MVB Returns to Worthen for Tusculum and Purdue Fort Wayne

Thursday, February 26

Muncie, IN

6 pm

Ball State University

Tusculum

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Photo by: Heather Parker

MVB Returns to Worthen for Tusculum and Purdue Fort Wayne

February 25, 2026 | Men's Volleyball

No. 10 Ball State Men's Volleyball (13-2; 5-1 MIVA) vs Tusculum (7-3; 0-1 SAC) /No. 20 Purdue Fort Wayne (8-4; 3-2 MIVA)
Match 16 vs. Tusculum	Thursday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. ET Live Stats \| Tickets
Match 17 vs. No. 20 Purdue Fort Wayne	Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. ET Live Stats \| ESPN+ \| Tickets
Game Notes	Ball State \| Tusculum \| PFW
Social Media	X \| Instagram \| Facebook
Next Up - A Ball State Sports Link Documentary Series	Episode 1

This Week in Ball State Men's Volleyball: The Ball State men's volleyball program returns to Worthen Arena for a pair of matchups versus Tusculum (Feb. 26 at 6 p.m.) and No. 20 Purdue Fort Wayne (Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.) Thursday's contest vs. the Pioneers is IHSAA Day, where all IHSAA student who show proof of a report card, student ID, or email get in for free. Friday's contest versus the Mastodons is Alumni Night, where familiar faces from the program's past will be recognized on the court between sets two and three.

Last Serve: The Cardinals saw its first conference blemish this past Thursday (Feb. 19) at the Covelli Center, falling to No. 13 Ohio State in straight sets (20-25, 23-25, 27-29). Opposite Ryan Louis and outside Patrick Rogers each captured their 10th double-digit kill performances of the season, as Louis led the Cardinals with 13 while Rogers added 12. Rogers also posted a team-high seven digs. Setter Lucas Machado guided the Cardinals to a .330 hitting percentage, totaling 34 assists with three blocks and five digs while Braydon Savitski-Lynde matched Machado's block total while contributing six kills on a .556 clip.

Ball State bounced back with a three-set win (25-21, 25-18, 25-22) over Northern Kentucky the following Saturday (Feb. 21). The victory gave the Cardinals its eighth sweep of the season and fifth conference victory of 2026. The Cardinals offense captured a total of 35 kills, led by senior outside Patrick Rogers who recorded eight on .267 hitting, including five in just the first set. Rogers also paced Ball State at the net for the second time this season, tallying four blocks. Junior opposite Marty Canavan nearly tripled his career kill total, contributing seven on a .600 clip in his first match playing three sets. Canavan scored four of his total in the second set, leading Ball State to a .647 hitting percentage. Freshmen Tyler Windt and Dante Cayaban made statements in the most action they've seen with the Cardinals. Windt made his first career start against NKU, totaling four kills along with an ace and a solo block. Windt also led the unit in digs with three. Cayaban added three kills with two blocks, stamping the final kill in set three to complete the sweep over the Norse.

Unbeaten at Worthen: The Cardinals have begun the 2026 campaign with an unblemished 9-0 start inside its home Worthen Arena. Ball State last saw this type of success at home at the start of the season in 2004, reaching 11-0 before eventually falling to Lewis in three sets. The team finished that year with a 16-1 record at home. Including last year's 3-1 Senior Day win over McKendree (March 29), Ball State holds a 10-0 streak on its home court.

Rogers AVCA POTY Watchlist: Senior outside hitter Patrick Rogers has been named as one of 15 members honored in the first ever watchlist for the American Volleyball Coaches Association Player of the Year award. The inaugural watch list was compiled by the AVCA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Awards committee. Semifinalists for the award are to be announced in early April, and the final four will be named prior to the 2026 National Collegiate Championship May 9-11. The 2026 AVCA Player of the Year is to be revealed during the championship banquet.

Match history - Tusculum: Since the Pioneers' inaugural season in 2020, Ball State has won six straight matchups between the two teams -- all inside Worthen Arena. In 2025, the Cardinals swept Tusculum in back-to-back nights (Jan. 30 and Jan. 31).

Scouting Tusculum: Tusculum currently sits at a 7-3 start to its 2026 campaign, including five straight sweeps after opening its season with a 3-0 loss to MIVA foe Queens (Jan. 10).

The Pioneers currently lead the national in blocks, averaging 3.11 per set with 112 total. Sophomore middle blocker Caleb Hammann paces the effort with an average of 1.129 per set, ranking 14th in the NCAA. Tusculum also ranks 11th in digs (9.56 per set) and third in opponent hitting percentage (.132)

Match history - Purdue Fort Wayne: In the 118 matches played between these two in-state foes, Ball State has the advantage over the Mastodons 84-34, including a 35-16 mark in Muncie. The series last year was split, with Ball State taking the first meeting in five at Worthen Arena (Feb. 6) and PFW taking the second in their home Gates Sports Center in four (April 5).

Scouting Purdue Fort Wayne: The Mastadons entered the AVCA Top 20 Poll this week at No. 20 after, like the Cardinals, the program split its road series with a 3-0 win over NKU (Feb. 19) but a 0-3 loss to Ohio State (Jan. 21). PFW holds a 3-2 record in MIVA play, ranking fifth in the conference.

In the MIVA, PFW ranks fifth in hitting percentage (.297), assists per set (11.75), kills per set (12.50) and blocks per set (2.24). The squad also ranks seventh in aces per set (1.29) and eighth in digs per set (7.69).

Individually, Logan Muir sits at third in the conference in kills (3.83 per set), fourth in aces (0.44 per set) and second in points (4.60 per set). On the defensive side, Kaden Fosdick ranks fifth in blocks (1.00 per set) while Andrew Mayer is seventh in digs (1.77 per set).

AVCA Top 20 Poll: Ball State entered the 2026 season ranked #16 in the AVCA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll with a total of 144 points. After splitting last week on the road, the Cardinals currently sit at No. 10 with 277 votes. The only other MIVA team ranked higher is No. 8 Loyola Chicago.