Jeffrey Jendryk II (born September 15, 1995) is an American middle blocker and Olympic bronze medalist who has represented the United States at senior international level since 2015. Standing 208 cm, he combines first-tempo attacking with a strong blocking presence and has competed professionally in Germany, Poland, Italy, Türkiye and Greece.
Jendryk won the 2015 NCAA championship with Loyola Chicago as a freshman and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. He later became the first four-time AVCA All-American in Loyola men’s volleyball history. With the United States, his career has included bronze medals at the 2018 World Championship and Paris 2024 Olympics, multiple Volleyball Nations League medals, a 2019 World Cup bronze and NORCECA titles in 2023 and 2026.
Player Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jeffrey Jendryk II |
| Common Name | Jeff Jendryk |
| Date of Birth | September 15, 1995 |
| Birthplace | Wheaton, Illinois, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Position | Middle Blocker |
| Height | 208 cm |
| Weight | 93 kg |
| Spike Reach | 370 cm |
| Block Reach | 355 cm |
| Dominant Hand | Right |
| College | Loyola University Chicago |
| Field of Study | Finance |
| Current Club | Not publicly confirmed for 2026–27 |
| Most Recent Club | PAOK Thessaloniki |
| Previous Clubs | Berlin Recycling Volleys, Asseco Resovia Rzeszów, LUK Lublin, Gioiella Prisma Taranto, Fenerbahçe Medicana, PAOK Thessaloniki |
| National Team | United States Men’s National Volleyball Team |
| Senior National Team | 2015–present |
| National-Team Number | 4 |
| Olympic Appearances | Paris 2024 |
| Olympic Medals | Bronze — Paris 2024 |
| Career Status | Active |
| @jjendryk21 |
USA Volleyball and Volleyball World list Jendryk at 6-foot-10, or 208 cm. Some European competition records use 205 cm. CEV’s Fenerbahçe roster listed him at 93 kg with a 370 cm spike reach and 355 cm block reach.
Early Life & Volleyball Beginnings
Jendryk grew up in Wheaton, Illinois, and attended St. Francis High School. Volleyball was already present in his family: his older sisters Jessica and Jenna both went on to play at the collegiate level, Jessica at Illinois and Saint Louis and Jenna at Dayton.
His own route into the sport was less direct. As a young teenager, Jendryk was more interested in basketball and did not immediately follow his sisters into volleyball. By high school, however, his height and athletic development increasingly suited the middle-blocker position, and he progressed rapidly enough to attract Loyola Chicago.
That late acceleration is an important part of his development. Middle blockers have relatively little time to read a play before deciding whether to stay with the opposing middle or move toward a pin attacker. Jendryk entered college with the physical frame for the position but still had significant technical room to grow, particularly in approach timing, blocking reads and attacking tempo.
He was also involved with USA Volleyball’s junior system. Jendryk won the 2014 NORCECA junior continental championship with the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team and took silver at the 2015 U21 Pan American Cup before becoming established at senior level.
College Career at Loyola Chicago
Jendryk joined Loyola University Chicago in 2015 and immediately became part of one of the strongest teams in NCAA men’s volleyball.
His freshman season ended with a national championship. Loyola defeated Lewis in an extraordinary five-set NCAA final, winning the deciding set 23–21. Jendryk, still a freshman, produced 17 kills while hitting .500 and added a career-high nine blocks. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament and later received the AVCA Newcomer of the Year award.
The championship gave him an unusually prominent start to college volleyball, but his Loyola career was not defined by one tournament. He developed into one of the most efficient middle attackers in the country and earned AVCA All-America recognition in all four collegiate seasons.
Jendryk was a Second Team All-American in 2015 and 2016 before moving to the First Team in 2017 and 2018. His senior selection made him the first four-time AVCA All-American in Loyola men’s volleyball history.
Efficiency became one of his defining collegiate strengths. He finished each of his final three seasons among the national leaders in hitting percentage and ended his Loyola career with a .449 attack percentage, second in program history at the time. As a senior in 2018, he hit .457 while averaging 2.27 kills and 0.88 blocks per set.
His college years also overlapped with the beginning of his senior international career. By the time he graduated, Jendryk was no longer simply a successful NCAA middle blocker; he was already gaining experience against international opposition with the United States.
Club Career
Berlin Recycling Volleys: First European Chapter
After graduating from Loyola in 2018, Jendryk signed his first professional contract with Berlin Recycling Volleys.
