2021's Top 10 Boys Long Island Volleyball Players To Watch This Season
1. Dan Shanley
Position: Outside/Setter
School: Smithtown West High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball 18’s
Height: 6’1
Awards/Accomplishments
Rookie of the year/All Division (8th Grade)
3x All County
Suffolk County Champion (Spring 2021)
Suffolk POY 2020
Getting to Know Dan
Pump up song: 6foot 7foot by Lil Wayne
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Eli Manning
Advice for younger athletes: "Outwork your competition and take care of the little things"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Dezy & Coach Sanchez
Strengths: IQ, Defense, Setting
Who do you want to face in Counties? "Don't care who we play, if we get there"
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Jaron Popp (Ward Melville)
2. Dan Haber
Position: Outside Hitter
School: Westhampton Beach High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball 18’s
Height: 6'6
Awards/Accomplishments
2x All County
1x County Champion
1x Long Island Champion
1x All Long Island Player
Getting to Know Dan
Pump up song: Breaking Bad by Sleepy Hollow
All-Time Favorite Athlete: PK Subban
Advice for younger athletes: "Trust the process, don't give up if the game gets tough."
Most Influential Coach: Coach Chris Barton
Who do you want to face in Counties/LIC? ESM & Massapequa
Strengths:
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Adam Bender (Smithtown West)
3. Jake DesLauriers
Position: Outside Hitter
School: Eastport South Manor High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball 18’s
Height: 6’0
Awards/Accomplishments
Rookie of the year
2x All County
Suffolk County Champion (Spring 2021)
Getting to Know Jake
Pump up song: Going Bad by Meek Mill
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Derek Jeter
Advice for younger Athletes: "Take advantage of what you're doing now because time flies and before you know it, it will be gone"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Dave Wood
Strengths: Volleyball IQ
Who do you want to face in Counties/LIC? Westhampton Beach & Calhoun
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? John Matthews
4. Luke MacPherson
Position: Outside/Opposite
School: Sachem North High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball 18’s
Height: 6’2
Awards/Accomplishments
1x Suffolk County Champ
1x Long Island Champ
1x All County
Getting to Know Luke
Pump up song: Holy Smokes by Trippie Redd & Lil Uzi Vert
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Michael Jordan
Advice for younger Athletes: "Work your hardest always and never give up on yourself or anyone on your team"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Rivera
Strengths: Hitting, Serving & Leadership
Who do you want to face in Counties? "My team will be ready for anyone when the time comes"
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Joe and Glenn Ganderillas (Sachem East)
5. Tyler Phillips
Position: Outside Hitter
School: Walt Whitman High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball 18’s
Height: 6’5
Awards/Accomplishments
1x All Division
Getting to Know Tyler
Pump up song: Can't Hold Us by Macklemore
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Kobe Bryant
Advice for younger Athletes: "Don't be afraid of failure. Failure is how you learn and get better at anything you are trying to accomplish"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Kropp
Strengths: Leadership
Who do you want to face in Counties? Connetquot
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Joe and Glenn Ganderillas (Sachem East)
6. Zackary Zdrojeski
Position: Outside/Opposite
School: Northport High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball
Height: 6’2
Awards/Accomplishments
2018 Rookie of the Year
3x All County
2x All Tournament
Getting to Know Zackary
Pump up song: 20 min by Lil Uzi Vert
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Bartolo Colon
Advice for younger Athletes: "Always focus on technique first, it will help in the long run"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Tom Wixted
Strengths: Volleyball IQ & Passing
Who do you want to face in Counties/LIC? Smithtown West & Massapequa
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Jake Zaro (Northport)
7. Christian Herr
Position: Setter/Opposite
School: Eastport South Manor High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball
Height: 6’3
Awards/Accomplishments
1x All Division
1x All County
1x All County Tournament Team
1x Long Island County Champion
Getting to Know Christian
Pump up song: Carry on by Fun.
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Jeremy Lin
Advice for younger Athletes: "Check out PME on TikTok and Instagram for all sorts of volleyball tips and tricks"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Bill Kropp
Strengths: Setting, Hitting & Volleyball IQ
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Tyler Phillips (Walt Whitman)
8. Ben Lillie
Position: Middle Blocker
School: Connetquot High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball
Height: 6’4
Awards/Accomplishments
GEVA Regional Team
1x All County
Getting to Know Ben
Pump up song: Famous by 21 Savage
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Daenan Gyimah
Advice for younger Athletes: "Make every touch count"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Bill Kropp
Strengths: Hitting
Who do you want to face in the LIC? Massapequa
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Mark Porcelli (ESM)
9. Hank Foglia
Position: Middle Blocker
School: Eastport South Manor High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball
Height: 6’5
Awards/Accomplishments
Long Island Champion (Spring 2021)
Getting to Know Hank
Pump up song: Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Bol Bol
Advice for younger Athletes: "You want to always learn more and don't get your setter mad"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Bill Kropp
Strengths: Hitting & Blocking
Who do you want to face in Counties/ LIC? Westhampton Beach & Calhoun
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Mark Porcelli (ESM)
10. Jack Schiffl
Position: Outside Hitter
School: Massapequa High School Class of 2023
Uncommitted
Club: Sportime VBC
Height: 5'11
Awards/Accomplishments
2x Nassau County Champion
Getting to Know Jack
Pump up song: Thunderstruck by AC/DC
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Shaq
Advice for younger Athletes: My advice for younger athletes is to always work hard no matter who is watching and to always have a goal or a purpose when u practice, every rep should be a good one.
