Head Coach: Chad Kingi

2016-2017 record: 26-11

2016-2017 recap: After losing the CCS Division II title to Pacific Collegiate School (PCS), the Falcons went on to win the Division II NorCal Championship against PCS with the best player in school history, Joel Schneidmiller, capping off his career in style.

2018 Key Additions: Freshman setter Dylan Li

Key Matchups: Monta Vista

Star Players: Junior libero and outside hitter Derek Chiou, sophomore setter Mohan Duvuri, senior middle Evan O’ Brien

Key losses (graduated athletes): Outside hitters Joel Schneidmiller and Vincent Man

League: De Anza division

Prognosis:

Though the team hopes to repeat the successes of years past, players anticipate difficulties with the graduation of star Joel Schneidmiller, the 6-5 outside hitter who now plays for University of California Irvine.

Without Schneidmiller, the Falcons hope to rely heavily on their junior opposite hitter Joshua Lee offensively and junior libero Derek Chiou defensively, both of whom gained key experience in helping lead the Falcons to the Division II NorCal victory.

“We had a strong senior class last year and now that they’re gone, I think we will need to build up our team chemistry,” Lee said. “We have some good talent and our senior class this year is big so I think we have a chance to get to the league championship.”

Another key departure was former head coach Jason Cardoso. The new coach is Chad Kingi, who coached girls’ in the fall.

“Kingi is chill, but Cardoso’s absence will change the team dynamics and force us to rebuild the chemistry we ended with last year,” Chiou said.