Donovan Martinez

From Hawaiʻi to St. George, UT to USA Volleyball NTDP Boys Indoor Coordinator 🇺🇸🏐

[DK🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸 @1Nicdar]

130 schools said no.
He led the losingest program in college football history to a national championship anyway.
Fernando Mendoza was a 2-star recruit from Miami.

He tried to walk on at his hometown school. They passed.
So did FIU.
So did FAU.
So did everyone else.

At 17, he was sitting in his bedroom, crying over a silent recruiting inbox—after driving to 18 camps with his dad and sending highlights to more than 100 programs.
Not one FBS offer.
His only option? Yale. No scholarship. No NFL path.

Everyone told him to be “realistic.”
“Know your place.”
“Be grateful.”
He didn’t listen.
Because Mendoza understood something most people miss:
The worst outcome isn’t failing.
It’s never getting the chance to try.

Two weeks before signing day in 2022, his phone rang.
Cal needed a body. One offer. Out of 134 schools.
He took it.
He arrived as the third-string quarterback.
Spent a year on the scout team.
Lost his first four starts.
Got sacked 41 times behind a broken offensive line.

Still got up. Every time.
Then Cal brought in a transfer instead of building around him.
So Mendoza left the only school that had ever said yes.
He transferred to Indiana—the losingest program in college football history.

People laughed.
“Career suicide.”
“Graveyard program.”
“Nobody wins there.”
One coach told him something different:
“I’m going to make you the best Fernando Mendoza possible.”
That was enough.
Mendoza wasn’t just playing for football.
His mother has battled multiple sclerosis for 18 years.

Before every snap, he thought of her.
“My mother is my why.”
Indiana went 16–0.
Beat six Top-10 teams.
Won their first Big Ten title since 1945.
Mendoza threw 41 touchdowns.
Won the Heisman—first in school history.
First Cuban-American to ever do it.

Then came the title game.
Miami. Near his hometown.
Fourth-and-4. Season on the line.
Quarterback draw.
The kid 134 schools rejected spun through defenders and dove into the end zone.

Game over.
Indiana—national champions.
The losingest program became the best team in America.
All because a 17-year-old refused to believe “no” was the end.

Rankings don’t decide your ceiling.
Gatekeepers don’t write your ending.
Being overlooked isn’t a verdict—it’s a starting point.

Sometimes all you need is one shot…
and the courage to bet on yourself when nobody else will.
Don’t quit.

Credit: Barclay Mullins

[Nebraska Volleyball @HuskerVB]

Elite at reading the game and leading the way. 🫡

@Jaylen_Reyes2 has been promoted to Associate Head Coach after being an integral part of the Huskers’ success over his eight years!

[Lincoln Arneal @Lincoln_VB]

Jaylen Reyes has been promoted to associate head coach at Nebraska. He signed a new 3-year, $630,000 contract to remain with the Huskers.
“We are so grateful to have him in our program,” NU coach Dani Busboom Kelly said.
https://t.co/Cc1pel1ehx

[USA Volleyball @usavolleyball]

The U.S. Women's National Team has added Rob Browning as assistant coach! 🇺🇸

Browning is a valuable addition to the coaching staff, bringing decades of experience at both the collegiate and international levels.

More details: https://t.co/X2Bo5PcFON

#usavwnt

[Set Point @Set_PointIE]

Only 2 more days until the 2026 #NCAAMVB season begins.

Some notable dates to remember;

The NIL Tournament held at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA February 19-20

NCAA Tournament Regionals May 1-2

NCAA Tournament Final Four May 9

NCAA Tournament National Championship May 11

[SportsCenter @SportsCenter]

HAWAI'I FOR THE WIN 😱

The Rainbow Warriors were down 21-0 and came all the way back to beat Cal 😳

[USA Volleyball @usavolleyball]

It's GO time!

The Boys U17 National Team takes on Mexico today for the bronze medal at the NORCECA Continental Championship.

