YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Seeking a 2-0 start in Mid-American Conference play for the first time since 1999-2000, the Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team travels to Toledo for a game at Savage Arena Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m.
ON AIR Eastern Michigan and Toledo will air on ESPN+ from Savage Arena. Tom Helmer and Greg Steiner will have the call live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network App. Live stats will also be available on EMUEagles.com.
OPENING TIPS »Led by a dominating 32-point, nine-rebound performance from senior Da’Sean Nelson, Eastern Michigan edged Northern Illinois, 75-71, in the MAC opener, Jan. 4. »In the NIU game, Jan. 4, junior Christian Henryadded 13 points and nine assists. His nine assists are the most by an Eagle since Paul Jackson had 10, Jan. 26, 2019, against Western Michigan. »Toledo native and senior Da’Sean Nelson, who is averaging a team-high 15.7 points per game, has nine-straight games scoring at least 10 points. »Eastern Michigan, which has four different players to score 28 points in separate games this season, is the only school in the nation to have four different players score even 27 points in separate games this season. A total of 12 other schools have three players to each reach 27 points as 359 different players have a 27-point performance this season and 287 different players have a 28-point performance. »EMU’s 6-0 mark in games decided by four points or fewer is the best in the nation. »Eastern Michigan has four players averaging at least 11.5-plus points each for the first time since the 1990-91 season. »After topping Northern Illinois, 75-71, Jan. 4, Eastern is seeking a 2-0 start in MAC play for the first time since 1999-2000. »Eastern Michigan’s Stan Heath is in his fourth year at the helm of the Eagles, holding a 37-68 record at EMU and a 247-275 record over 17 years as a head coach.
2-0 IN THE MAC? After topping Northern Illinois, 75-71, Jan. 4, Eastern is seeking a 2-0 start in MAC play for the first time since 1999-2000. The Eagles are 1-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2021-22 season. The 85-79 road win over Western Michigan, Jan. 4, 2022, also marks the last time EMU won its first MAC away contest of the season.
DA’SEAN NELSON IN TOLEDO Senior Da’Sean Nelson is set to return to is hometown for Tuesday, Jan. 7’s game against the Rockets. Nelson, who was not recruited by Toledo out of Robert S. Rogers High School in the Glass City, played some summer ball in Savage Arena, but never played with Rogers on the Rockets’ home floor. Nelson is expected to have more than 60 friends and family in attendance for Tuesday’s game.
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY VS. TOLEDO Eastern and Toledo are meeting for the 116th time as Toledo leads the all-time series, 63-52, as the Rockets have won the last seven meetings, including a narrow 91-87 win in Ypsilanti, Feb. 6, 2024, in the teams’ most recent meeting, despite EMU holding an 81-74 lead with 3:35 left to play. Eastern’s 87 points were its highest mark in the series since winning 91-85, Feb. 20, 2016. The 87 points also marked the second-most scored by EMU in a loss against Toledo as the top mark is 88 in a 95-88 overtime loss to the Rockets, March 3, 1981.
The Eagles have dropped four-straight in Toledo, including a 70-63 loss, Feb. 11, 2023, the teams’ most recent meeting at UT.
DA’SEAN NELSON CAREER-HIGH 32 POINTS Senior Da’Sean Nelsonnetted a career-high 32 points to go with nine rebounds in the win over Northern Illinois, Jan. 4. Nelson, who scored 16 points in each half, also set a career high with 12 made field goals.
DA’SEAN NELSON 10+ POINTS IN 9-STRAIGHT After scoring 32 points against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, senior Da’Sean Nelsonhas nine-straight games with at least 10 points for the first time in his career.
With 18 regular-season games remaining, Nelson would need the Eagles to qualify for the MAC Tournament to have the opportunity to top Tyson Acuff‘s 27-game double-digit scoring streak from the 2023-24 season.
DA’SEAN NELSON MAC POTW (x3)??? Senior Da’Sean Nelson, who was named MAC Player of the Week Dec. 2 and Dec. 23, will have a good shot to earn his third conference weekly honor of the season after an impressive 32-point, nine-rebound showing against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4.
Nelson is the first Eagle since the 2019-20 season to earn two MAC Player of the Week honors in the same season as Boubacar Toure and Ty Groce each earned MAC West Division Player of the Week twice.
If he were to earn the recognition for the third time, Nelson would be the first player in the MAC to accomplish that feat since former Akron Zip and current Indiana Pacer Enrique Freeman earned the honor eight times in 2023-24.
