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)
Lucas Machado – Ball State
*Patrick Rogers – Ball State
Oguzhan Oguz – Lewis
Nico Paula – Lewis
Ryan McElligott – Loyola Chicago
Daniel Fabikovic – Loyola Chicago
Aleksander Sosa – Loyola Chicago
Yadiel Diaz – McKendree
Nate Flayter – McKendree
Stanislaw Chacinski – Ohio State
Shane Wetzel – Ohio State
Logan Muir – Purdue Fort Wayne
*Preseason Player of the Year