Position: Outside Hitter
Height: 6-7
Weight: 215 lbs.
High School/Grad Year: Valhalla High School (El Cajon, Calif.) / 2008
College: UCLA
PERSONAL: Born Thomas (Tom) James Amberg in 1990 in La Mesa, Calif. … Parents are James and Lauren Amberg… Has two older brothers, Stephen (1988) and Phillip (1986)… Began playing volleyball in 2005 with Seaside Volleyball Club… Graduated from Valhalla High School in El Cajon, Calif. in 2008… Favorite food is guacamole… Favorite book is Angels and Demons… Favorite musical group is the Red Hot Chili Peppers… Favorite professional sports team is Arsenal F.C. and favorite athlete is Theo Walcott… Majoring in business/economics… Tom earned three varsity letters in water polo at Valhalla HS and was named first team all league.
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 - Competed for the United States at the World University Games in Shenzhen, Chin. 2009 – Played on the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team that finished eighth at the FIVB World Championship in Pune, India… Tom played in 15 sets, starting five, and finished the tournament with 19 points on 14 kills, four blocks and one ace.
CLUB/PREP HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 – Played for the Seaside Volleyball Club that finished fifth nationally… Second-Team All-American and a member of the Fab 50 list... Tom was a two-time Valhalla HS volleyball Player of the Year... Led the Norsemen to three league championships and a Div. II third-place finish… First team all league in high school.
COLLEGIATE HIGHLIGHTS: 2010 – Played in 30 matches with 28 starts... Hit .500 or better in 13 matches... Established a career-high of 23 kills (.500) and 25.5 points vs. UCI (3/27)... Also added five block assists... Posted 14 kills (.632) vs. UH (2/5) with two aces, four total blocks and 17.0 points... Recorded 13 kills (.462), an ace and three block assists for 15.5 points vs. Stanford (4/16) ... Scored 15.0 points vs. UOP (4/17): 13 kills (.321), one ace and three block assists... Recorded nine blocks vs. BYU (1/30) ... Served three aces vs. UOP (2/13)... Led the team with 119 total blocks and ranked second at 1.09 bps ... All-MPSF Academic Team selection. 2009 – As a true freshman, Amberg played in 25 matches and started 22 for the Bruins and earned All-MPSF Honorable Mention honors while leading the Bruins in blocking at 1.33 blocks per game, a figure that ranked eighth in the league… His career highs in kills was 18; digs: four; blocks: 10; aces: four and points: 21.
Updated Nov. 18, 2010