Ball State University Athletics
MVB?s Matt Walsh Named Preseason All-MIVA
December 28, 2015 | Men's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State men's volleyball sophomore middle attacker Matt Walsh (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel) was one of 10 players named to the 2016 Preseason All-Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Team as announced by the league office.
Walsh finished his freshman campaign ranked third in the nation with a 1.39 blocks-per-set average to help the Cardinals as a team rank fifth nationally at 2.75. Only one player in the MIVA had more blocks than Walsh last season, his brother Bobby Walsh who enters his senior season at rival Lewis and was also named to the 2016 Preseason All-MIVA Team. Walsh tied the Ball State rally scoring era record for blocks in a match twice last season, with 14 total blocks at Sacred Heart (Jan. 24) and in a home match versus IPFW (Feb. 5).
In addition to his blocking prowess, Walsh ranked second on the Ball State offense with a .384 attack percentage and averaged 1.65 kills per set. He blasted a career-high 10 kills in three matches, while scoring at least a pair of kills in every match he played. A two-time MIVA Defensive Player of the Week selection in 2015, Walsh was also named the National Freshman of the Week by Off the Block on Jan. 20.
As a team, the Cardinals were selected to finish fourth among the nine MIVA men's volleyball programs in the league's annual preseason poll. Two-time defending NCAA Champion Loyola-Chicago (74 points / 5 first-place votes) edged out Ohio State (73 / 3) for the top spot, while 2015 national runner-up Lewis (68 / 1) was selected third. Trailing the Cardinals (52) were Grand Canyon (35), IPFW (31), McKendree (30), Lindenwood (23) and Quincy (19).
The Ball State men's volleyball team enters the 2016 season ranked 14th in the AVCA Division I-II Preseason Coaches Poll and will host No. 13 Stanford in the season-opener Friday, Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m. inside Worthen Arena.
Stay up-to-date on all Ball State men's volleyball action by following @BallStateSports and @BallStateMVB on Twitter.
2016 MIVA Preseason Poll
1. Loyola-Chicago (74 points/5 first place votes)
2. Ohio State (73/3)
3. Lewis (68/1)
4. Ball State (52)
5. Grand Canyon (35)
6. IPFW (31)
7. McKendree (30)
8. Lindenwood (23)
9. Quincy (19)
2016 Preseason All-MIVA Team
Matt Walsh, MA, Ball State
Jeff Jendryk, MA, Loyola-Chicago *
Peter Hutz, S, Loyola-Chicago
Bobby Walsh, MA, Lewis
Scott Fifer, S, Lewis
Nicolas Szerszen, OA, Ohio State
Miles Johnson, OA, Ohio State
Jack Gamache, Opp, Quincy
Andrew Sellan, Opp, IPFW
Luis Bertran, L, IPFW &
* 2016 MIVA Preseason Player of the Year
& 2016 MIVA Preseason Libero of the Year
- BallStateSports.com -
