From left to right: Caleb Sapp, Kahale Clini, Trent Taliaferro, Sean Kelly
Photo by: UCLA Athletics
Men's Volleyball Adds Four Standout Recruits
November 08, 2023 | Men's Volleyball
UCLA head men's volleyball coach John Speraw and his staff announced the signing of four elite student-athletes on Wednesday. The future Bruins include outside hitter Kahale Clini, outside hitter Sean Kelly, opposite Caleb Sapp and setter Trent Taliaferro.
Clini is a 6-3 outside hitter from Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawai'i. He was a 2023 first-team All-State selection after helping lead Punahou to the Division I HHSAA State Championship. He totaled 334 kills and cranked out 57 aces last season with his high-velocity serve. Clini was an alternate on 2023 U.S. National Team U19 squad at the NORCECA Continental Championships and for the U19 team at the Pan Am Cup. He also was chosen for the U.S. National Team Training squad.
Kelly is a 6-7 outside hitter from Manhattan Beach, Calif. He was the 2023 CIF Div. I Player of the Year at Loyola High School which won the HS National Championship. Loyola also captured the 2023 CIF State Championship. Kelly is a three-time volleyballmag.com Top 25 Underclassman selection. He represented the U.S. and was the team captain at the U19 FIVB World Championships where the team recorded a best-ever finish of fourth. Kelly totaled 17 kills in the bronze medal match. He also helped the U.S. earn the Gold Medal at the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Games and was named Best Spiker. In 2022, he was the U19 captain and a gold medalist at the Pan Am Games where he was named MVP and Best Spiker. Kelly plays club volleyball for MB Surf which captured the gold medal at the 2023 AAU Boys' Nationals 18 Open. He was also a gold medalist and MVP at the 2023 SoCal Cup 18 Open.
Sapp is a 6-8 opposite from Upland, Calif. and Claremont High School. He was a four-year varsity letter winner and was named to the first-team Baseline League squad the past two seasons. A year ago, he recorded over 500 kills, 44 aces and 45 blocks for Claremont. Sapp was selected for the 2022-23 National Training and Development program with the U.S. Boys' U19 National Team. He also played for Balboa Bay Volleyball Club which captured first-place at the 2023 AAU Nationals 17s Open and second-place at the 2022 AAU Nationals 16s Open.
Taliaferro is a 6-5 setter from San Clemente, Calif. He is a three-year starter at J Serra Catholic HS and a 2023 first-team All-Trinity league selection. He was a member of the U.S. Boys' U19 National Team which recorded the highest finish ever for the U.S. with a fourth-place result at the 2023 FIVB World Championships. Taliaferro earned a gold medal for the U.S. at the 2023 NORCECA U19 Pan Am Cup competition. In 2022, he was on the Boys' U19 National Training squad. Taliaferro, who plays for 949 Volleyball Club, was named an All-American at the 2022 and 2023 Junior Nationals and the MVP of the 2023 SoCal Cup.
"Our staff has really put together an outstanding class," said coach Speraw. "This is a group of high achievers in the classroom, in the community and on the court. They bring a high level of commitment to the gym and will fit right in to the culture here at UCLA. We welcome these young men and their families to UCLA and look forward to watching them achieve great things in Westwood!"
Clini is a 6-3 outside hitter from Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawai'i. He was a 2023 first-team All-State selection after helping lead Punahou to the Division I HHSAA State Championship. He totaled 334 kills and cranked out 57 aces last season with his high-velocity serve. Clini was an alternate on 2023 U.S. National Team U19 squad at the NORCECA Continental Championships and for the U19 team at the Pan Am Cup. He also was chosen for the U.S. National Team Training squad.
Kelly is a 6-7 outside hitter from Manhattan Beach, Calif. He was the 2023 CIF Div. I Player of the Year at Loyola High School which won the HS National Championship. Loyola also captured the 2023 CIF State Championship. Kelly is a three-time volleyballmag.com Top 25 Underclassman selection. He represented the U.S. and was the team captain at the U19 FIVB World Championships where the team recorded a best-ever finish of fourth. Kelly totaled 17 kills in the bronze medal match. He also helped the U.S. earn the Gold Medal at the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Games and was named Best Spiker. In 2022, he was the U19 captain and a gold medalist at the Pan Am Games where he was named MVP and Best Spiker. Kelly plays club volleyball for MB Surf which captured the gold medal at the 2023 AAU Boys' Nationals 18 Open. He was also a gold medalist and MVP at the 2023 SoCal Cup 18 Open.
Sapp is a 6-8 opposite from Upland, Calif. and Claremont High School. He was a four-year varsity letter winner and was named to the first-team Baseline League squad the past two seasons. A year ago, he recorded over 500 kills, 44 aces and 45 blocks for Claremont. Sapp was selected for the 2022-23 National Training and Development program with the U.S. Boys' U19 National Team. He also played for Balboa Bay Volleyball Club which captured first-place at the 2023 AAU Nationals 17s Open and second-place at the 2022 AAU Nationals 16s Open.
Taliaferro is a 6-5 setter from San Clemente, Calif. He is a three-year starter at J Serra Catholic HS and a 2023 first-team All-Trinity league selection. He was a member of the U.S. Boys' U19 National Team which recorded the highest finish ever for the U.S. with a fourth-place result at the 2023 FIVB World Championships. Taliaferro earned a gold medal for the U.S. at the 2023 NORCECA U19 Pan Am Cup competition. In 2022, he was on the Boys' U19 National Training squad. Taliaferro, who plays for 949 Volleyball Club, was named an All-American at the 2022 and 2023 Junior Nationals and the MVP of the 2023 SoCal Cup.
"Our staff has really put together an outstanding class," said coach Speraw. "This is a group of high achievers in the classroom, in the community and on the court. They bring a high level of commitment to the gym and will fit right in to the culture here at UCLA. We welcome these young men and their families to UCLA and look forward to watching them achieve great things in Westwood!"
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