MVB Places Two on Preseason All-MIVA Squad; BSU Picked to Finish First

MUNCIE, Ind. - Reigning 2022 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association regular season and tournament champions, the Ball State men's volleyball team was picked first in the preseason MIVA poll. In addition, two Cardinals were named to the 12-member preseason all-conference team — outside attacker Kaleb Jenness and middle blocker Felix Egharevba. Jenness was also tabbed as the preseason MIVA Player of the Year.

Ball State received 56 votes to claim the top spot while Loyola was two votes behind, predicted to finish second.

The Cardinals are looking to build off a historic 2022 season which saw Donan Cruz, in his first year at the helm, lead Ball State to a 23-4 overall record and the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship. BSU was also ranked third in the final NVA/AVCA Men's Division I-II Coaches Poll: the highest ranking in program history.

This is the third-straight year Jenness has been named to the preseason All-MIVA squad. Last year, Jenness was tabbed the MIVA Player of the Year and the MIVA Tournament MVP while also tallying First Team All-MIVA honors. Jenness was also tabbed as First Team NVA/AVCA All-American.

This is the first season that Egharevba was tabbed to the preseason All-MIVA team. A force to be reckoned with on defense, Egharevba was tabbed to the All-MIVA Second Team for the second time in his career. Last year Egharevba also earned NVA/AVCA All-American Honorable Mention. He ended last season as the 2021-22 NCAA Division NC statistical champion for blocks per set (1.41).

Ironically, the 2023 campaign will start against a familiar opponent in two-time defending national champion Hawai'i which earned a hard-fought 3-2 (28-26, 19-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-11) victory over the Cardinals in the national semifinals. After topping the then-No. 1 Rainbow Warriors twice during 2022 regular season in Worthen Arena, the Cardinals will travel to Manoa, Hawaii, for a two-match series to open the year Jan. 12-13.

Ball State will host Harvard for its home opener Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. ET in Worthen Arena.

2023 MIVA Preseason Poll
Place - Team - Points (1st)
1. Ball State - 56 (3) 2. Loyola Chicago - 54 (2)
3. Ohio State - 53 (3)
4. Lewis - 44
T-5. McKendree - 26
T-5. Purdue Fort Wayne - 26
7. Lindenwood - 21
8. Quincy - 8
2023 MIVA Preseason Player of the Year
Kaleb Jenness - Ball State
2023 Preseason All-MIVA Team (alphabetical by team)
Felix Egharevba - Ball State Kaleb Jenness - Ball State
Kevin Kauling - Lewis Max Roquet - Lewis
AJ Lewis - Lindenwood Cole Schlothauer - Loyola Chicago Parker Van Buren - Loyola Chicago
Francisco Comas - McKendree Samuel Clark - Ohio State Jacob Pasteur - Ohio State
Jon Diedrich - Purdue Fort Wayne
Bryce Walker - Purdue Fort Wayne

Ball State University Athletics

MVB Places Two on Preseason All-MIVA Squad; BSU Picked to Finish First

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Felix Egharevba

Kaleb Jenness

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