STANFORD, Calif. – Head coach John Kosty and his staff are thrilled to announce the signing of four to National Letters of Intent on behalf of the men's volleyball program.
Joining the Stanford family are Leo Henken (St. Louis University High School, St. Louis, Mo.), Jaylen Jasper (Broadneck High School, Annapolis, Md.), Kyler Presho-Hartung (San Clemente High School, San Clemente, Calif.), and JP Reilly (Loyola High School, Manhattan Beach, Calif.). All four have been involved in the USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline and three were members of the 2016 USA Youth National Team which earned a silver medal at the NORCECA Championships.
"In order for us to achieve our goals and truly compete for an NCAA Championship, we must put together successive years of top recruiting classes," said Kosty, as this adds to a string of successful recruiting campaigns for the program. "We feel that we have done that with this and recent classes. We are also constantly looking to add players that have elite international experience or come from championship programs. This group of young men fits the search criteria and then some."
The 2017 class emphasizes the outside/opposite hitter position. Henken, Jasper, and Reilly have demonstrated the ability to play both on the left or right side of the net.
Henken, a 6-5 outside/opposite was one of the key weapons for St. Louis University High School in winning the 2016 state championship. It marked the second consecutive title for his school. He also is a top club player as a member of the Midwest powerhouse, St. Louis High Performance Volleyball Club. In the summer of 2016, Henken was named to the USA Youth National A1 training team. A good athlete blessed with a fast and powerful arm, he will provide offense at the next level. Although he was asked to play as a non-passing opposite, Henken has the ability to contribute in the backcourt as well.
"Leo is a guy that we really needed. Like the other three recruits, he perfectly fits the mold of a Stanford student-athlete.," stated Kosty. "He is bright, driven, and talented. As a volleyball player, he is a nice blend of athleticism, dynamic hitting, and overall ability. His versatility as a hitter makes him standout."
Henken becomes only the second player from St. Louis to play for Stanford men's volleyball following current freshman, Jacob Thoenen. His brother, Paul, is a freshman volleyball player at The Ohio State University.
Jasper, a 6-7 pin hitter, is one of the most gifted prospects in his class. A tremendous athlete with a vertical that allows him to touch nearly 12 feet, Jasper is widely considered the clear top prospect for 2017. He recently led the USA Youth National team to a silver medal finish at the NORCECA Championships held in Havana, Cuba. His team lost the final to host Cuba, but qualified for the 2017 FIVB U-19 World Championships. He was the top player for the USA, leading the squad in kills and blocks. He has been a key member of the USA HP Pipeline for a number of years as he was selected to the top Select A1 Red Team during the 2014 and 2015 High Performance championships.
For club, Jasper is a member of the Annapolis Volleyball Club, but has also played with the Ocean Bay Volleyball Club out of Florida. He was an MIAA Player of the Year as a sophomore at Archbishop Spalding High, but transferred back to his hometown Broadneck High School which does not sponsor varsity boys' volleyball.
"Jaylen is an elite international style athlete. He is blessed with tremendous athleticism and ability, and couples that with wonderful work ethic and desire," said Kosty. "Equally impressive is that he displays uncommon humility. He comes from a family that is well-grounded and it shows in his interpersonal interactions."
He is the son of Ivin Jasper, the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the U.S. Naval Academy. His older sister, Dallas, plays volleyball at St. Leo University in Florida.
Reilly hails from Loyola High School in Los Angeles. He is a 6-4 outside/opposite hitter who is known for his powerful attacks and point-scoring service game. He started at outside hitter when Loyola won the 2016 CIF Southern Section title. For the season, he was named All-CIF and was the 2016 Loyola High School Offensive Player of the Year.
Reilly was also selected for the USA Youth National Team and competed at the NORCECA Tournament in Havana, Cuba. For club, Reilly was the captain for his Manhattan Beach Surf Volleyball Club team and named to the U-16 Open Division All-Tournament team. In 2015, his MB Surf team won the bronze at the U.S. Junior National Championships.
"JP is a great addition to our squad. He has vast amount of winning experience and is a true leader. We were really excited about his arm and his ability to hit hard. We believe that he can develop into a very productive player and, at the same time, grow as a thriving member of the Stanford community," said Kosty.
Reilly is the third Loyola High School volleyball player to compete for Stanford since 2010. He follows 2014 AVCA All-American, Steven Irvin, and will be teammates with Cole Paullin, who is currently serving his two-year mission.
Presho-Hartung, at 6-8 native of San Clemente, California, was one of the top middle-blocker prospects in the nation. He was the captain of the USA Youth National Team that earned the silver medal at the NORCECA Championships in Havana, Cuba and started all five matches. He has been a part of the USA High Performance pipeline since 2014 and has been selected for the top Select A1 Red team every year.
Presho-Hartung also served as captain for his San Clemente High School team during his junior and senior seasons. For club, he has been playing up in age-level for 949 Volleyball Club on the 18 Black team. His team has been a consistent contender for a medal at the U.S. Junior National Championships every year he has played.
"Kyler has always been on our radar ever since he was a kid. He has always been advanced for his age and demonstrates the wealth of knowledge that he has gained from being the son of a former player and current coach," explained Kosty. "He has always been a player that others followed and his passion for the sport is undeniable."
Presho-Hartung is the son of Mark Presho, the longtime assistant coach for UC Irvine men's volleyball.
"We will be losing some outside production due to graduation over the next couple of years. It was imperative for us to bring in athletes that can fill those gaps. I'm happy to say that we not only filled gaps, but also brought in talent that will impact the team for the next four years," explained Kosty.