Ball State University
Quincy
Top Seeded Men’s Volleyball Welcomes Quincy In MIVA Tourney Quarterfinals Saturday
April 13, 2023 | Men's Volleyball
MIVA Tournament Quarterfinals
No. 1 seed Ball State (18-8) | No. 8 seed Quincy (8-18)
Muncie, Ind. | Worthen Arena
Date: April 15 at 6 pm ET
Last meeting: Ball State 3, Quincy (3/24/23)
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.
Scouting Quincy: Ball State swept the two-match series against Quincy this season with a 3-0 sweep on the road and a 3-1 victory at home. The Hawks come to Ball State losing six of last seven matches. The Hawks went 1-13 in conference action this season.
The Road to No. 1: Ball State closed out MIVA regular season action winning six-straight to put itself back in contention for the MIVA regular season title again. Last weekend what had to happen actually happened for the Cardinals. Ball State earned 3-0 sweeps over Loyola Chicago and Purdue Fort Wayne to earn its second-straight title while also claiming the top seed.
MIVA Champions: Ball State men's volleyball defeated Purdue Fort Wayne 3-0 last Saturday night in the Worthen Arena earning its second-straight Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) regular season crown. The win also earned the Cardinals' the No. 1 seed in the 2023 MIVA Tournament. Ball State also shared the MIVA regular season title with Loyola Chicago and Ohio State. It marked the first three-way tie for the MIVA regular season championship since 1996 and just the second in the history of the conference.
If the Cardinals Advance: A Ball State win will advance the Cardinals to the MIVA semifinals on Wednesday in Worthen Arena. Ball State could possibly face-off against the winner of the No. 4 Lewis versus No. 5 Purdue Fort Wayne quarterfinal round.
Jenness & Flores Sweep MIVA Weekly Honors: After topping Loyola Chicago and Purdue Fort Wayne to clinch a share of the MIVA regular season championship and the No. 1 seed for the upcoming MIVA Tournament, the MIVA announced that Ball State's Kaleb Jenness and David Flores were selected as the Players of the Week. Jenness was selected as the Offensive Player of the Week behind 4.33 kills per set with a .333 hitting percentage. The senior had 11 kills against Loyola Chicago and followed it up with a 15-kill performance against Purdue Fort Wayne. He added an ace against the Mastodons. This is the first Player of the Week award for Jenness this season and fifth overall of his career. While Flores was responsible for pacing the offense from the setter spot, he did enough on the defensive end to be selected as the Defensive Player of the Week. He led Ball State with 2.83 digs per set, recording nine against Loyola Chicago and eight against Purdue Fort Wayne. He helped hold his opponents to .264 hitting for the week. This is Flores' first Player of the Week award.
No. 10 Men's Volleyball Places Four on All-MIVA First & Second Teams: The Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association regular season champion Ball State men's volleyball team had four players earn All-MIVA First and Second Team honors. Graduate senior outside hitter Kaleb Jenness was tabbed to the All-MIVA First Team for the fourth-straight season along with sophomore outside attacker Tinaishe Ndavazocheva who also received First Team honors as well, which is a first for Ndavazocheva. Graduate senior middle attacker Felix Egharevba was selected to the All-MIVA Second Team for his third-straight season while teammate senior setter David Flores also earned the same award for the first time in his career. Jenness, was tabbed preseason All-MIVA prior to the start of the season. Jenness currently ranks 15th in the nation in kills per set (3.72). He leads the Cardinals in kills (327), digs (138) and points (369.5). Jenness has turned in a double-digit performances 19 times this season including a season best 21-kills at Loyola Chicago (2/16) and UC San Diego (3/5). Jenness recently earned MIVA Player of the Week honors on April 11. Currently Jenness ranks second all-time in kills at Ball State with 1,185.Ndavazocheva has turned in quite the rookie season for the Cardinals. He earned MIVA Offensive Player of the Week honors and Off the Block National Honors on Feb. 7. He turned in a career high 27 kills against Lewis (2/9) and has had 19 double digit kill performances this season. Ndavazocheva currently ranks second on the team in kills (299) and in points (343.5). A force to be reckoned with on defense, Egharevba has been tabbed to the All-MIVA Second Team for the third time in his career. Egharevba leads the Cardinals with 90 blocks which includes 10 block solos and 80 block assists. He ranks 16th nationally in blocks per set (1.011). This season, Egharevba has turned in one double digit block performance with 10 against UC San Diego (3/5). Egharevba has 319 total blocks for his career at Ball State which is good for ninth all-time. For the first time in his career, Flores has earned a postseason All-MIVA honor after being named to the Second Team. Flores recently was tabbed the Off the Block Setter of the Week along with earning MIVA Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance last weekend against Loyola Chicago and Purdue Fort Wayne. Flores dished out a season best 53 assists against BYU (2/2/23) and currently ranks eighth in the nation in assists per set (10.17).