CHRISTIAN HENRY NINE ASSISTS Junior Da’Sean Nelson dished out a career-high nine assists against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, the top mark by an Eagle since Paul Jackson had 10, Jan. 26, 2019, against Western Michigan.
FIVE STARTERS MADE A THREE AT DAVIDSON Against Davidson, Dec. 28, all five Eastern starters made at least one three-pointer for the first time since at least the 2008-09 season.
SEVEN PLAYERS MADE A THREE AT DAVIDSON Against Davidson, Dec. 28, the Eagles had seven different players make at least one three-pointer for the first time since Nov. 12, 2019, against Goshen. It marks the first time EMU has had seven players with one made three-pointer against a Division I team since Dec. 20, 2010, against Valparaiso.
ONLY SCHOOL WITH 28+ POINTS (x4) With senior Da’Sean Nelson‘s 28 points against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, junior Christian Henry‘s 28-point showing against Detroit Mercy, Nov. 30, senior Jalen Terry‘s 28 points against IU Indy, Nov. 14, and senior Jalin Billingsley‘s 32 points against Siena Heights, Nov. 8, Eastern Michigan is the only team in the nation with four different players reaching 28 points this season. EMU is also the only team with four reaching 27 points.
In total, 338 different players have scored at least 27 points in a single game nationally.
SUCCESS IN CLOSE GAMES – NATIONAL LEADER After a four-point win against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, Eastern moved to 6-0 in games decided by four points or less. Eastern’s six wins by four or fewer is the most in the nation. The trend has continued from the 2023-24 season when the Eagles were 8-3 in games decided by four points or less.
Wins by Four Points or Less: 1. Eastern Michigan 6 T2. Nicholls 5 T2. Northeastern 5 T2. Princeton 5 T2. UC-Riverside 5
FOUR EAGLES AVERAGING 11.5+ POINTS Eastern has four players averaging 11.5 points for the first time since 1990-91.
Player PPG 1990-91 Marcus Kennedy 20.0 Carl Thomas 14.1 Lorenzo Neely 11.6 Kory Hallas 11.5
Eastern is the only team in the MAC with four players averaging at least 11.5 points per game.
DOUBLE-DIGIT ASSISTS Eastern Michigan has 12 consecutive games with at least 10 assists for the first time since a 13-game streak during the 2017-18 season.
JALEN TERRY, A BIT OF EVERYTHING Senior Jalen Terryis averaging 15.2 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, and 3.3 assists per game.
Terry is one of 34 players nationally to average at least 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
Adding in his 1.5 steals per game, Terry is one of just 12 players nationally to average at least 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.
JALEN TERRY MAC MINUTES LEADER Senior Jalen Terryleads the MAC in minutes, averaging 37.0 minutes per game.
National Minutes Leaders: 1. Bennett Stiritz (Drake) 38.0 2. Luke Barrett (St. Mary’s) 37.2 3. Kino Lilly, Jr. (Brown) 37.1 4. Brooks Barnhizer (NW) 37.0 5. Gibson Jimerson (SLU) 37.0 6. Jalen Terry (EMU) 37.0
With former Eagle Tyson Acuffranking fourth in the nation in minutes per game at 37.9 in 2023-24, EMU is the first school since Stony Brook (2021-23) to have different players rank inside the top six in minutes nationally in different seasons.
JALEN TERRY REBOUNDING AT 6-FEET TALL Despite standing at 6-feet-0, senior Jalen Terryis averaging 5.2 rebounds per game, which ranks 19th in the MAC. Terry ranks eighth in the MAC in defensive rebounds per game at 4.7.
JT 25+ POINTS, 6+ THREE-POINTERS SeniorJalen Terryposted back-to-back games with at least 25 points and six made three-pointers at IU Indy, Nov. 14, and at Cleveland State, Nov. 16. He is one of five MAC players to accomplish that feat and the first to do so since Jordan Dartis for Ohio University in 2019.
MAC Players With 25 Points AND 6 Three-Pointers in CONSECUTIVE Games (Since 2002-03): MOH Michael Bramos 4 Dec. 3-13, 2008 EMU Jalen Terry 2 Nov. 14-16, 2024 OU Jordan Dartis 2 Nov. 24-30, 2019 CMU Marcus Keene 2 (x2) Dec. 3-6, 2016; Jan. 17-21, 2017 BSU Skip Mills 2 March 4-6, 2006
Terry is one of just five Eagles since 2002-03 to record multiple games with at least 25 points and six made three-pointers in a season. If he can accomplish the feat again, he would be the first in that time frame to record three such games in one season.
