Lewis Athletics
Luke Rinne, Director of Athletic Communications

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Volleyball (USAV) announced on Tuesday (May 19) that Lewis University redshirt-junior middle blocker Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook HS) has been named to the 2020 Men’s Collegiate National Team. The team is comprised of 16 players.

Mitchem, a First Team AVCA All-American in 2020, finished the season fourth nationally in hitting percentage at .505. He finished the season second on the team in kills (188) and kills-per-set (2.89). Mitchem also led the team in blocks-per-set with 1.12. He was also a First Team All-MIVA selection, was named MIVA Offensive Player of the Week twice this season and was named the AVCA National Player of the Week on February 25.

“I’m proud of Tyler,” Lewis head men’s volleyball coach Dan Friend said. “He had a great season and it’s an honor to be selected to represent your country.”

The team includes five outside hitters, five middle blockers, two opposites, two setters and two liberos. The players represent eight USA Volleyball regions: Chesapeake, Florida, Garden Empire, Great Lakes, Lone Star, Northern California, Old Dominion and Southern California.

The selection process was an open video tryout to all collegiate athletes. They shared links to their game films for review and their VolleyMetrics stats from before the NCAA cancelation were also analyzed.

Unfortunately, due to the regional and national responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team will not be able to train and compete together this summer. However, USA Volleyball still wanted to acknowledge these talented athletes.

2020 U.S. Men’s Collegiate National Team
Name (Pos., Ht., College, Hometown)
Felix Chapman (OH, 6-8, Grand View, San Jose De Las Lajas, Cuba)
Chase Direito (MB, 6-6, Menlo College, Clovis, Calif.)
Danny Farrell (MB, 6-8, Loyola U. Chicago, Westlake Village, Calif.)
Alex Gettinger (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Wildwood, Mo.)
Chris Hall (S, 6-2, USC, Sherman Oaks, Calif.)
Chase Howard (L, 6-2, Harvard, Virginia Beach, Va.)
Jaylen Jasper (Opp, 6-7, Stanford, Annapolis, Md.)
Will Kimenhour (MB, 6-6, U. of Charleston, Richmond, Va.)
Andrew Kohut (Opp, 6-6, Belmont Abbey, Naperville, Ill.)
Nathan Lietzke (S, 6-6, Stanford, Austin, Texas,)
Liam Maxwell (OH, 6-5, Belmont Abbey, Manahawkin, N.J.)
Timothy McIntosh (L, 6-0, Sacred Heart, Miami, Fla.)
Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook HS) (MB, 6-11, Lewis, Bolingbrook, Ill.)
Kyler Presho (MB, 6-8, Stanford, San Clemente, Calif.)
Will Rottman (OH, 6-6, Stanford, Santa Barbara, Calif.)
Matt Slivinski (OH, 6-3, Carthage, Willow Springs, Ill.)