TJ DeFalco

Torey James DeFalco (born April 10, 1997) is an American professional volleyball player who plays as an outside hitter for JTEKT Stings and the U.S. national team.^[1][2] DeFalco took home a bronze medal at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Torey DeFalco
DeFalco in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Torey James DeFalco
Nickname	T.J.
Born	(1997-04-10) April 10, 1997 (age 28) Springfield, Missouri, U.S.
Height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight	209 lb (95 kg)
Spike	130 in (340 cm)
Block	129 in (328 cm)
College / University	California State University, Long Beach
Volleyball information
Position	Outside hitter
Current club	JTEKT Stings
Career
Years Teams 2016–2019 2019–2021 2021–2022 2022–2024 2024– Long Beach State Volley Callipo AZS Olsztyn Asseco Resovia JTEKT Stings
National team
2015–  United States
Honours Men's volleyball Representing  United States Olympic Games 2024 Paris Team FIVB World Cup 2023 Japan 2019 Japan FIVB Nations League 2022 Bologna 2023 Gdańsk 2018 Lille NORCECA Championship 2023 Charleston 2019 Winnipeg

Early life

DeFalco was raised on a farm in Missouri until the age of nine, when his family moved to California. He attended Huntington Beach High School, where his performance on the volleyball team earned him national attention.^[3]

DeFalco is one of seven children. His sister, Teagan, played beach volleyball for the Washington Huskies. She now plays for Vegas Thrill.^[4]

Career

College

Recognized as the top recruit in the country,^[5] DeFalco enrolled at California State University, Long Beach, where he majored in Consumer Affairs. While at LBSU, he reached the NCAA Final Four all four years (2016–2019) and won the NCAA Championship twice (2018, 2019). He was a two–time AVCA Player of the Year (2017, 2019), the AVCA Newcomer of the Year (2016), and a four–time AVCA First Team All American (2016–2019). He was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2019 NCAA Championships, as well as being named to the NCAA All–Tournament Team three times (2016, 2018, 2019).^[6]

Club

In June 2019, DeFalco signed his first professional volleyball contract with the Italian team, Volley Callipo.^[7] For the 2021–22 season, he joined AZS Olsztyn.^[8] For the 2022–23 PlusLiga season, he signed a contract with Resovia.^[9]

National team

DeFalco joined the U.S. National Team in 2015, while he was still in high school.^[10] He competed with the national team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Honors

Club

• CEV Cup
  • 2023–24 – with Asseco Resovia

College

• Domestic
  • 2018 NCAA National Championship, with Long Beach State^[11]
  • 2019 NCAA National Championship, with Long Beach State^[12]

Youth national team

• 2014 NORCECA U19 Championship

Individual awards

• 2014: NORCECA U19 Championship – Most valuable player
• 2014: NORCECA U19 Championship – Best outside hitter
• 2016: NCAA National Championship – All-tournament team
• 2017: AVCA National Player of the Year
• 2018: NCAA National Championship – All-tournament team
• 2019: AVCA National Player of the Year
• 2019: NCAA National Championship – All-tournament team (Most outstanding player)
• 2019: NORCECA Championship – Best outside spiker

Statistics

• 2021–22 PlusLiga – Best scorer (536 points)