Princeton University Athletics
Photo by: Beverly Schaefer
Men's Volleyball Team Welcomes Trio Into Class Of 2021
July 11, 2017 | Men's Volleyball
After returning to the EIVA postseason with a trio of freshman starters, the Princeton men's volleyball team already had plenty of optimism heading into the 2018 season. That optimism will grow even more when a talented trio of competitors join the program this fall as members of the Class of 2021.
Niko Gjaja, Jess Hunt and Joe Kelly have joined a Princeton volleyball program that has made the EIVA postseason five of the last six years, including last year, and returns six of seven starters, including three All-EIVA honorees. The lone starter that graduated in June was setter Jonah May, and both Gjaja and Kelly will compete with rising sophomore Shane Gooding at that position. Hunt brings experience on the outside, where he can bolster an offense that featured former National Player of the Week Parker Dixon, as well as Greg Luck and Kendall Ratter.
Here are the full bios on the Class of 2021.
Niko Gjaja
S • 6-3 • Wilmette, Ill.
New Trier
Before Princeton — selected to the VolleyballMag.com Boys Fab 50 … 2017 all-state honoree … led team to two conference titles and one state final … selected to the AVCA High School All-American Watch List … two-time all-conference selection … team captain … club team played in Open Division last three years … National Merit Semifinalist … Illinois state scholar … National Spanish Exam Gold Finalist twice … Bailey and Marion and Shearer Award for distinguished history scholar.
Personal — born Aug. 9, 1999 … son of Kate and Marin Gjaja … father was the first All-America honoree in Princeton men's volleyball history and is a member of the Class of 1991; mother is a member of the Princeton Class of 1992 … father played on the U.S. national team and was an alternate on the Olympic team … has two younger siblings, Alex and Stefan … enjoys exercising and the outdoors … considering both neuroscience and the Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs as areas of study at Princeton.
Why Princeton? Princeton was always the clear first choice for me because of the strong family ties I have to the University. I also chose it because of the incredible academics and student environment, and a competitive volleyball program I am lucky to be a part of. I have no doubt that I am going to thoroughly enjoy my years here.
Jess Hunt
OH • 6-5 • San Clemente, Calif.
San Clemente
Before Princeton — selected to the VolleyballMag.com Boys Fab 50 … earned league co-MVP honors after leading San Clemente to conference title as a senior … earned first-team all-league honors as a junior and helped team to two conference runner-up finishes before 2017 title … invited to play for the SCVA Youth Regional High Performance team … earned all-tournament honors for the 2016 Best of the West Tournament and the 2017 Redondo Tournament … had a career-best 26 kills in one match … served as captain for both high school and club teams … received multiple scholar-athlete honors at San Clemente.
Personal — born July 1, 1998 … son of Matthew and Lynne Hunt … father and uncle both played volleyball at UC San Diego … has two older brothers, Shane and Kyle, both of whom played college volleyball at Point Loma Nazarene University … grandfather graduated from Princeton in 1962 … has played the piano for eight years … enjoys drawing, hiking and watching Star Trek.
Why Princeton? Princeton fits perfectly with my personality. The feel of the town is exactly what I've been looking for; it's the right number of people and amount of business. There's also a lot more green than Southern California, and I look forward to experiencing seasons. The team, coaching staff, and overall culture feel like a family. Here, I'll get both great academics and volleyball. And I cannot sum up why I chose Princeton without mentioning the delicious, gluten-free Naked Pizza located on Nassau Street.
Joe Kelly
S • 6-3 • El Segundo, Calif.
El Segundo
Before Princeton — selected to the 2017 USAV Boys Youth National training team, as well as the 2016 USAV High Performance Winter Camp … won league MVP honors and three-time first-team honoree in the Ocean League … led El Segundo to a CIF-SS championship … helped club team place third at Junior Nationals … all-CIF first-team honoree … captain of both high school and club team for multiple years … California Scholarship Federation member … earned National Merit Scholarship Program letter of commendation … RWDC Engineering Competition state champion.
Personal — born March 20, 1999 … son of Patrick and Elizabeth Kelly … has an older sister Maggie and two younger brothers, Chris and Nolan … enjoys surfing, snowboarding and hiking … undecided on course of study at Princeton, but considering mathematics and economics.