The German Bundesliga represented a substantial change from NCAA volleyball. Professional competition placed him against more experienced setters and attackers while requiring him to adapt to a longer season, Champions League travel and the tactical demands of European club volleyball.
He adjusted quickly. Berlin won the 2018–19 German championship, giving Jendryk a national league title in his first professional season.
The following year brought more silverware. Berlin won the 2019 German SuperCup and the 2020 German Cup, defeating Düren 3–0 in the cup final. Jendryk started that match and contributed to a Berlin blocking unit that controlled long stretches of the final.
The Bundesliga season itself was later interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, ending a two-year first spell in Berlin that had already established him as a successful professional middle blocker.
Asseco Resovia Rzeszów
Jendryk moved to Poland for 2020–21, joining Asseco Resovia Rzeszów in PlusLiga.
Resovia added him as an internationally experienced middle after his two seasons in Germany. The move placed him in a league known for its depth at setter and middle blocker, as well as a serving environment that frequently makes first-tempo offense difficult to maintain.
He spent one season in Rzeszów before choosing to return to Berlin.
Return to Berlin
Jendryk rejoined Berlin Recycling Volleys for 2021–22.
His second spell lasted one season but produced another championship. Berlin won the 2021 German SuperCup and then claimed the 2021–22 Bundesliga title, making Jendryk a two-time German champion.
He was heavily used during the season, particularly when injuries reduced Berlin’s middle-blocker rotation. His connection with setter Sergey Grankin allowed Berlin to use him aggressively in first tempo, while his blocking remained central to his value.
An ankle-ligament injury suffered during the first match of the Bundesliga final series prevented him from completing the playoffs on court. Berlin nevertheless won the championship, and Jendryk recovered in time to return to the United States program for the international season.
When he left Berlin in 2022, the club described him as a dominant player at his position in the Bundesliga and closed his three total seasons in Germany with two league championships and multiple domestic cup titles.
LUK Lublin
The 2022–23 season took Jendryk back to Poland, this time with LUK Lublin.
His year in Lublin added another PlusLiga season to his European résumé. By this stage, Jendryk had developed from a young American prospect into an experienced international middle who had already played in the Bundesliga, PlusLiga, Champions League and several major tournaments with the United States.
After one season with Lublin, he moved to the Italian SuperLega.
Gioiella Prisma Taranto
Jendryk joined Gioiella Prisma Taranto for 2023–24.
Italy produced one of the clearest statistical snapshots of his professional game. Across the SuperLega regular season, Volleyball World recorded 174 points, including 126 attack points, 39 blocks and nine aces.
Those numbers show the balance required from a high-level middle. Jendryk did not depend solely on quick attacks; blocking accounted for a meaningful share of his production, and his serving added another source of direct points.
His strongest individual league performances included 16 points against Rana Verona and 14 against Modena. Taranto did not contend for the league title, but the season placed Jendryk in one of the deepest middle-blocker competitions in club volleyball immediately before his first Olympic appearance.
Fenerbahçe Medicana
For 2024–25, Jendryk moved to Türkiye and joined Fenerbahçe Medicana.
He wore No. 14 in European competition and played alongside a roster that included Fabian Drzyzga, Earvin Ngapeth and Dražen Luburić.
The season produced another domestic trophy. Fenerbahçe reached the 2025 Kupa Voley final after defeating Arkas Spor 3–1 in the semifinal, then swept Halkbank 3–0 in the championship match.
Jendryk started the final as one of Fenerbahçe’s two middle blockers. The victory gave him the 2025 Turkish Cup, adding Türkiye to the list of countries in which he had won a major domestic trophy.
PAOK Thessaloniki
PAOK Thessaloniki announced Jendryk in October 2025, with the American joining the Greek club after completing his national-team commitments.
The transfer added Greece to a professional career that had already included Germany, Poland, Italy and Türkiye. Jendryk played as a middle blocker for PAOK during 2025–26 and wore No. 4 in the CEV Challenge Cup.
His season included domestic competition and European matches. In a January 2026 Challenge Cup victory over Pafiakos, he scored eight points, including five attacks and three blocks.
PAOK was Jendryk’s most recent confirmed club assignment. A new club for the 2026–27 season had not been publicly announced by mid-October 2026.