EMU Players With 25 Points AND 6 Three-Pointers TOTAL Games in One Season (Since 2002-03): Jalen Terry 2 2024-25 Tyson Acuff 2 2022-23 Emoni Bates 2 2022-23 Elijah Minnie 2 2018-19 Willie Mangum 2 2016-17
Terry was also the first Eagle since Carlos Medlock, Feb. 11-15, 2006, to knock down six three-pointers in back-to-back games.
BELOW THE CENTURY MARK In 376 games at the George Gervin GameAbove Center since opening in 1998-99, only one team has reached 100 points against the Eagles as 2022-23 Florida Atlantic, which reached the 2023 Final Four, scored 101 at EMU, Dec. 4, 2022.
Horizon League preseason favorite Purdue Fort Wayne fell one point shy becoming the second Eagle foe to reach 100 points at the George Gervin GameAbove Center as Eastern fell, 99-76, Dec. 15.
Top Point Totals by Foes at the George Gervin GameAbove Center Date School Points 12/4/2022 Florida Atlantic 101 12/15/2024 Purdue Fort Wayne 99 11/30/2024 Detroit Mercy 98 11/12/2023 Illinois State 98
THR33-POINT STR3AK, 626-STRAIGHT GAM3S Eastern, which hit five threes against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, has now hit at least one triple in 626-straight games. EMU last failed to score from downtown Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami held the Eagles to 0-of-7 from behind the arc.
The Eagles have converted at least five three-pointers in 14-consecutive games, dating back to the final game of the 2023-24 season. The 14-game streak is EMU’s longest since a 15-game streak extending from the 2020-21 to the 2021-22 season.
2024-25 PRESEASON ALL-MAC TEAMS First Team Payton Sparks, Senior, Center, Ball State Anthony Pritchard, Senior, Guard, Central Michigan VonCameron Davis, R-Senior, Forward, Kent State AJ Clayton, Senior, Forward, Ohio Javan Simmons, Sophomore, Forward, Toledo
Second Team Isaiah Gray, Senior, Guard, Akron Jalen Sullinger, Senior, Guard, Kent State Shereef Mitchell, Graduate Student, Guard, Ohio AJ Brown, R-Sophomore, Guard, Ohio Isaiah Adams, Fifth Year, Guard, Toledo
PRESEASON PICKED NINTH After finishing 10th in 2023-24, EMU was picked ninth in the MAC preseason coaches’ poll.
2024-25 MAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(First Place Votes)
1. Ohio (11) – 121 2. Akron (1) – 106 3. Kent State – 99 4. Toledo – 95 5. Bowling Green – 73 6. Miami – 72 7. Ball State – 67 8. Central Michigan – 55 9. Eastern Michigan – 36 10. Western Michigan – 33 11. Northern Illinois – 24 12. Buffalo – 11
Tournament Champion: Ohio (8), Kent State (3), Toledo (1)
The six Ohio schools made up the top six while the bottom six is filled with the rest of the MAC schools.
MICHIGAN MATCH-UPS The Eagles play three in-state opponents in non-conference action with contests against Siena Heights (Nov. 8), Oakland (Nov. 21), and Detroit Mercy (Nov. 30).
NEW FOE, WHO DIS? The Eagles added competition against three first-time opponents this season; they face off against Texas State, Nov. 4 (L, 44-64), Houston Christian, Nov. 25 (W, 74-73), and Wright State, Dec. 21.
WHO’S GONE?? EMU lost 10 players from its 2023-24 game one roster including Tyson Acuff (Rutgers), Orlando Lovejoy (Detroit Mercy),Legend Geeter(Detroit Mercy), Conner Serven (Virginia Tech), Cyril Martynov(Eastern Kentucky), Julius Ellerbe(Coppin State), John McGriff(transfer portal – no destination),Javantae Randle (Central State), Prakash Ketterhagen (Lourdes), and Andrew Wells(graduation). The Eagles also lost Director of Operations LaMonta Stone (Assistant Coach – Detroit Mercy) and Graduate Assistant Nick Madray (graduation –> Utah Jazz).
WHAT’S GONE?? EMU lost 1,332 of its 2,047 points (65.07%) from the 2023-24 season, most notably leading scorerTyson Acuff, who averaged 21.7 ppg (8th in the nation) on 43/29/81 shooting splits and transferred to Rutgers.
