Process

Most Influential Coach: Coach Dezy

Strengths: Serving

What he works on the most: Passing

If he could play Professional Volleyball in any other country: Germany

2. John Curaro

Position: Libero/Outside

School: Sachem North High School Class of 2021

Undecided

Club: LIVBC 17’s

Height: 5’9

Awards/Accomplishments

2x Suffolk County Champion

2x Long Island Champion

Getting to Know John

Pump up song: Baby Pluto by Lil Uzi

All-Time Favorite Athlete: Lebron James

Favorite Volleyball Memory: Winning 25-0 set with LIVBC

Advice for younger athletes: Don't ever stop working hard and don't ever give up

Most Influential Coach: Coach Sanchez

Strengths: Passing and Defense

If he could play Professional Volleyball in any other country: Italy

3. Dan Shanley

Position: Outside/Setter

School: Smithtown West High School Class of 2022

Undecided

Club: Academy Volleyball 18’s

Height: 5’10

Awards/Accomplishments

Rookie of the year/All Division (8th Grade)

2x All County

Getting to Know Dan

Pump up song: 6foot 7foot by lil wayne

All-Time Favorite Athlete: Carmelo Anthony

Inspiration as a young athlete: His Older Brothers

Favorite Volleyball Memory: 2019 High School playoff run.

Advice for younger athletes: outwork your competition and take care of the little things

Most Influential Coach: Coach Dezy

Strengths: IQ, Defense, Setting

What he works on the most: Serve receive and swinging high

If he could play Professional Volleyball in any other country: Italy

4. Jake Deslaurier

Position: Outside

School: Eastport South Manor High School Class of 2022

Undecided

Club: Academy 16's

Height: 5’11

Awards/Accomplishments

Rookie of the Year

All County

All Tournament Team

Getting to Know Jake

Pump up song: Whats Poppin by Jack Harlow

Game Day Superstition: Touch both ends of the antennas when shaking hands, have to drink at least 1 chocolate milk

All-Time Favorite Athlete: Derek Jeter

Inspiration as a young athlete: His Parents

Favorite Volleyball Memory: Winning the Dallas Tournament in memory of Dezy

Advice for younger athletes: Nothing is given. You always have to work hard for what you want and try to be a leader for yourself and the team because everyone needs someone they can count on to help them out.

Most Influential Coach: Rick Cole

Other sports: Baseball

Strengths: Communicating, reading the play and knowing what to do with the ball

What he works on the most: Being able to keep moving when you pass and not getting stuck and hitting spots whether I'm hitting or serving

If he could play Professional Volleyball in any other country: France

5. Daniel Haber

Position: Middle/Outside

School: Westhampton Beach High School Class of 2022

Undecided

Club: LIVBC 17's

Height: 6’5

Awards/Accomplishments

-2X All county

-All county tournament

-Long Island Champion (2019)

Getting to Know Daniel

Pump up song: Ballin by Roddy Ricch

Game Day Superstition: Always take a nap on the bus ride to the game

All-Time Favorite Athlete: Taylor Sander

Inspiration as a young athlete: Matt Anderson

Favorite Volleyball Memory: Playing Niagara in Virginia for Silver

Advice for younger athletes: Trust the Process and don't give up

Most Influential Coach: Coach Shoemaker

Other Sports: Hockey

Strengths: Blocking and Hitting

What do you need to work on: More consistent serving

If he could play Professional Volleyball in any other country: Italy

6. Jonathan Shum

Position: Outside

School: Lindenhurst High School Class of 2021

Undecided

Club: LIVBC 17's

Height: 6’4

Awards/Accomplishments

All County

All County Tournament

Getting to Know Jonathan

Pump up song: This is how we do it by Montell Jordan

Favorite Volleyball Memory: The way the team bonds is what really brings the game together and most of that happens off the court which is where most of my favorite memories come from.