Club Career Timeline
| Seasons | Team | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2018–2020 | Berlin Recycling Volleys | Germany |
| 2020–2021 | Asseco Resovia Rzeszów | Poland |
| 2021–2022 | Berlin Recycling Volleys | Germany |
| 2022–2023 | LUK Lublin | Poland |
| 2023–2024 | Gioiella Prisma Taranto | Italy |
| 2024–2025 | Fenerbahçe Medicana | Türkiye |
| 2025–2026 | PAOK Thessaloniki | Greece |
National Team Career
Senior Debut and the 2018 Breakthrough
Jendryk made his U.S. senior national-team debut at the 2015 Pan American Cup, according to USA Volleyball’s official career record. He remained connected to the program while completing his college career and became a more regular senior option during the next Olympic cycle.
By 2017, he was competing in the FIVB World League. The following season brought his first major global medals.
The United States took bronze at the inaugural 2018 Volleyball Nations League, and Jendryk was also part of the squad that reached the podium at the 2018 FIVB World Championship.
The World Championship bronze was a significant result for a U.S. team that advanced through the tournament before defeating Serbia in the third-place match. It established Jendryk inside a national-team middle-blocker group that also included experienced players such as David Smith and Max Holt.
2019 World Cup and NORCECA Recognition
Jendryk remained involved through a successful 2019 international season.
The United States earned silver at the Volleyball Nations League and then qualified for the Tokyo Olympics through the FIVB qualification tournament. Later that year, the Americans took bronze at the FIVB World Cup in Japan.
Jendryk also played at the 2019 NORCECA Continental Championship. The United States finished second to Cuba, while he received the tournament’s Second-Best Blocker award.
The award reflected the part of his game that had increasingly become his international calling card: closing space at the net and turning correct reads into direct points.
Tokyo Cycle and the 2022 VNL
Jendryk remained a regular national-team player during the Tokyo cycle but was not selected for the final Olympic roster in 2021.
He returned to major tournament competition afterward. The United States reached the 2022 VNL final, finishing with the silver medal, and Jendryk was also selected for the 2022 World Championship squad.
The Americans advanced to the World Championship quarterfinals and finished sixth. That season re-established Jendryk inside the national-team rotation as the Paris cycle began.
2023 NORCECA Gold and Olympic Qualification
The United States had another strong international year in 2023.
Jendryk was part of the team that earned VNL silver and later won the NORCECA Continental Championship.
The season concluded with the Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier in Tokyo. The United States went 7–0, secured Olympic qualification and finished first in its tournament group. Jendryk contributed during the event, including action in the final victory over Japan.
After missing the Tokyo Olympic roster, qualification created another opportunity for him to reach the Games.
Paris 2024 Olympic Bronze
Jendryk was named to the United States Olympic team for Paris 2024, making his Olympic debut at age 28.
The U.S. advanced through pool play and defeated Brazil in a five-set quarterfinal before losing to Poland in the semifinal. That sent the Americans into the bronze-medal match against reigning world champion Italy.
The United States won in straight sets, 25–23, 30–28, 26–24, giving Jendryk an Olympic bronze medal in his first Games.
The result added him to a group of Loyola Chicago alumni who reached the Olympic podium with the U.S. men’s program and completed a progression that had started with junior national-team volleyball a decade earlier.
2025 World Championship
Jendryk remained part of the U.S. senior group in 2025 and was selected for the Men’s World Championship.
The United States advanced from the pool stage and reached the quarterfinals. Its tournament ended in a five-set loss to Bulgaria, with Jendryk appearing as part of the American middle-blocker rotation.
The World Championship extended his record across successive major global tournaments after the 2018 and 2022 editions and Paris 2024.
2026 VNL Silver and NORCECA Gold
Jendryk continued with the United States in 2026.
During the VNL, he scored 62 points, consisting of 46 attacks, 13 blocks and three aces. Volleyball World recorded him at a 56.79 percent attacking efficiency across the competition.
The United States qualified for the Finals in Ningbo, swept Italy in the quarterfinal and defeated Japan in five sets in the semifinal. Poland won the final 3–2, leaving the Americans with the VNL silver medal.
Jendryk then joined the U.S. roster for the September NORCECA Continental Championship in Canada.
The United States went undefeated and defeated Canada in a five-set final. Jendryk scored seven points in the championship match—five attacks, one block and one ace—as the Americans secured NORCECA gold.
The tournament confirmed that, more than a decade after his first senior appearance, Jendryk remained an active member of the U.S. middle-blocker group.
Playing Style & Strengths
Jendryk’s game is built around the requirements of the modern middle blocker: attacking quickly enough to hold the opposing middle, reading setters efficiently, closing blocks to both antennas and creating service pressure without sacrificing too much consistency.