DEPAUL DUO TO YPSILANTI Jalen Terry and Da’Sean Nelson both came to Ypsilanti from DePaul and are expected to have big roles for the Eagles in 2024-25. Terry averaged 8.5 ppg and Nelson scored 9.7 ppg for the Blue Demons in 2023-24.
STAYING HOME Eastern Michigan has just four players (Yusuf Jihad, Farmington Hills; Jalen Terry, Flint; Cooper Smith, Mio; and Julian Lewis, Ypsilanti) from the Mitten State on its 2024-25 roster, EMU’s fewest since 2020-21 (four).
INTERNATIONAL INFLUX International student-athlete representation doubled on the Eagles 15-player roster this season, as they added three true freshmen from Senegal (Mbaye N’Diaye), Nigeria (Godslove Nwabude), and Italy (Mario Brunetto), respectively. The trio joins sophomore Arne Osojnikwho represented Slovenia twice as a member of the U18 national team at the Euro Championships. A complete breakdown of the EMU roster can be found on page 11.
Most international true freshmen in the nation: 1. Buffalo – 6 2. Florida Atlantic – 5 t3. Eastern Michigan – 3 Manhattan – 3 Oregon State – 3 San Francisco – 3 Seattle – 3 UT-Martin – 3 Weber State – 3
Most African true freshmen in the nation: t1. Eastern Michigan – 2 Seton Hall – 2
Osojnik is one of five players from Slovenia in the country.
Slovenian MBB Players at NCAA Division I: Arne Osojnik – Eastern Michigan Klemen Vuga – UAPB Urban Klavzar – Florida Jan Vide – LMU (Calif.) Sasa Ciani – UIC
Brunetto is one of 17 Italians players while N’Diaye is one of 32 Senegalese players and Nwabude is one of 38 Nigerian players.
DOUBLEHEADER DAY The Eagles are scheduled to play three double-headers with the EMU women’s basketball team in 2023-24 with four of the five doubleheaders taking place in Ypsilanti. Both the EMU men’s and women’s teams will play Jan. 11 (vs. Akron), Feb. 15 (men vs. Toledo, women vs. Ball State), and Feb. 22 (Northern Illinois).
The men’s team was 5-0 at home in doubleheader games in 2023-24.
EMONI BATES NBA + G-LEAGUE Former Eagle Emoni Bates was named a G-League All-Star with the Cleveland Charge in 2023-24, averaging 24.8 ppg. Bates also appeared in 15 games with the Cavaliers during the 2023-24 season. He underwent surgery in early October to repair a torn meniscus and is expected to return to action at some point during the 2024-25 season.
EASTERN HADN’T PLAYED WRIGHT STATE? Despite being separated by 174 miles, Eastern Michigan and Wright State have never competed against each other in men’s basketball, prior to Eastern’s 86-82 win, Dec. 21.
Of the 44 Division I schools within 300 miles (straight line on map) of Ypsilanti, Eastern had played all but four of them, meeting 37 of the 44 multiple times.
Schools Within 300 Miles Eastern Had Not Played: School Distance Wright State 174 Northwestern 211 West Virginia 264 Morehead State 279
NEXT UP Eastern Michigan hosts Akron in both men’s and women’s basketball Saturday, Jan. 11. The women’s game is set for 1 p.m. while the men’s game is listed as a 3:30 p.m. start.
FOLLOW US For the most up-to-date information on the Eagles, visit EMUEagles.com. Fans can also follow the team on social media, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).
The 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament regional rounds had elite play, high-stakes matches and an historic upset.
Texas A&M is going to the Final Four after shocking the volleyball world by eliminating No. 1 overall seed Nebraska in a five-set thriller. The No. 1 overall seeded Cornhuskers had their formally undefeated season and hopes for a sixth program title squashed.
No. 1 seeds Kentucky and Pittsburgh and No. 3 seeded Wisconsin will join the Aggies in Kansas City for the national semifinals, which will be played at the T-Mobile Center on Thursday, Dec. 18.
Which program will win a national championship? As the teams prepare for their toughest tests yet and continue their push for a national title, here are the winners and losers from the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds.
Winners
Texas A&M’s upset of No. 1 Nebraska
The Aggies had an answer for nearly everything the Cornhuskers unleashed. Texas A&M deployed a tempo offense, service pressure and timely blocks to disrupt the usually surefire Cornhuskers. Even after withstanding a two-set Nebraska rally to even up the match, which included 10 Cornhuskers set points and three Aggies match points in the fourth set, Texas A&M hit the gas in the final set to end Nebraska’s perfect season. The Aggies responded to every push from Harper Murray and Rebekah Allick and held standout Andi Jackson in check. Kyndal Stowers had 25 kills to lead three Texas A&M players with double digits in the category. The Aggies had 30 total blocks and nine aces.
