At Princeton — 2012: earned EIVA Newcomer of the Year honors … led the EIVA with 4.0 kills and 4.6 points per set … ranked seventh nationally in kills, and first among all freshmen; no other freshmen were in the Top 15 … earned first-team All-EIVA honors … recorded double-digit kills in 20 of 23 matches, including each of the last 15 matches … recorded career-best 31 in 3-2 victory over Juniata … had 25 kills, 10 digs and seven blocks in near upset of nationally ranked Penn State … recorded nine matches with at least five blocks, including career-best nine against Baruch … in must-win match over NJIT to make postseason, recorded 22 kills, eight digs, seven blocks and hit .315 in a 3-2 victory … started entire season, mostly as opposite hitter.

Before Princeton — led Cheyenne Mountain to third-place finish in 2009 state championships ... founded the volleyball program at his high school ... won two Junior Olympic Beach titles in Vail ... competed in USA Winter Development Camp (2009) and Men's Junior National A2 Program (2010) ... two-time high school team captain ... earned Commitment to Excellence Award by Front Range Volleyball Club (2010) ... served as club team captain ... three-year lacrosse letterwinner and two-year tennis letterwinner ... served as captain for both teams ... recipient of Most Athletic in high school class ... earned 2010 United Stated Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award ... two-time first-team Academic All-State selection ... 2010 Colorado Springs Rotary Club tennis champion ... spent a year after high school as a full-time intern at the USA Volleyball Offices and served as a volunteer assistant coach for several teams, including at the 2010 Special Olympics.

Personal — born Dec. 3, 1991 ... son of John Kessel and Dy McKenzie ... father is a director of USA Volleyball; mother is a homemaker ... father started both the men's and women's volleyball programs at Colorado College before a long career as a professional volleyball player; he has worked for USA Volleyball for 25 years ... mother was a multiple-sport athlete at UCLA and went on to model internationally for Yves Saint Laurent ... has a younger sister McKenzie ... enjoys skiing, music and ultimate frisbee.