May 1, 2002
Colorado Springs, Colo. - Stanford junior Curt Toppel (Pacific Palisades, CA) has been named to the 12th annual American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America First Team. Toppel earned first team honors after being selected to the second team as a freshman and sophomore.
The opposite hitter led the Cardinal in kills (520), attacks (998), kill average (5.42) and service aces (32). He also finished second in the conference averaging 5.47 kills per contest after leading Stanford in kills 22 of the team's 26 matches. For the year, Toppel hit a .380 clip and posted double-kill figures in 24 of the 25 matches he played in.
The 2002 AVCA All-America Teams have seven players returning to the squads for at least their second season. The first-team is led by Pepperdine University junior middle blocker Brad Keenan, who was selected the AVCA National Player of the Year for 2002 and is a three-time AVCA All-America. University Hawai'i junior Costas Theocharidis, the 2001 AVCA National Player of the Year, was named to the AVCA All-America First-Team for the third consecutive year. Keenan, Theocharidis and Toppel will each have the opportunity next year to join a select group of three men's volleyball players to earn AVCA All-America honors all four years.
The AVCA All-America Teams were increased from nine to 10 member squads starting with this year. The additional spot was created to recognize the libero position in the men's game.
Earlier in the week Toppel was named to the 2002 MPSF Men's Volleyball All-Conference First Team, marking the second First Team honor of his career.
AVCA First-Team All-America
Joaquin Acosta, Brigham Young University -- OH -- Sr. -- 6-5 -- San Juan, Puerto Rico
Beau Daniels, Pepperdine University -- S -- Sr. -- 6-4 -- League City, Texas
Paul Fasshauer, Ball State UniversityMB -- Sr. -- 6-9 -- Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Brad Keenan, Pepperdine University -- MB -- Jr. -- 6-8 -- Westminster, California
Dejan Miladinovic, University of Hawai'i -- MB -- Sr. -- 6-7 -- Kraljevo, Serbia
Jose Quinones, Penn State University -- S -- Sr. -- 6-3 -- Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Ryan Stuntz, Lewis University -- Lib -- So. -- 5-10 -- Redondo Beach, California
Costas Theocharidis, University of Hawai'i -- OH -- Jr. -- 6-2 -- Orestiada, Greece
Curt Toppel, Stanford University -- RS/Opp -- Jr. -- 6-8 -- Pacific Palisades, California
Mike Wall, Brigham Young University -- RS/Opp -- Sr. -- 6-4 -- Santa Barbara, California
AVCA Second-Team All-America
Fabiano Barreto, Lewis University -- RS/Opp -- So. -- 6-6 -- Campinas, Brazil
Zelimir Koljesar, Penn State University -- RS/Opp -- Jr. -- 6-5 -- Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Ricky Mattei, Penn State University -- Lib -- So. -- 5-11 -- San Juan, Puerto Rico
Matt Komer, UCLA -- OH -- Sr. -- 6-7 -- Los Alamitos, California
Pieter Olree, Ohio State University -- RS/Opp -- Sr. -- 6-6 -- Reading, Pennsylvania
Andy Rivera, UC Santa Barbara -- OH -- Sr. -- 6-2 -- Eagle Rock, California
Sean Rooney, Pepperdine University -- OH -- Fr. -- 6-8 -- Wheaton, Illinois
Zach Slenker, Penn State University -- MB -- Jr. -- 6-5 -- Dallastown, Pennsylvania
Brad Stoub, Loyola University Chicago -- OH -- Sr. -- 6-4 -- Palos Park, Illinois
Eckhard Walter, Cal State Northridge -- RS/Opp -- Sr. -- 6-10 -- Berlin, Germany
AVCA Player of the Year: Brad Keenan, Pepperdine University
AVCA Newcomer of the Year: Sean Rooney, Pepperdine University