Ball State University
Brigham Young University
No. 8 Men's Volleyball Hosts No. 11 BYU For Two Matches Starting Thursday
February 01, 2023 | Men's Volleyball
No. 8 Ball State (4-2) vs. No. 11 BYU (5-1) | Thursday, Feb. 2 (7 p.m. ET) Â
Last meeting:Â Ball State 3, BYU 1 (2/5/22) Â |Â Series History: BYU leads the all-time series 17-4
CRUZ'S FIRST MEMORABLE SEASON: 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. Ball State was also the 2022 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association regular season and tournament champions. Cruz was named the 2022 AVCA Coach of the Year last season and MIVA Coach of the Year.Â
SCOUTING BYU: After a road series against UC Irvine, the Cougars (5-1) moved up to No. 11 in this week's AVCA coaches poll. BYU split the series 1-1 with No. 6 UC Irvine, defeating the Anteaters on Saturday, January 27 in a 3-2 upset win. Teon Taylor won Off the Block National Middle Attacker of the Week and was also named MPSF player of the week. It was BYU's first weekly conference honor since former Cougar Davide Gardini won Offensive Player of the Week on March 21, 2021
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS: Ball State is coming off back-to-back 3-0 sweeps last weekend over Queens (Charlotte) and Sacred Heart. The Cardinals remain at No. 8 in the country with a 4-2 mark. The two matches this weekend against No. 11 BYU will be the second ranked opponent the Cardinals have faced this season. Offensivley, Kaleb Jenness led Ball State is kills (23) while Vanis Buckholz shined defensively with 10 blocks.Â
LAST MATCH AGAINST THE COUGARS: The Cardinals fell behind early to the Cougars after dropping the first set 25-23. Ball State then came back with a vengeance taking the second frame from BYU, 25-19. The third set went to extra points as both teams played neck and neck. Unfortunately, the Cardinals dropped the third set to the Cougars, 33-31. Set four was a battle but back-to-back BYU hitting errors late in the frame allowed Ball State to go up 22-20. Sophomore opposite hitter Dyer Ball's kill put the Cardinals up 23-20 over the Cougars. An ace by senior opposite hitter Kaleb Jenness and another kill by Ball sealed the victory for BSU. For the game, Jenness led the team with 19 kills and Ball registered a personal best 17-kill performance.
MIVA/AVCA PREASEASON PREDICTION: The 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. The Cardinals were recently selected No. 6 in the preseason AVCA Coaches Poll.
CARDINAL STANDOUTS RETURN: The Cardinals return veterans outside attacker Kaleb Jenness and middle blocker Felix Egharevba. Jenness has been tabbed preseason All-MIVA three straight seasons. 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. Egharevba, 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 NCstatistical champion for blocks per set (1.41).
USA VOLLEYBALL WINS BRONZE: Ball State men's volleyball senior Kaleb Jenness along with his former teammate and alumnus Quinn Isaacson helped the USA Men's Volleyball team earn the bronze medal at the Pan Am Cup this past summer in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. The U.S. led in kills (56-42) and had a .463 hitting efficiency behind Isaacson who dished out 86 assists in four sets (25-16, 25-15, 22-25, 25-21) against Chile.
NEXT GAME: The Cardinals remain at home for their last two of eight home matches in row when Ball State opens MIVA action against Lewis (2/9) and Mckendree (2/11). The games are slated for a 7 pm and 5 pm ET start, respectively.Â
