Pepperdine Men’s Volleyball Outside Hitter Cole Hartke Makes His Mark on Team USA

This past summer, Seaver College junior Cole Hartke received news of a dream come true. The 20-year-old outside hitter for Pepperdine University’s men’s volleyball team was selected to represent the red, white, and blue on the US Men's National Volleyball Team as the season’s youngest member. 

For Hartke, each of the past few years has brought him one step closer toward this goal. Even before beginning college, he earned a spot on the USA Men's U19 National Volleyball Team roster, which comprises players under the age of 19. While a Pepperdine student-athlete, Hartke played for the U20 and then U21, noted pipelines to the official Team USA. 

Now across the volleyball courts of Italy, Germany, Poland, Canada, and Turkey, Hartke has made his mark as part of Team USA. Yet the young player looks to his collegiate home at Pepperdine, where his athletic, spiritual, and personal development were nurtured, as the place that helped equip him for these heights.

“Playing for Team USA is something I worked to achieve for a long time. I always want to excel at the things I do,” says Hartke. “My coaches and the community at Pepperdine are like no other as I continue to play here and around the world.” 

On the International Stage

Hartke isn’t one to blend in—not only due to his nearly seven-foot stature, but also because of his steady excellence on the court. Even when steeped in the intensity of international competition—an experience few 20-year-old athletes encounter—Hartke distinguished himself as a member of Team USA in the summer.

Amid the roars of 10,000 spectators, the shouts of journalists, and baking fluorescent lights, Hartke, the youngest member of his 14-man active roster, established himself as a scoring force. In New Brunswick, Canada, Hartke racked up a match high of 33 points, a standout performance that helped the United States win 3–2 after a two-set deficit. 

Hartke playing for Pepperdine this year

Overall, in Hartke’s further globetrotting across Europe and Asia, he scored a total of 79 points during a seven-week stint from June 10 to August 2 2026. Such a feat only adds to the athlete’s laurels, including recognition as the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s First Team All-American, an award designated to the player at the very best of their respective position, as well as a National Player of the Year finalist. 

“With a huge crowd watching, you don’t really know what to expect,” says Hartke. “But confidence is everything. I have to believe in myself. If there’s a tough situation, I have to believe I’m going to excel in that moment.” 

Even halfway around the world, Hartke wasn’t far from his Pepperdine family. Jonathan Winder (’08), Waves head men’s volleyball coach and former member of the US National Team from 2007 to 2015, traveled to watch Hartke in a matchup against Serbia, taking in the match from the stands among thousands of cheering fans. 

Hartke wasn't the only Wave representing his country on the court that day. His Pepperdine teammate, Vuk Kulpinac, represented Serbia in the same game, bringing two Waves together on opposite sides of the international matchup.

“This summer was a tremendous opportunity for Cole to play with the US national team against some of the top players from around the world, which he did with great skill and class,” says Winder. “Beyond athletics, Cole has a great presence about him, which has been a huge part of his participation on that team and what he's bringing into the whole team. Cole’s work makes us all super proud of what he’s doing, and his ability to represent his country is fantastic.”

No Place like Home Court

Back in Malibu, Hartke often finds himself knocking on a familiar door. And this would be none other than the office of Marv Dunphy (’74), Head Coach Emeritus of Pepperdine’s men’s volleyball team and a legendary coaching sage of the sport. 

Throughout his storied career, Dunphy served on the coaching staff for nine Olympic Games and held a successful tenure with the US National team. At Pepperdine he guided 45 players to a combined 75 All-American honors.

To a budding young athlete, many challenges can seem brand new. However, when Hartke turns to Dunphy for guidance, he soon finds reassurance in realizing that the Hall of Fame coach has helped generations of Olympians navigate those same trials.

“Coach Dunphy has a story to tell in response to every question I have,” says Hartke. “His perspective on the game is rare and can only be earned through years of experience. He has helped me to become the best I can be.”

Hartke mid-air

Dunphy attests that Hartke’s raw talent was immediately undeniable, even from the standout athlete’s first arrival in Malibu from his hometown of Barrington, Illinois. During his first year of collegiate play, Hartke represented Pepperdine with soaring excellence, finishing as the highest-scoring first-year in the nation with a recorded total of 346 kills from a mere 25 matches.

“Right off the bat it was easy to recognize that Cole was exceptional,” says Dunphy. “He has this great presence and composure. What a gift to Pepperdine that we have somebody that talented and fun to work with, and with such personal integrity. I have witnessed his confidence grow, yet he has always clearly had the heart of a champion.” 

From Dunphy’s seasoned perspective, Hartke’s strengths as an attacker and blocker, combined with his exceptional vertical jump and composure under pressure, have been instrumental in his success on the national and international stages.

The Next Great Leap

With the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games on the horizon, Hartke's aspiration to compete on the Olympic stage is no mere fantasy. Following a standout summer with the senior national team, continued involvement with Team USA is attainable. 

“I first realized that the Olympics could be a possibility when I made it onto my first U19 roster,” says Hartke. “Ever since then, it has been a goal that I work toward every day.” 

Hartke (right) celebrating a win with his Pepperdine teammates

With an army of Waves coaches, staff, and teammates in his corner, Hartke says their investment of their time and knowledge serves as his firm foundation as he pursues his goals. For Hartke, consistent elite athletic performance only springs from overall well-developed character, which demands self-discipline, a continually fresh fervor for the sport, and the humility to always strive for self-improvement. 

“Cole has done an incredible job working with our coaches and continuing to find ways to be better every single day,” says Winder. “His choice to listen and be curious and train nonstop has allowed him to continue to improve to such a high level.”

Confidence, Hartke attests, is the most integral quality to any successful athlete, which, for him, was forged through immersion in a collegiate team culture which balances high-standard excellence with unconditional support. 

In addition to Hartke’s success on the court, the star athlete has also been recognized with a second-team Scholar All-American honor for maintaining a 3.81 grade point average, demonstrating his sharp mind extends far beyond the sports arena into top-tier academic excellence. 

“Everyone at Pepperdine cares for you—the administrators, the staff, the professors,” says Hartke. “I trust them. Everyone’s looking out for my best interests, and being here continues to be an amazing experience.”

“The world is at Cole’s fingertips,” adds Dunphy. 

Learn more about Pepperdine men's volleyball.