No. 1 seeds sweep in the Sweet 16
All four No. 1s made outlasted their opponents during the Sweet 16. Kentucky easily moved past Cal Poly, Pittsburgh grinded out a win over Minnesota, Texas edged out Indiana and Nebraska cruised past Kansas. The Jayhawks had the roughest day among the ousted teams. They had 22 attack errors, six service errors and finished the match with a .029 team hitting percentage.
Pitt’s excellent pancake kill against Minnesota
No. 4 seed Minnesota gave No. 1 Pittsburgh all it could handle, despite the Panthers walking away with a 3-0 victory. Pittsburgh earned every point during an intense back-and-forth matchup that had a stunning 23 ties. Nothing represented the type of match it was more than a sequence in the second set when Minnesota’s Jordan Taylor sent a ball flying over the net. Several Pitt players couldn’t stop it until Brooke Mosher saved the possession with a perfectly timed pancake that sent the ball back over to the Gophers for a crafty kill.
Texas A&M’s libero dig kill vs. Nebraska
Texas A&M’s gritty win against Nebraska was so incredible it doesn’t feel real. Not only did the Aggies eliminate an undefeated team, but they survived a five-set slugfest with the No. 1 overall seed. The match required some serious stamina and even better effort and attention to detail. Look no further than Tatum Thomas’ impeccable slide to get under the volleyball and push it up and over the net for a rare libero dig kill.
Standout performances in the reginal rounds
Several players had standout performances during the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds. Texas outside hitter Torrey Stafford had a tournament performance for the ages in the Sweet 16, including 19 kills on 28 swings and a blistering .679 hitting percentage. Her hitting percentage was the fourth highest in NCAA tournament history for regional, semifinal or national championship match. She also added eight digs and four blocks. During the Elite Eight, Pitt’s Brooke Mosher gets the nod for her all-around day. Mosher had four kills on .500 hitting, three, seven digs and four blocks.
Nebraska previously undefeated season ends without a title
Since 1981, there have been four programs to finish a season undefeated and win a national championship: Long Beach State (1998), Nebraska (2000), Southern California (2003) and Penn State (2008, 2009). This year’s Nebraska Cornhuskers will not join that list. The Cornhuskers racked up 33 consecutive victories to open their season, tying the second-most wins by a Nebraska team since 1981, before being eliminated Sunday. Texas A&M handed Nebraska its first home loss since 2022 (63 home matches) to advance to the Final Four.
Cal Poly’s Cinderella run ends during the Sweet 16
After upsetting No. 5 BYU and No. 4 USC in back-to-back five-set thrillers, the Mustangs didn’t have enough against No. 1-seed Kentucky. Cal Poly was swept, 3-0. The Mustangs were unable to get their offense and defense on the same page from one set to the next. Standouts Kendall Beshear and Emma Frederick, who had been fantastic all tournament, weren’t enough to overpower Kentucky. (Cal Poly had few solutions for the Wildcats’ depth or Lizzie Carr and Eva Hudson, who had 20 combined kills and nine total blocks.) By the time the third set ended, the Mustangs had finished with a .114 team hitting percentage and 19 errors.
No. 2 seeds eliminated by No. 3 seeds during the Sweet 16
For the first time since 2009, not a single two-seed team advanced to the Elite Eight. They were all eliminated by the three-seeds during the Sweet 16. Arizona State lost to No. 3 Creighton, SMU lost to No. 3 Purdue and Stanford lost to No. 3 Wisconsin ― all by the score of 3-1. Louisville tried to hold off No. 3 Texas A&M, but was defeated, 3-2, in an absolutely wild reverse sweep. The Aggies fought back and grinded through, including unleashing a stunning nine blocks during the fourth set to secure their place in the Elite Eight.
The pain of losing in the Elite Eight
In the Elite Eight, Kentucky fended off a Creighton team that ran out of steam. For the second straight season, the Bluejays were bounced one round shy of the Final Four. A late tournament loss is a painful reality, and Bluejays freshman Abbey Hayes was overcome with emotion post-match. Hayes, who was comforted by a hug from sophomore Saige Damrow, could not hold back the tears as the team walked to the locker room. Later, senior Ava Martin tried to encapsulate why the loss hurt so much.