Most Influential Coach: Coach Elissa Disalvo
Strengths: Setting & Serving
Who do you want to face in Counties/ LIC? Port Washington
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Patrick Radomski
Honorable Mentions
Alex Kimak
Position: Outside Hitter
East Meadow High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Sportime VBC 18-1
Height: 5'11
Getting to Know Alex
Pump up song: No Role Modelz by J Cole
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Kobe Bryant
Advice for younger Athletes: "Have as much fun with the sport as you can, when you enjoy and are passionate about what you do, you will naturally become more competitive and more talented"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Alex Adelman
Strengths: Leadership
Who do you want to face in Counties/ LIC? Massapequa & Sachem North
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Dan Shanley and Dan Haber
Mike Golaszewski
Position: Middle Blocker
School: Lindenhurst High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: LIVBC
Height: 6'5
Awards/Accomplishments
All County
Getting to Know Mike
Pump up song: 2055 by Sleepy Hallow
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Robert Lewandowski
Advice for younger Athletes: "Stay committed and work hard"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Stacie, Tom & Barton
Strengths: Hitting & Blocking
Who do you want to face in Counties/ LIC? Smithtown West
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Chris Sarnicola (Lindenhurst)
Dom Ruggiero
Position: Setter
School: Connetquot High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball 17 Red
Height: 5'7
Awards/Accomplishments
All Division
Getting to Know Dom
Pump up song: Back in Blood by Pooh Shiesty ft. Lil Durk
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Kobe Bryant
Advice for younger Athletes: "Trust the process and always keep your head up, even on bad days"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Bill Kropp
Strengths: Setting & Serving
Who do you want to face in Counties/ LIC? Sachem North & Massapequa
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Mark Porcelli (ESM)
Owen Price
Position: Libero
School: Bay Shore High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball 17 Red
Height: 6'
Getting to Know Owen
Pump up song: Who I Smoke by FastMoney Goon
All-Time Favorite Athlete: TJ Watt
Advice for younger Athletes: "Stick to the fundamentals and put the cream back in volleyball"
Most Influential Coach: Mark Lane
Strengths: Leadership
Who do you want to face in Counties/ LIC? Lindenhurst & Massapequa
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Andrew Danowski (Bay Shore)
Davidson Claros
Position: Outside Hitter
School: Lawrence High School Class of 2022
Uncommitted
Club: Sportime VBC
Height: 6'3
Getting to Know Davidson
Pump up song: Metro Plex by Robert Sheldon
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Leon Messi
Advice for younger Athletes: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
Most Influential Coach: Coach Kevin Nardone
Strengths: Volleyball IQ
Who do you want to face in Counties/ LIC? Massapequa & Sachem North
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Don Smalls III (School)
Jaron Popp
Position: Outside Hitter
School: Ward Melville High School Class of 2023
Uncommitted
Club: Academy 16 Red
Height: 6'3
Awards/Accomplishments
1x All Division
1x All County Tournament Team
Getting to Know Jaron
Pump up song: Magnolia by Playboi Carti
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Michael Jordan
Advice for younger Athletes: "Always make sure to listen to your coaches because even the smallest detail can make a world of difference when it comes to getting better at this game. Another thing I would advise younger athletes to do is watch the kids who are better/older than you. I learned a ton from watching seniors play when I was a freshman and sophomore."
Most Influential Coach: Coach Brian O’Shaughnessy
Strengths: Hitting
Who do you want to face in Counties? Sachem North
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Richie Ragonese (Ward Melville)
Connor Ruais
School: Connetquot High School Class of 2022
Position: Libero
Uncommitted
Club: Academy Volleyball 17 Red
Height: 6'
Awards/Accomplishments
1x All Division
Getting to Know Connor
Pump up song: Rich MF by trippie redd ft. polo g & lil durk
All-Time Favorite Athlete: Larry Bird
Advice for younger Athletes: "Hard work pays off"
Most Influential Coach: Coach Steve Woessner
Strengths: Passing
Who do you want to face in Counties? Smithtown West & Massapequa
Which LI Player do you think will have a Breakout Season? Ryan Werner (Connetquot)