UC SANTA BARBARA
2009: Played in a total of eleven matches and 32 sets ... Started six matches ... Missed significant time due to a hand injury ... Set career highs against Pacific (1/9) with three aces and 17.0 points ... Totaled 63 kills in 264 attack attempts.

2008: Played in just eight matches and 17 sets while struggling with injuries ... His first, and only, career start came against Pacific at the Elephant Bar (1/5) ... Posted career-bests in kills (11), hitting percentage (.500), aces (2), and points (13.0) in that start ... Saw action through January 11, then not again until February 15 ... Played his final match of the season at Cal State Northridge (3/5).

2007: Redshirt.

CLUB
Played for Surf City Volleyball Club from 2000-05 and then for Southern California Volleyball Club in 2006 ... Saw action at outside and opposite for his club squads ... Surf City won the 2004 Boys Classic title.

HIGH SCHOOL
A 2006 graduate of Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach, Calif. ... A four-year letterwinner at outside hitter for coach Rocky Ciarelli ... Named a High School All-American in 2005 and 2006 ... A three-time All-CIF pick (2004-06) ... Also a three-time First Team All-Sunset League selection (2004-06) ... A Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 member as a senior ... The 2005 Sunset League MVP ... Also the Orange County Tournament MVP in 2005 ... Oilers were three-time league champs while he played ... Also dabbled in basketball and track at HBHS ... Tabbed HBHS' Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2006 ... Took home the Principal's Award (highest GPA) in 2004 and again in 2006 ... A member of the Youth National Training Team in 2005.

PERSONAL
Born Jan. 21, 1988 in Torrance, Calif. ... Parents are Richard Valbuena and Shawna D'Amico ... Has an older sister, Bree ... Majoring in communication ... A member of UCSB's Student-Athlete Advisory Board ... A fan of actor Jeremy Piven and his show "Entourage" ... Roots for the LA Lakers, LA Angels of Anaheim, and Manchester United ... Admires the play of Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo ... Boondock Saints is his favorite movie ... Can be found playing FIFA 08 ... In 2000, his Little League team was one win away from going to the World Series ... Also recruited by Penn State, Stanford, and UCLA.