CHICAGO – Loyola University Chicago has announced the 2014 and 2015 men's volleyball national champion teams as the Class of 2025 inductees to the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame. The historic teams will be honored at a formal induction ceremony on April 12, 2025, during the men's volleyball match against Ball State and coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the 2015 title. 

Inside a sold-out Gentile Arena on May 3, 2014, the Ramblers etched their names in history by delivering the university's first men's volleyball national title and the second NCAA championship ever for Loyola. On their home court, the Ramblers became just the fourth program to win an NCAA title in front of their home crowd, defeating Stanford University in four sets (25-17, 19-25, 25-19, 25-15).  

Loyola finished the year with a remarkable 29-1 overall record, which remains the highest single-season total in program history. The Ramblers' .967 winning percentage is tied for seventh in NCAA D I-II history. The team had a perfect 14-0 record in Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) play and achieved the program's only undefeated road record (10-0).  

The 2014 squad also set NCAA season records in kills per set (13.98), hitting percentage (.366) and assists per set (13.05). Cody Caldwell, who was named Most Outstanding Player, Peter Hutz and Joe Smalzer were selected to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. 

In the final match, Caldwell posted a double-double with 20 kills and 10 digs and was joined in double figures by Thomas Jaeschke and Smalzer who recorded identical stat lines of 12 kills and eight digs. Hutz dished out 47 assists and guided Loyola to a .452 hitting percentage in the championship match.  

One year later, Loyola captured a second consecutive NCAA title in a five-set thriller against Lewis University (21-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-27, 23-21) on May 9, 2015, at Stanford. After building on the previous season's success, the Ramblers joined an elite group of programs as only the fourth school to win back-to-back titles in the tournament's then-45-year history. Six programs have now won back-to-back titles.  

The 2015 team ended the season with a 28-2 overall record to clinch Loyola's third overall NCAA championship across all sports. Three Ramblers, Jeff Jendryk, Thomas Jaeschke and Cody Caldwell, were named to the All-Tournament Team for their key performances. Jaeschke, who earned 2015 AVCA National Player of the Year honors, spiked a team-high 20 kills while Caldwell posted another double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs. With 17 kills and a .500 hitting percentage in the title match, Jendryk was named the Most Outstanding Player and later earned the AVCA Newcomer of the Year award.  

The 2014 and 2015 teams set a new standard of excellence for Loyola's men's volleyball program and their legacy will live on forever in the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame.  

For more information on previous inductees, visit LoyolaRamblers.com/HallofFame.