Ball State University Athletics
Men?s Volleyball Places Three On Preseason All-MIVA Team
December 16, 2009 | Men's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State men's volleyball senior setter Ethan Pheister (Shorewood, Wis./Shorewood H.S.), senior libero Billy Ebel (Lenexa, Kan./Bishop Miege H.S.) and junior middle attacker J.D. Gasparovic (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville H.S.) have been named to the 2010 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Preseason All-Conference Team as voted on by the league's seven head coaches.
"I am very pleased that Ethan, Billy and J.D have received preseason all-conference honors," said Ball State head coach Joel Walton. "Returning a core group of experienced players and the leadership they provide will benefit our team this season. The MIVA will be very competitive again this season, and the team who earns the regular season championship will lean heavily on its leaders."
Pheister, a two-time All-MIVA second team selection, enters his senior season ranked fifth in program history with 2,812 career assists and a 10.98 assists-per-game average. In 2009, Pheister played in a team-high 100 games and handed out 1,156 assists while averaging 11.56 assists per game. He was named the MIVA Player of the Week (March 9) after guiding the Ball State offense to a .414 hitting percentage over three road matches; at Quincy (March 5) and at Grand Canyon (March 7 & 8).
Pheister also served up 45 aces in 2009, and ranked second in the league with a 0.45 aces-per-game average. His 68 career aces rank 18th on BSU's career chart, while his 0.27 aces-per-game average ties for sixth.
Ebel, a 2009 MIVA All-Tournament Team selection, enters his senior season tied for fourth in program history with double-digit digs in 15 career matches. Last season, Ebel racked up the ninth-best single-season dig total in program history with 278. His 2.81 digs-per-game average last season ranked second in the MIVA and was the fifth-best average in BSU annals.
In Ball State's 2009 MIVA Tournament semifinal victory over Lewis (April 30), Ebel racked up a career-high 22 digs to help the Cardinals rally from two games down to upset then-No. 12 Lewis. The 22 digs tie as the third-best total in a match in program history.
Gasparovic, a 2009 All-MIVA First Team selection and the 2008 MIVA Freshman of the Year, enters his junior season ranked fifth in program history with a .391 career hitting percentage. Gasparovic also picked up 2009 Volleyball Magazine All-America Second Team accolades after leading the league and ranking fifth in the nation with a .465 attack percentage.
Gasparovic also led the MIVA and ranked ninth nationally with a 1.39 blocks-per-game average. He was named the MIVA Player of the Week (Feb. 2) after blasting a career-high 15 kills, hitting .591 and posting eight total blocks in a sweep of then-No. 11 Lewis (Jan. 30).
In addition to the individual honors, the Ball State men's volleyball team was picked to finish second in the league's preseason poll behind Ohio State. The Buckeyes earned 44 points and four first-place votes, while the Cardinals collected 43 points and three first place votes. Rounding out the preseason poll were Lewis (35 points), Loyola-Chicago (31), IPFW (21), first-year member Grand Canyon (12) and Quincy (10).
"It is good to receive recognition from the league's coaches who voted us second in the preseason poll," added Walton. "That respect is based on our team's strong showing at the end of the 2009 season and the number of players we return from last year's team. Beginning in January, we have to go out and re-earn that respect."
