Ball State University Athletics
Men's Volleyball Begins Practice Friday, Plays IPFW October 28
October 19, 2006 | Men's Volleyball
Muncie, Ind. - - The Ball State men's volleyball team will officially begin preparation for its 2007 campaign tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 20) morning at 7:15 a.m. when it holds its first official practice of the season at Worthen Arena. In addition, BSU will open its five-date preseason schedule Saturday, Oct. 28 when it battles IPFW in a pair of matches at Sports of All Sorts in Indianapolis. Match times are set for 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Under the direction of ninth-year head coach Joel Walton (154-82; .653), the Cardinals return 11 players and 10 letterwinners - - including four starters and the libero - - from last season's squad which posted a 21-7 (8-4 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) record and finished the year ranked 12th nationally.
The Cardinals finished third overall in the MIVA standings and advanced to the semifinals of the league's tournament where it was eliminated by eventual tournament champion No.9 IPFW.
Highlighting the list of returning starters are three all-conference honorees: senior Nick Meyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller H.S.), senior Patrick Durbin (Louisville, Ky./Trinity H.S.) and redshirt junior Ian Peckler (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills H.S.).
Meyer, a 6-8 outside attacker, earned praise on the All-MIVA First Team after finishing the season ranked in the top 10 nationally in points-per-game average (7th, 5.44), kills-per-game average (9th, 4.55) and service aces-per-game average (10th, 0.37). The first player in program history - - and third in the MIVA's top division - - to earn back-to-back MIVA Player of the Week Honors, Meyer also became the third player in team annals to earn academic all-district honors when he was named to the 2005-06 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V University Division Men's At-Large First Team.
Durbin picked up All-MIVA Second Team honors after ranking second on the team and seventh in the league with a 3.24 kills-per-game average. The 6-6 outside attacker also ranked among the league-leaders in points-per-game average (3.87, 6th), digs-per-game average (1.92, 14th), hitting percentage (.268, 18th) and aces-per-game average (0.20, 18th).
Rounding out BSU's list of returning all-league honorees is Peckler, a second-team selection. The 6-3 libero led the MIVA and ranked fifth in the nation with a 2.78 digs-per-game average last season. He also set the Ball State record for digs in a match with a career-high 29 versus Carthage (Jan. 20, 2006), four better than the previous mark of 25 set by current head coach Walton on April 1, 1987 versus Ohio State.
Other returning starters for the Cardinals include redshirt sophomore Matt McCarthy (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.) and redshirt junior Doug Willmann (St. Louis, Mo./Francis Howell North H.S.). McCarthy finished the year ranked seventh in the MIVA with a .349 attack percentage and eighth in the league with a 1.11 blocks-per-game average. Willmann averaged 1.60 kills per game and 0.78 blocks per game last season.
BSU's returning non-starters include senior Mark Rumschik (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park H.S.), junior Ted-Summers-Torres (San Diego, Calif./University of San Diego H.S.), redshirt sophomore Ryan Clarke (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway South H.S.), redshirt sophomore Mark Termion (Winfield, Ill./Wheaton North H.S.) and sophomore Todd Chamberlain (Louisville, Ky./Trinity H.S.).Redshirt freshman Ben Irwin (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove H.S.) is BSU's only returning non-letterwinner from a year ago.
New to the program this season are redshirt sophomore Justin Orr (Gladstone, Mo./Winnetonka H.S.) and freshmen Billy Ebel (Lenexa, Ka./Bishop Miege H.S.), Marcus Imwalle (Maria Stein, Ohio/Marion Local H.S.), Ethan Pheister (Shorewood, Wis./Shorewood H.S.), Jeff Schmitz (Fenton, Mo./Francis Howell North H.S.), Eric Schulte (Shorewood, Wis./Shorewood H.S.) and Matt Sprague (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette H.S.).
The Ball State men's volleyball team enters the 2007 season - - which will be its 44th - - with a 954-371-8 (.719) overall record. Over the previous 43 years, BSU has collected 21 (2002, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1985, 1984, 1979, 1976, 1975, 1974, 1972, 1971, 1970, 1968, 1967, 1966, 1965, 1964) Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Regular Season Championships, 14 MIVA Tournament Championships (2002, 1997, 1995, 1994, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1985, 1984, 1968, 1967, 1966, 1965, 1964) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament 15 (2002, 1997, 1995, 1994, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1985, 1984, 1979, 1974, 1973, 1972, 1971, 1970) times.