“Our big thing is playing with joy, and I really hope other people can see that because we just have so much fun playing out there together,” Martin said. “That’s just what makes it so hard. We just love each other so much, and we love the sport of volleyball. We’re just happy to be out there doing it.”
Kansas volleyball’s Jovana Zelenovic has entered the transfer portal following her freshman year at Kansas, as reported by Talia Goodman of On3.
The 6-foot-7 Zelenovic was a key piece for Kansas, helping the school to its first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2021.
She led the Jayhawks in aces with 46 in the 2025 season. She finished the 2025 season with 375 kills, 123 total blocks and 105 digs.
Zelenovic was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and the Big 12 All Rookie Team. She was also selected to AVCA’s All-Central Region First Team, and was named Freshman of the Year in the central region.
The departure leaves head coach Matt Ulmer and his staff with a big hole to fill on the roster in the offseason.
Perhaps no one is more hyped about the No. 3 Wisconsin Badgers upsetting No. 1 Texas during the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament than star Carter Booth.
On Sunday, the Badgers unleashed an elite game plan to get a dominant 3-1 win in the Elite Eight over the Longhorns. The victory was the 13th straight win for Wisconsin, which now has a date in the Final Four in Kansas City later this week. After the match, Booth was still amped up during an ESPN interview when she dropped a pretty big F-bomb.
“I refuse to [ expletive] lose,” she said matter-of-factly.
MORE WOMEN’S SPORTS:Caitlin Clark thankfully looks like herself again at Team USA practice
Booth, realizing her error, immediately apologized and kept going. “But I refuse. I refuse! And this team refuses,” she explained. The best part actually isn’t the middle blocker’s unplanned F-bomb. It’s outside hitter Mimi Colyer standing next to Booth. Colyer seemingly appeared stunned at the slip for a millisecond, but jumped in to support her teammate. “Yeah! Yeah!” she hysterically said while nodding in agreement.
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – After 28 successful seasons of leading the Lincoln Lutheran volleyball program, Sue Ziegler is retiring. The legendary head volleyball coach announced the decision during a team meeting on Monday.
Ziegler is a 6-time state champion (2004, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024) and member of the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame. In 2021, she was recognized as the AVCA National High School Coach of the Year. Ziegler totaled 624 wins over her career, which ranks among the state’s all-time leaders.
Ziegler’s teams reached the NSAA State Tournament 15 times, including each of the last nine years. Prior to the 2024 season, Lincoln Lutheran dedicated its court to the longtime volleyball coach.
Lincoln Lutheran said the search for a new head coach will begin immediately.
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CHICAGO – The Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) named Loyola Chicago as the No. 1 favorite in the league’s preseason poll, announced on Monday. Ryan McElligott, Daniel Fabikovic and Aleksandar Sosa tabbed spots on the Preseason All-MIVA Team.
The MIVA Preseason Poll and All-MIVA Team are voted on by the nine MIVA head coaches.
After finishing the 2025 season as the MIVA regular season and tournament champions, the Ramblers claim the top spot with 75 points and five first place votes. MIVA Tournament runner-up Ohio State ranks second and Ball State rounds out the top three.
Senior setter McElligott led both the NCAA and the MIVA in assists in 2025, totaling 1,1016, earning him All-MIVA First Team and All-Tournament Team, and an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention. He added 75 kills, 69 total blocks and 32 service aces.
Fabikovic was a menace on the court last season, starting all 29 matches and seeing action in 105 sets where he contributed 343 kills, the most amongst returning Ramblers. The junior outside hitter tallied 403.5 points during his sophomore campaign which earned him All-MIVA First Team and All-Tournament Team as well as a back-to-back AVCA Second Team All-American nod.
Sosa, a junior transfer from Quincy, was named to the 2025 All-MIVA Second Team after leading the Hawks in points, kills and aces. The opposite finished fifth in the MIVA in kills per set and fourth in points per set and posted double-digit kills in 18 matches, including 15 straight to cap the season.
2026 MIVA Preseason Poll
1. Loyola Chicago – 73 (5)
2. Ohio State – 68 (2)
3. Ball State – 63 (1)
4. Lewis – 57 (1)
5. McKendree – 52
6. Lindenwood – 33
7. Purdue Fort Wayne – 24
8. Northern Kentucky – 19
9. Queens – 16
2026 Preseason All-MIVA Team (alphabetical by team)