His height gives him an obvious advantage. At 208 cm with a listed 370 cm spike reach, he can contact the ball at a high point and attack above the center of the block. His effectiveness, however, depends as much on timing as size.
Jendryk has historically been an efficient first-tempo attacker. His .449 career hitting percentage at Loyola and .457 senior-season mark reflected his ability to arrive on time, present a clear target to the setter and finish before the opposing block could become fully organized.
That skill continued into professional volleyball. In the 2023–24 SuperLega regular season, he scored 126 attack points at better than 54 percent efficiency while also contributing 39 blocks.
Blocking is the other major component of his profile. Jendryk reads the quality of the opponent’s pass, tracks the setter and then has to decide whether to commit to the middle or release toward the pins. His length allows him to penetrate across the net, but the value comes from getting his hands into the correct space before the attacker makes contact.
His connection with setters has often been especially important. During his Berlin years, the combination with Sergey Grankin gave the German club an efficient central attack, while his national-team career has required him to adapt to different tempos from setters such as Micah Christenson and Micah Ma’a.
Jendryk also offers meaningful serving value for a middle. His three aces during the 2026 VNL were only a small part of his total scoring, but an effective serve can force poorer reception and create the predictable high-ball situations in which a middle blocker has the greatest opportunity to organize the block.
Major Achievements
Selected National Team Honors
| Year | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | NORCECA Junior Continental Championship | Gold Medal |
| 2015 | U21 Pan American Cup | Silver Medal |
| 2018 | Volleyball Nations League | Bronze Medal |
| 2018 | FIVB World Championship | Bronze Medal |
| 2019 | Volleyball Nations League | Silver Medal |
| 2019 | NORCECA Continental Championship | Silver Medal |
| 2019 | FIVB World Cup | Bronze Medal |
| 2022 | Volleyball Nations League | Silver Medal |
| 2023 | Volleyball Nations League | Silver Medal |
| 2023 | NORCECA Continental Championship | Gold Medal |
| 2023 | Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier | First Place / Olympic Qualification |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Bronze Medal |
| 2026 | Volleyball Nations League | Silver Medal |
| 2026 | NORCECA Continental Championship | Gold Medal |
Selected Club Honors
| Year / Season | Competition | Result | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | German Bundesliga | Champion | Berlin Recycling Volleys |
| 2019 | German SuperCup | Winner | Berlin Recycling Volleys |
| 2019–20 | German Cup | Winner | Berlin Recycling Volleys |
| 2021 | German SuperCup | Winner | Berlin Recycling Volleys |
| 2021–22 | German Bundesliga | Champion | Berlin Recycling Volleys |
| 2024–25 | Turkish Cup | Winner | Fenerbahçe Medicana |
Selected College & Individual Awards
| Year | Competition / Organization | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | NCAA Championship | Champion — Loyola Chicago |
| 2015 | NCAA Championship | Most Outstanding Player |
| 2015 | AVCA | Newcomer of the Year |
| 2015 | AVCA | Second Team All-American |
| 2016 | AVCA | Second Team All-American |
| 2017 | AVCA | First Team All-American |
| 2018 | AVCA | First Team All-American |
| 2019 | NORCECA Continental Championship | Second-Best Blocker |
Jendryk’s fourth AVCA selection in 2018 made him the first four-time All-American in Loyola men’s volleyball history.
Personal Life & Interests
Jendryk comes from a volleyball family. His sisters Jessica and Jenna both played college volleyball, and their involvement in the sport preceded his own eventual move away from basketball and toward volleyball.
He studied finance at Loyola Chicago, balancing academics with a college career that included four All-America seasons and extensive national-team involvement.
The nickname “Jungle Cat” was given to him by U.S. setter Micah Christenson. The name followed him into his professional career and was still being used by Berlin when Jendryk left the club in 2022.
Away from formal competition, Jendryk has also invested time in teaching the middle-blocker position. He created Middle Beast Academy, a training platform and volleyball community focused on helping middle blockers develop the technical and tactical skills that are often difficult to learn through general volleyball instruction alone.
He has also described himself as an enthusiastic gamer, with video games forming part of his downtime during his professional career abroad.
Where Is Jeffrey Jendryk Playing Now?
Jendryk’s most recent confirmed club is PAOK Thessaloniki, where he played during the 2025–26 season after joining from Fenerbahçe Medicana.
A new club assignment for the 2026–27 season had not been publicly confirmed by mid-October 2026. PAOK therefore remains his most recent completed club chapter rather than a confirmed current 2026–27 affiliation.
