Morgan Hentz

Personal: Hentz earned her degree in psychology from Stanford in 2020. She has three younger siblings and shares her life with her dog named Tommy. In her journey, her parents have played a pivotal role as people who have made a significant difference in her life. If not for volleyball, Hentz envisions herself as a diver or an occupational therapist, reflecting her diverse interests. Her childhood was marked by active participation in sports, including basketball, soccer, swimming, diving, and tumbling. Hentz's leisure pursuits include spending time at the beach, swimming, discovering new music on Spotify, reading, and cherishing moments with family and friends.

2023 Season: Hentz had an outstanding season, earning the title of Athletes Unlimited Volleyball Defensive Player of the Year. She placed fifth with 3,274 leaderboard points and was also selected as an All-Position Team honoree. As a captain, she achieved a 7-5 record in four weeks. Hentz also ranked third in the league with 1,880 win points and tied for fourth in the league with 10 match victories. She began the season with an impressive nine consecutive match victories, tying the Athletes Unlimited Volleyball record for the best start to a campaign. Hentz went on to establish a new league record with an 11-match win streak from April 15, 2022, to October 23, 2023, which equaled the longest win streak in any Athletes Unlimited sport. Additionally, she claimed eighth place in the league with 1,214 stat points and tied with Nootsara Tomkom for ninth in the circuit with 180 MVP points after earning Match MVP distinction five times. Hentz also received Match MVP honors in four consecutive matches from October 9-16. She was one of three players to record 10 or more matches with at least 200 leaderboard points and appeared in all 45 sets. Hentz led the league with 212 digs, becoming the first player in Athletes Unlimited Volleyball history to achieve 200 or more digs in multiple seasons, and she also collected 45 assists. She tallied 10 or more digs in 14-of-15 contests and opened the season by setting a new Athletes Unlimited Volleyball single-match record with 25 digs against Team De La Cruz. She secured an MVP 1 commendation in the Week One finale after a 19-dig performance with four assists. Starting Week Two, Hentz claimed 305 leaderboard points and MVP 2 notice against Team Linnehan on the strength of 17 digs and notched a second consecutive MVP 2 award following a 13-dig performance against Team Edmond on October 15. She closed Week Two with MVP 3 effort against Team Hilley with 13 digs and secured MVP 3 accolades on October 22 with 10 digs against Team Rosenthal. Hentz also earned the No. 3 spot on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays for her one-arm dig and point against Team Linnehan on November 3 and tied for second in the league with 10 matches of 200 or more leaderboard points. Additionally, she participated in the Athletes Unlimited Volleyball Exhibition Tour.

2022 Season: Hentz's prowess on the court was vividly evident during the 2022 season. Notably named the GEICO Defensive Player of the Year, she also secured a spot on the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Dream Team. Throughout the season, she played in all 46 sets, amassing an impressive total of 2,950 leaderboard points. Her performance earned her seventh place on the leaderboard, and she managed to accumulate 200 or more points in seven instances. The zenith of her performance was reached with a season-high 306 points against Team Drews on April 15. Morgan Hentz etched her name in the record books by setting an Athletes Unlimited single-season record with 229 digs. She tied for the league lead with 14 double-digit dig efforts, including two instances with 20 or more digs. Her remarkable consistency was underscored by 11 consecutive double-digit efforts in the latter part of the season. She secured the third position in the league with seven match MVP awards, showcasing her multifaceted impact on the game. In addition to her defensive prowess, she displayed her versatility by ranking eighth in the league with 44 assists. Her 270 reception attempts earned her the sixth position among all players. Notably, she achieved a season-high of seven assists in the Week Two finale against Team Valentin-Anderson. Her season concluded with a standout performance of 21 digs against Team Valentin-Anderson. Importantly, she showcased her defensive brilliance by achieving a performance of 20 digs on April 8 against Team Sheilla, marking her as the first player in league history with multiple 20-dig performances in the same season.

Other Professional Experience: Hentz made her professional debut with Dresdner SC in Germany during the 2020-21 season, marking the beginning of her international volleyball journey.

International Experience: Hentz has been a key contributor to Team USA's success. She played a pivotal role in guiding the United States to a Silver medal at the 2022 NORCECA Championship. Her contributions extended to the Volleyball Nations League, where she was part of Team USA in both 2022 and 2023. Hentz's exceptional defensive skills were showcased as she tied for the team lead with 74 digs and recorded 10 or more digs in a match five times. Notably, she notched 17 digs against Brazil on May 6, 2022. Hentz also played a crucial role in Team USA's participation in the 2022 World Championship, where the team secured fourth place. Her international experience also includes representing Team USA at the 2015 FIVB U-18 World Championship in Peru.

At Stanford: Hentz was a three-time First-Team AVCA and VolleyballMag.com All-America selection at Stanford. She was a key member of three NCAA Championship teams and played a pivotal role in Stanford winning three Pac-12 titles from 2017 to 2019. Hentz's exceptional skills as a Libero earned her the Pac-12 Libero of the Year honors three times. She also received recognition for her contributions beyond the defensive role, as she was named co-recipient of the NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player award in 2018. Her remarkable journey at Stanford was further embellished with three NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team commendations and two NCAA Stanford Regional All-Tournament Team selections. Her academic prowess shone through as she was honored as the 2019 Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Hentz etched her name in the Stanford record books as one of three players in Stanford history with 2,000 or more digs, setting a school record with 2,310 career digs. Her remarkable achievements extended to her role on Stanford's beach volleyball team, where she ranks third in program history with 50 career victories. She teamed up with Amelia Smith to register 18 victories during the 2018 campaign, a performance that is tied for second place on the Cardinal's single-season list. During her senior year at Stanford, Hentz had the privilege of playing under the guidance of current Athletes Unlimited Volleyball athlete Alisha Childress.