Men’s Volleyball Wins 5-Set Thriller to Advance to NCAA Div. III Tournament

SPRINGFIELD, OH – Wittenberg Men's Volleyball is going to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in program history after defeating Calvin, 3-2, in a five-set thriller in the finals of the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball (MCVL) Tournament on Saturday, April 11, at Pam Evans Smith Arena, part of the Health, Wellness & Athletics Complex.

"I think that this is a group that has been so close for four years, and to see it finally pay off for our group of eight seniors – I'm just really proud of them, and the underclassmen also stepped up and showed up for us today. I'm really impressed by them all," said Jamie Peterson, head coach of men's volleyball. "I'm excited for what's next – our season has never lasted this long, so we are ready for what's around the corner."

The Tigers, now 21-5 on the season, having won 11 in a row, will find out where and who they will play next on Monday, April 12.

In the finals against Calvin, Wittenberg spread out its offense and showed the Knights how much depth and how many weapons this team consists of, as four Tigers landed in double digits in kills and a fifth added seven on the day. The win also avenges the only MCVL loss the Tigers had this season, falling 3-0 earlier in the season to the Knights.

"We definitely had a better game plan this time," Peterson said. "We came in ready with a more balanced offense and just executed better from the start, understanding assignments and understanding threat assessments. Another big change for me was our serve receive and how consistent we were able to be at the service line. I think our confidence just continues to build throughout the match. Our motto all season long has been to just move on to the next play, and our ability to reset after errors and stay confident through the adversity showed today."

Calvin, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, came out strong, especially in the middle in set one, tallying a 25-18 win. But the Tigers, the No. 1 seed in the tournament, were able to grab the digs, which gave them more confidence as the match progressed – finishing with 80 total digs in the match. The Tigers battled back in set two and overcame Calvin, 31-29, faltered in the third set, 25-22, then came on strong in the final two sets, winning in scores of 25-16 and 15-9 to post the victory. 

"That was fun," said Eli Halverson (Hamilton, OH / Badin), one of Wittenberg's captains. "This has been such a long time coming, and words can't describe it. Losing on this court to Trine a few years ago, then losing to BW (Baldwin Wallace) last year in the semifinals - getting to this moment and all the adversity we've had to overcome as a team. A lot of people had a good game tonight. This was just a total team performance, and I can't begin to describe how proud I am of this group. Having it all come to fruition like this is truly one of the greatest things I've ever experienced in my life. It's unbelievable."

Harrison Mitchell (Dublin, OH / Scioto) led the team in kills with 18 on a .368 hitting percentage for 20.5 points. He also tallied four blocks. Halverson added 15 kills, 16 digs, 16 points, and a solo block. Then both  Trajan Kress(Cincinnati, OH / Sycamore) and Zach Newton (Morgantown, IN / Franklin Community) each registered 10 kills apiece. Kress also had two service aces, eight digs, two solo blocks, and 14 points, while Newton added five digs, two blocks, and 11.5 points. Patterson Reed (Louisville, KY / St. Xavier) had four blocks, and Reese Monnin (Xenia, OH / Carroll) had seven kills, six digs, and two blocks, while Jake Downs(Cincinnati, OH / Milford) had a team-high 17 digs. Gavin Hagerty (Fishers, IN / Fishers) had 10 digs and a team-high 29 assists, and Carson Hill (Liberty Township, OH / Lakota East) added seven digs and 23 assists.

Three Wittenberg players were named to the MCVL All-Tournament team, including Halverson, Downs, and Mitchell, who was tagged as the MVP.

Calvin, in just its third year with an intercollegiate men's volleyball program, finishes the season at 21-5. Calvin defeated No. 2-seeded Trine, 3-0 in the first semifinal, while Wittenberg, the top seed and league co-champion, advanced to the finals with a 3-0 win against Baldwin Wallace, the No. 4 seed in the tournament.

Calvin head coach Aaron Sagraves was voted the league's Coach of the Year by his peers. This is also a rookie year of sorts for Peterson, who is in her first full year as head coach of the Tigers after taking over mid-season in 2025. 

Team Comparison

• Wittenberg had 64 kills on 176 total attacks for a .222 hitting percentage, along with 57 assists, four service aces, 80 digs, and 15 blocks.
• Calvin registered 57 kills on 174 total attacks for a .184 hitting percentage, along with 50 assists, five service aces, 75 digs, and 12 blocks. The Knights finish the season at 21-5.

Written by: Cindy Holbrook