His national-team status is clearer. Jendryk remained active with the United States Men’s National Volleyball Team throughout 2026, wearing No. 4. He was part of the U.S. roster that won VNL silver in August and then NORCECA gold in September.
Recent Performance Snapshot
| Competition / Period | Team | Performance / Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 SuperLega | Gioiella Prisma Taranto | 174 points |
| 2023–24 SuperLega | Gioiella Prisma Taranto | 126 attack points, 39 blocks, 9 aces |
| 2024 Olympic Games | United States | Bronze Medal |
| 2025 Turkish Cup | Fenerbahçe Medicana | Champion |
| 2025 Men’s World Championship | United States | Quarterfinalist |
| 2026 Volleyball Nations League | United States | 62 points — 46 attacks, 13 blocks, 3 aces |
| 2026 Volleyball Nations League | United States | Silver Medal |
| 2026 NORCECA Continental Championship | United States | Gold Medal |
| 2026 NORCECA Final vs. Canada | United States | 7 points — 5 attacks, 1 block, 1 ace |
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Jeffrey Jendryk?
Jeffrey Jendryk was born on September 15, 1995. He is 31 years old as of October 2026.
How tall is Jeffrey Jendryk?
USA Volleyball and Volleyball World list Jendryk at 208 cm, or 6-foot-10. Some European competition rosters have used 205 cm.
What position does Jeffrey Jendryk play?
Jendryk plays middle blocker. His primary responsibilities include first-tempo attacking, blocking, serving and coordinating the front-row defensive system.
What club does Jeffrey Jendryk play for?
His most recent confirmed club is PAOK Thessaloniki, where he played in 2025–26. A new club for the 2026–27 season had not been publicly confirmed by mid-October 2026.
What number does Jeffrey Jendryk wear for Team USA?
Jendryk wears No. 4 for the United States men’s national team.
Did Jeffrey Jendryk win an Olympic medal?
Yes. Jendryk won bronze with the United States at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, his first Olympic appearance.
Did Jeffrey Jendryk play at the Tokyo Olympics?
No. Jendryk was part of the U.S. national-team program during the Tokyo cycle but was not selected for the final Olympic roster. He made his Olympic debut at Paris 2024.
Where did Jeffrey Jendryk play college volleyball?
Jendryk played at Loyola University Chicago from 2015 through 2018. He won the NCAA championship as a freshman in 2015 and became the first four-time AVCA All-American in program history.
When did Jeffrey Jendryk debut for the U.S. national team?
Jendryk made his senior U.S. national-team debut at the 2015 Pan American Cup. He became a regular participant in major international competitions during the following Olympic cycle.
What are Jeffrey Jendryk’s biggest achievements?
His major achievements include Olympic bronze at Paris 2024, bronze at the 2018 World Championship, multiple VNL medals, NORCECA titles in 2023 and 2026, the 2015 NCAA championship, two German Bundesliga titles with Berlin and the 2025 Turkish Cup with Fenerbahçe.
References
- USA Volleyball — Jeff Jendryk official athlete profile
- Team USA — Jeff Jendryk Olympic athlete profile
- Volleyball World — Jeffrey Jendryk II VNL 2026 player profile and statistics
- USA Volleyball — 2026 Men’s Volleyball Nations League Final
- USA Volleyball — 2026 NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship
- USA Volleyball — U.S. Men at the 2026 NORCECA Continental Championship
- USA Volleyball — Jeff Jendryk interview and early senior national-team career
- USA Volleyball — 2019 NORCECA Championship silver and individual awards
- USA Volleyball — U.S. Men complete the 2023 Olympic qualifier undefeated
- Loyola Chicago — Jeff Jendryk becomes the program’s first four-time AVCA All-American
- Loyola Chicago — 2015 NCAA championship team and Jendryk’s Most Outstanding Player award
- Loyola Chicago — Jendryk signs his first professional contract with Berlin
- Berlin Recycling Volleys — Jeffrey Jendryk leaves Berlin after his third season with the club
- Berlin Recycling Volleys — 2019 German championship
- Berlin Recycling Volleys — 2020 German Cup victory
- Volleyball World — Jeffrey Jendryk II 2023–24 SuperLega statistics
- CEV — Fenerbahçe Medicana 2024–25 European roster
- Fenerbahçe — 2025 Turkish Cup championship
- PAOK — Jeffrey Jendryk signing announcement and professional career history
- CEV — PAOK Thessaloniki 2025–26 Challenge Cup roster