Why Princeton? Princeton is obviously an amazing school with an incredible Division I volleyball program. But what impressed me most about the school and the team was the sense of community I felt when I visited. The opportunity to be a part of this tight-knit community drove me to choose Princeton.
Niko Gjaja, Jess Hunt and Joe Kelly have joined a Princeton volleyball program that has made the EIVA postseason five of the last six years, including last year, and returns six of seven starters, including three All-EIVA honorees. The lone starter that graduated in June was setter Jonah May, and both Gjaja and Kelly will compete with rising sophomore Shane Gooding at that position. Hunt brings experience on the outside, where he can bolster an offense that featured former National Player of the Week Parker Dixon, as well as Greg Luck and Kendall Ratter.
Here are the full bios on the Class of 2021.
Niko Gjaja
S • 6-3 • Wilmette, Ill.
New Trier
Before Princeton — selected to the VolleyballMag.com Boys Fab 50 … 2017 all-state honoree … led team to two conference titles and one state final … selected to the AVCA High School All-American Watch List … two-time all-conference selection … team captain … club team played in Open Division last three years … National Merit Semifinalist … Illinois state scholar … National Spanish Exam Gold Finalist twice … Bailey and Marion and Shearer Award for distinguished history scholar.
Personal — born Aug. 9, 1999 … son of Kate and Marin Gjaja … father was the first All-America honoree in Princeton men's volleyball history and is a member of the Class of 1991; mother is a member of the Princeton Class of 1992 … father played on the U.S. national team and was an alternate on the Olympic team … has two younger siblings, Alex and Stefan … enjoys exercising and the outdoors … considering both neuroscience and the Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs as areas of study at Princeton.
Why Princeton? Princeton was always the clear first choice for me because of the strong family ties I have to the University. I also chose it because of the incredible academics and student environment, and a competitive volleyball program I am lucky to be a part of. I have no doubt that I am going to thoroughly enjoy my years here.
Jess Hunt
OH • 6-5 • San Clemente, Calif.
San Clemente
Before Princeton — selected to the VolleyballMag.com Boys Fab 50 … earned league co-MVP honors after leading San Clemente to conference title as a senior … earned first-team all-league honors as a junior and helped team to two conference runner-up finishes before 2017 title … invited to play for the SCVA Youth Regional High Performance team … earned all-tournament honors for the 2016 Best of the West Tournament and the 2017 Redondo Tournament … had a career-best 26 kills in one match … served as captain for both high school and club teams … received multiple scholar-athlete honors at San Clemente.
Personal — born July 1, 1998 … son of Matthew and Lynne Hunt … father and uncle both played volleyball at UC San Diego … has two older brothers, Shane and Kyle, both of whom played college volleyball at Point Loma Nazarene University … grandfather graduated from Princeton in 1962 … has played the piano for eight years … enjoys drawing, hiking and watching Star Trek.
Why Princeton? Princeton fits perfectly with my personality. The feel of the town is exactly what I've been looking for; it's the right number of people and amount of business. There's also a lot more green than Southern California, and I look forward to experiencing seasons. The team, coaching staff, and overall culture feel like a family. Here, I'll get both great academics and volleyball. And I cannot sum up why I chose Princeton without mentioning the delicious, gluten-free Naked Pizza located on Nassau Street.
Joe Kelly
S • 6-3 • El Segundo, Calif.
El Segundo
Before Princeton — selected to the 2017 USAV Boys Youth National training team, as well as the 2016 USAV High Performance Winter Camp … won league MVP honors and three-time first-team honoree in the Ocean League … led El Segundo to a CIF-SS championship … helped club team place third at Junior Nationals … all-CIF first-team honoree … captain of both high school and club team for multiple years … California Scholarship Federation member … earned National Merit Scholarship Program letter of commendation … RWDC Engineering Competition state champion.
Personal — born March 20, 1999 … son of Patrick and Elizabeth Kelly … has an older sister Maggie and two younger brothers, Chris and Nolan … enjoys surfing, snowboarding and hiking … undecided on course of study at Princeton, but considering mathematics and economics.
Why Princeton? Princeton is obviously an amazing school with an incredible Division I volleyball program. But what impressed me most about the school and the team was the sense of community I felt when I visited. The opportunity to be a part of this tight-knit community drove me to choose Princeton.
Players Mentioned
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