Watch live at 12 p.m. PT: https://t.co/ezUtmZAqvy

📷 Nikodem Opiola

[NorcecaInfo @Norceca_Info]

USA 🇺🇸 beats Mexico 🇲🇽 to kickoff NORCECA Boys’ U17 Continental Championship

USA 🇺🇸 3-0 🇲🇽 Mexico
(25-20, 25-22, 25-13)

🔝 🇺🇸 Noah Mbaitoloum (#15) 16pts
🔝 🇲🇽 Diego Ibarra MEX (#5) 8pts

🔜 November 19
USA 🇺🇸 vs 🇨🇺 CUB
MEX 🇲🇽 vs 🇩🇴 DOM

#norceca #volleyball #norcecau17

[NorcecaInfo @Norceca_Info]

NORCECA Boys’ U17 Continental Championship in Nicaragua 🇳🇮

Mexico 🇲🇽 vs USA 🇺🇸

Live: https://t.co/SSkMokEkZg

[Donovan Martinez @DMartz02]

Excited for our first match against Mexico tomorrow! Let’s go @usavolleyball!! 🙌🏻💥🇺🇸🏐

[NorcecaInfo @Norceca_Info]

STUNNING! Alexis Argüello Multi Sports Complex im Managua 🇳🇮 is Ready for the NORCECA Boys’ U17 Continental Championship

📺 Live On YouTube NICASPORTSTV

🇳🇮🇧🇧🇨🇷🇨🇺🇩🇴🇲🇽🇵🇷🇺🇸

📆 November 18-23

#norceca #volleyball #norcecau17

[Lexi Rodriguez @Alexis14Rod]

With so much help from my co-author Kelsi, our book “The Big Little Dream” is officially released!! 📚🤭

Pre-orders will be open until Nov. 30th. There will be 350 signed copies available for purchase. Get yours while you can before the holidays!

https://t.co/5MDm6Qab2S

[Jaylen Reyes @Jaylen_Reyes2]

Please check it out everyone. Cool thing two people I care about a lot are doing here ❤️

[USA Volleyball @usavolleyball]

New pod drop! 🚨

@USCmensvolley outside hitter Sterling Foley shares his excitement for his second season and reflects on making history with the Men's U21 National Team, the first U.S. U21 team to medal at the World Championship.

Watch: https://t.co/gnqSrC8749

#usavshowpod

[Donovan Martinez @DMartz02]

@rynchapmn Let’s go Brandon!!

[Tiff @tifferspxp]

1 of the 17 named to this group is Kekoa Wade, son of #HawaiiMVB HC Charlie Wade.

Other Hawaiʻi ties include:
Assistant Coach Steven Duhoux (former UHMVB Setter),
Team Lead Donovan Martinez (@DMartz02, McKinley High alum)

[Hawaii Men's Volleyball @HawaiiMensVB]

Catch tomorrow's intrasquad scrimmage live on the @HiloVulcans network. If you're in Hilo, head to the Civic Auditorium.

📆: Saturday, Oct. 4
⏰: 5:00 p.m.
💻: https://t.co/w2c9AEeAu5 ($15)
📍: Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium
🎟: https://t.co/CcTZ6Mtl8U

#WarriorBall26 x #GoBows

[Hawaii Men's Volleyball @HawaiiMensVB]

Welcome home, Donan🤙

#WarriorBall26 x #GoBows

[Donovan Martinez @DMartz02]

@tifferspxp Congrats Tiff!!!! 🤣

[Volleyball World @volleyballworld]

🌍 MEN’S WORLD CHAMPS — POOL D 🔥

Pool D is ready to go 🙌🏼
🇺🇸 USA
🇨🇺 Cuba
🇵🇹 Portugal
🇨🇴 Colombia

Every rally matters — the road to the next round begins here 💥.

📸 Volleyball World, CEV, CSV

🗒️ Check the schedule at https://t.co/IKKwW9gsnG
📺 Watch it live on VBTV: https://t.co/vrAnnE9gEj
🛍️ Grab your World Champs Merch now: https://t.co/lSv8H8FD8o

🏐 #Volleyball #MWCH #Philippines2025

[Tiff @tifferspxp]

Just sad & embarrassing to make zero effort in using a free platform to promote a sport that’s been sanctioned for 50+ years.

Any reason here @JeffreyDonley @LynneaPhillips @NCAA or anyone with access to the account as to why it was deleted?

Disappointing is an understatement