Advice for younger athletes: Play your own game, you control the court so only you can decide the outcome of that match

Most Influential Coach: Stacie Wixted

Strengths: Offense, keeping the team calm

What he works on the most: Passing and Blocking

If he could play Professional Volleyball in any other country: Brazil mostly because its volleyball year round and, of course the ladies

7. Owen Rose

Position: Middle

School: Calhoun High School Class of 2021

Undecided

Club: Academy Volleyball

Height: 6’7

Awards/Accomplishments

All County

Getting to Know Owen

Pump up song: Quintana by Travis Scott

Favorite Athlete: Kobe Bryant because of his mentality to outwork everyone

Inspiration as a young athlete: My parents because of their sacrifices that they make with time and money which make me want to work to prove to them it wasn't for nothing.

Favorite Volleyball Memory: Playing for Academy Volleyball last season

Advice for younger athletes:

Most Influential Coach: Coach Sanchez, he took a chance on me and i have improved so much since the beginning of Academy Season

Other Sports: Baseball

Strengths: My size, I am blessed to be this size and I try to take advantage of it when im on the court.

What he needs to work: Passing

8. Chris Lehnert

Position: Middle

School: Sachem North High School Class of 2021

Undecided

Club: Academy Volleyball

Height: 6’8

Awards/Accomplishments

Rookie of the year 2018

2x Suffolk County Champion

2x Long Island Champion

Getting to Know Chris

Pump up song: Welcome to the Jungle by guns and roses

All-Time Favorite Athlete: Kobe Bryant

Favorite Volleyball Memory: When Dezy got really hyped right before our state championship match

Advice for younger athletes: Keep pushing and never give up

Most Influential Coach: Coach Dezy

Strengths: Keeping my teams heads up

What he needs to work on: His Speed to the blocks

If he could play Professional Volleyball in any other country: "I would Love to play in Europe"

9. Gavin Newman

Position: Setter

School: Commack High School Class of 2021

Undecided

Club: Academy 17s

Height: 6’1

Getting to Know Gavin

Game day Superstition: Turkey Sandwich for lunch and my first step on the court has to be with my left foot

Pump up song: Run this town by Jay z and Kanye West

All-Time Favorite Athlete: Mike Trout

Inspiration as a young athlete: Buster Posey

Favorite Volleyball Memory: Match Point against Milwaukee Sting

Advice for younger athletes: Work extra hard in practice so the games come easy

Most Influential Coach: Coach Sanchez

Strengths: Setting and Athleticism

Other sports: Baseball and Basketball

If he could play Professional Volleyball in any other country: Italy

10. Chris Rouleua

Position: Outside

School: Bay Shore High School Class of 2021

Undecided

Club: Academy Volleyball

Height: 6’4

Awards/Accomplishments

All-County

Getting to Know Chris

Pump up song: Got it on me by Pop Smoke

All-Time Favorite Athlete: Derek Jeter

Volleyball Superstition: Sleep with a volleyball at the end of my bed the night before a game.

Inspiration as a young athlete: Grandpa and his stories about his athletic career

Favorite Volleyball Memory: 2019 Dallas Nationals

Advice for younger athletes: Take advantage of every chance you get to better your play

Most Influential Coach: Coach Dezy

Strengths: Hitting/Blocking

Needs to work on: Serve Receive

Honorable Mentions

Matt Rouleua

Position: Outside/Middle

School Bay Shore High School Class of 2021

Club: Academy Volleyballs 18s

Max Cohen

Position: Libero

School: Massapequa High School Class of 2021

Kevin Herbst

Position: Setter

School: Lindenhurst High School Class of 2021

Club: LIVBC 17's

Nick Kim

Position: Middle

School: Plainview-Old Bethpage High School

Club: LIVBC 17s

Evan Kane

Position: Outside

School: Bayport Bluepoint High School Class of 2021

Club: LIVBC 17's

Christian Herr

Position: Setter

School: Eastport South Manor High School Class of 2022

Club: Academy 16s