Four LBSU Men’s Volleyball Alums Sign Professional Contracts
7/12/2019 2:12:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
Nick Amado, TJ DeFalco, Kyle Ensing and Josh Tuaniga have all signed contracts to play professionally overseas
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Following outstanding collegiate careers at Long Beach State Nick Amado, TJ DeFalco, Kyle Ensing, and Josh Tuaniga have each signed a professional contract to continue their volleyball careers overseas.
"I'm incredibly proud and happy for all of our former players who just recently signed contracts," Long Beach State Men's Volleyball head coach Alan Knipe said. "They're an exceptional group of young men and will make a huge impact both on and off the court for the clubs they are competing for. The entire Long Beach Nation will be supporting and watching their successes."
The two-time NCAA National Champions will begin their professional careers scattered throughout Europe as Amado signed with Unicaja Almeria in Spain, DeFalco signed with Tonno Callipo in Italy, Ensing signed with Berlin Recycling Volleys in Germany, and Tuaniga was signed by MKS Slepsk Malow in Poland.
The quartet left the Beach as one of the most decorated classes in Long Beach State Men's Volleyball history putting together a record of 108-15 (.878) over four years, while winning two NCAA National Titles, making four-straight NCAA Final Four appearances, winning three regular season conference titles, two conference tournament championships, and winning a program-record 43-straight home contests.
Unicaja Almeria inked Amado to his first professional contract after the 6-foot-6 middle blocker wrapped up an impressive collegiate career at the Beach. While at LBSU, Amado garnered AVCA Second Team All-America honors and was selected to the Big West Conference All-First Team. He led Long Beach State with 0.96 blocks per set to rank in the top 25 in the nation, while adding 1.81 kills per set on a .545 attack percentage.
A two-time AVCA National Player of the Year (2017 and 2019) and four-time AVCA First Team All-American, DeFalco will kick off his professional career in Italy after being named MVP of the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Tonno Callipo's newest outside hitter finished his Long Beach State career as the program's all-time service aces leader (183) and is ranked fifth all-time with 1,661 career kills.
Berlin Recycling Volleys welcomes Ensing, a two-time AVCA First Team All-American and the reigning Big West Conference Player of the Year. The 6-foot-7 opposite out of Valencia, Calif., concluded his career at Long Beach State with 1,421 career kills to rank 10th all-time at the Beach. Ensing is a three-time first team all-conference selection and a 2018 NCAA All-Tournament Team selection.
After running one of the most efficient offenses in collegiate volleyball, Tuaniga takes his talents to Poland where he will be a setter for MKS Slepsk Malow. The Long Beach, Calif., native wrapped up his career at LBSU as the 2018 AVCA National Player of the Year and was a three-time AVCA All-American. He was named to both the 2018 and 2019 NCAA All-Tournament Teams and was named tournament MVP in 2018. Tuaniga racked up 4,607 career assists to rank fourth all-time at the Beach.
"I'm incredibly proud and happy for all of our former players who just recently signed contracts," Long Beach State Men's Volleyball head coach Alan Knipe said. "They're an exceptional group of young men and will make a huge impact both on and off the court for the clubs they are competing for. The entire Long Beach Nation will be supporting and watching their successes."
The two-time NCAA National Champions will begin their professional careers scattered throughout Europe as Amado signed with Unicaja Almeria in Spain, DeFalco signed with Tonno Callipo in Italy, Ensing signed with Berlin Recycling Volleys in Germany, and Tuaniga was signed by MKS Slepsk Malow in Poland.
The quartet left the Beach as one of the most decorated classes in Long Beach State Men's Volleyball history putting together a record of 108-15 (.878) over four years, while winning two NCAA National Titles, making four-straight NCAA Final Four appearances, winning three regular season conference titles, two conference tournament championships, and winning a program-record 43-straight home contests.
Unicaja Almeria inked Amado to his first professional contract after the 6-foot-6 middle blocker wrapped up an impressive collegiate career at the Beach. While at LBSU, Amado garnered AVCA Second Team All-America honors and was selected to the Big West Conference All-First Team. He led Long Beach State with 0.96 blocks per set to rank in the top 25 in the nation, while adding 1.81 kills per set on a .545 attack percentage.
A two-time AVCA National Player of the Year (2017 and 2019) and four-time AVCA First Team All-American, DeFalco will kick off his professional career in Italy after being named MVP of the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Tonno Callipo's newest outside hitter finished his Long Beach State career as the program's all-time service aces leader (183) and is ranked fifth all-time with 1,661 career kills.
Berlin Recycling Volleys welcomes Ensing, a two-time AVCA First Team All-American and the reigning Big West Conference Player of the Year. The 6-foot-7 opposite out of Valencia, Calif., concluded his career at Long Beach State with 1,421 career kills to rank 10th all-time at the Beach. Ensing is a three-time first team all-conference selection and a 2018 NCAA All-Tournament Team selection.
After running one of the most efficient offenses in collegiate volleyball, Tuaniga takes his talents to Poland where he will be a setter for MKS Slepsk Malow. The Long Beach, Calif., native wrapped up his career at LBSU as the 2018 AVCA National Player of the Year and was a three-time AVCA All-American. He was named to both the 2018 and 2019 NCAA All-Tournament Teams and was named tournament MVP in 2018. Tuaniga racked up 4,607 career assists to rank fourth all-time at the Beach.
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