Avery Aylsworth (born 18 October 1996) is a former professional volleyball player. He has played four seasons abroad in Europe, winning one league title in the English National Volleyball League,[1] one cup title in the German Volleyball Cup,[2] and two Vice-championships in the Deutsche Volleyball-Bundesliga.[3]
| Avery Aylsworth | |
| Nickname: | Flavor |
| Nationality: |  American |
| Birth Date: | 18 October 1996 |
| Birth Place: | San Jose, California, United States of America |
| Height: | 1.80m |
| Weight: | 75 kg |
| Spike: | 315 cm |
| Block: | 310 cm |
| College: | Loyola University Chicago Durham University Business School |
| Position: | Libero |
| Currentclub: | VfB Friedrichshafen |
| Currentnumber: | 2 |
| Years: | 2016–2019 2019–2020 2020–2022 2022-2023 |
| Teams: | Loyola Ramblers Raision LoimuVfB Friedrichshafen Durham Palatinates |
| Nationalyears: | 2019 |
Avery Aylsworth is a former American volleyball player who plays the position of Libero. Aylsworth played his first professional season in Finland with Raision Loimu.[4] [5] [6] in the top division of the Finnish Mestaruusliiga. Next, he played the 2020/21 season with VfB Friedrichshafen in the top division of the Deutsche Volleyball-Bundesliga. During the 2020/21 season, he received a silver medal with VfB Friedrichshafen during the German Championship Playoffs.[7] Aylsworth re-signed with VfB Friedrichshafen for the 2021/22 season.[8] During the 2021/22 season, Aylsworth started multiple matches including the German Cup Final against SVG Luneburg where he played against fellow junior teammates, Joseph Worsley and Jordan Ewert. Aylsworth and VfB Friedrichshafen won the DVV German Cup along with earning a Silver medal following a five match battle between VfB Friedrichshafen and Berlin Recycling Volleys in the German Bundesliga Championship Finals.[9] In 2022, Aylsworth competed in the English National Volleyball League and BUCS for Durham University[10] where he won the NVL title and BUCS Championship for the university.
Aylsworth has appeared on the Deep Corner podcast hosted by Rob St. Claire for Volleyball League of America (VLA) to speak about his time at Loyola, getting a contract as an American Libero, and his time with VfB Friedrichshafen.[11] Aylsworth also appeared on the If You Can't Handle the Heat podcast to speak about his junior, collegiate, professional, and post-professional career with fellow junior teammates Gage Worsely, Micah Maʻa, and Joseph Worsley.[12]
Aylsworth signed his first professional contract with Raision Loimu in Finland for the 2019/20 season. During the season, Aylsworth won 3 match MVP's and was a 14x ProLibero award winner.[13] Between professional seasons, Aylsworth competed in the AVP Grass Nationals in South Carolina finishing 3rd[14] after losing to Taylor Crabb, Andy Benesh, and Eric Beranek.
Soon after, Aylsworth signed with VfB Friedrichshafen[15] for the 2020/21 season where he played with libero Markus Steuerwald, setters Dejan Vincic and Joseph Worsley, outside hitters Nicolas Marechal, Rares Balean, Benjamin Bonin, and Martti Juhkami, opposites Linus Weber and Lukas Maase and middle blocker Arno Van De Velde, David Fiel, Markus Bohme, and Nehemiah Mote.[16] The 2021 season ended with a silver medal in Bundesliga Championship Finals against Berlin Recycling Volleys.
Aylsworth re-signed with VfB Friedrichshafen following his first season with the team for the 2021-2022 season. Here, Aylsworth and VfB Friedrichshafen won the 2022 DVV German Cup against SVG Lunebuerg, the 17th Cup title in the club's history and Aylsworth's first professional trophy. Aylsworth started the match and finished with 60% positive reception on 15 receptions in the victory.[17] In similar fashion as the year prior, VfB Friedrichshafen and Aylsworth earned a silver medal in the Bundesliga Championship Finals against Berlin Recycling Volleys following a five match series. Aylsworth was coached by Mark Lebedew and Radomir Vemic and shared the court in the 2022 season with fellow liberos Blair Bann and Nikola Pekovic, setters Dejan Vincic and Stefan Thiel, receivers Luciano Vincentin, Ben-Simon Bonin, Daniel Muniz de Oliveira, and Vojin Cacic, middle blockers Lucas van Berkel, Andri Aganits, and Markus Boehme, and opposites Simon Hirsch and Lukas Maase.[18] [19]
Aylsworth joined Durham University in 2022/23 and competed in the English National Volleyball League where he won the League title.
Aylsworth attended Loyola University Chicago[20] where he played at the NCAA Division 1 level. Upon finishing his NCAA career, Aylsworth finished with 249 digs his senior season, which stands as fifth most in school history for a single season. In total, Aylsworth finished his career with 619, the sixth most in school history Aylsworth was named an AVCA All-American at the end of the 2019 season. Additionally, he made the MIVA All-Conference 2nd team. Aylsworth also competed with USA Volleyball's Collegiate National Team in 2019.
Aylsworth played for Saint Francis High School and played on varsity as a Freshman during playoffs. Throughout his career, he led the Lancers to a CCS title, multiple WCAL league championships and CIF NorCal State title. While at Saint Francis, Aylsworth was named to Volleyball Magazine's 2015 Boys' Fab 50.[21] Aylsworth was also named a high school AVCA All-American in 2015.[22]