CHICAGO (January 8, 2023) – The 12th-ranked Loyola University Chicago men's volleyball team will raise the curtain on the 2023 season with three home matches this week, beginning with Monday's opener against Missouri S&T. First serve is set for 6 p.m. CT inside Gentile Arena with the match airing live on ESPN+.
John Hawks, the 2022 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division I-II Assistant Coach of the Year, enters his first year at the helm after becoming the fifth head coach in Rambler men's volleyball history. He spent the last seven seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at UCLA.
After garnering a pair of first-place votes, Loyola was picked second in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) preseason poll, finishing just two points behind reigning league champion Ball State. The Ramblers finished second in the regular season standings last year, and one game behind the Cardinals, posting an overall record of 18-9 (11-3 MIVA) which included an appearance in the MIVA semifinals.
Loyola was also tabbed 12th in the national coaches preseason poll released on Jan. 3. The Ramblers were ranked 11th in the nation at the close of last season.
Cole Schlothauer and
Parker Van Buren, who were 2022 AVCA All-Americans, each appeared on the 2023 Preseason All-MIVA Team.
During his breakthrough redshirt freshman campaign at Loyola in 2022, Van Buren finished the season ranked fourth in NCAA Division I-II play with 4.37 kills per set and earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Honorable Mention All-America honors, while also collecting First Team All-MIVA and MIVA Newcomer of the Year recognition. Van Buren's 389 total kills in 2022 were the third-highest total by a freshman in program history and he tallied double-digit kills in 19 of the 24 matches in which he appeared.
Schlothauer has earned AVCA Honorable Mention All-America honors and First Team All-MIVA recognition during each of the past three seasons. Despite missing time due to injury, Schlothauer finished his redshirt-junior campaign second on the team in kills with 209 while producing a .293 hitting percentage.
Loyola closed the 2022 season ranked second in the nation in digs per set (9.49), while ranking top 10 nationally in assists per set, kills per set, hitting percentage and team attacks per set.
The Ramblers are seeking a fourth straight victory in a home opener at Gentile, while holding an all-time home record of 340-74 (.821).
SCOUTING MISSOURI S&T
Missouri S&T, a Division II school located in Rolla, Mo., will play its first regular season men's volleyball match in school history tomorrow night. Head coach Andy Halaz leads the progrom during the inaugural season after wrapping up his fifth season at the helm of the Miners' women's volleyball program. Missouri S&T's roster features 16 freshmen and two sophomores.
SERIES STUFF
Monday's match will serve as the first meeting between Loyola and Missouri S&T.
UP NEXT
The Ramblers will host King (Thursday – 3 p.m.) and UC San Diego (Friday – 7 p.m.) later this week.
