Loyola University Chicago Athletics

One year after making history, the Loyola men’s volleyball team repeated as national champions with a thrilling five-set victory over Lewis University (21-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-27, 23-21) on May 9, 2015, at Stanford. With the win, the Ramblers became just the fourth program in NCAA men’s volleyball history to win back-to-back titles in the tournament’s then-45-year existence. As of today, only six programs have accomplished the feat.

Building on the legacy of the 2014 team, the 2015 Ramblers finished the season with an outstanding 28-2 record, securing Loyola’s third NCAA title across all sports. Key contributors to the championship run included Jeff Jendryk, Thomas Jaeschke, and Cody Caldwell, all of whom were named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Jaeschke, the 2015 AVCA National Player of the Year, led Loyola with 20 kills in the title match. Caldwell delivered another strong performance with 11 kills and 10 digs, while Jendryk posted 17 kills on a .500 hitting percentage to earn Most Outstanding Player honors. He was later named the AVCA Newcomer of the Year.