MIAMI SHORES, Fla. --- The Tusculum University men's volleyball team has been voted to finish third in the seven-team Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (IVA) poll, the league announced. 

Additionally, four Pioneers were named to the preseason all-conference lists. Morgan Makovec and Aiden Roper were tabbed to the first team, while Riley Wisniakowski and Adam Svendsen found themselves on the second team.

Makovec, a junior from Virginia Beach, Virginia, is coming off of a season where he earned All-IVA second team honors. The middle blocker played in all 105 sets, recording 204 kills (eighth-most in a TU season), on a .462 hitting percentage (TU season record; fourth nationally), seven assists, 35 service aces (third-most in a TU season), 57 digs, and a single-season record 90 total blocks. He had match-bests of 15 kills, three assists, five aces, seven digs, and eight block assists. For his career, Makovec ranks in the top-six in 10 categories in the record book: hitting percentage (1st; .380), blocks per set (2nd; .73), solo blocks (3rd; 43), block assists (3rd; 109), total blocks (3rd; 152), service aces per set (3rd; .23), service aces (4th; 48), points per set (5th; 2.38), kills (6th; 352), and sets played (6th; 209).

Roper, a sophomore from Acworth, Georgia, had a solid first year at Tusculum. The outside hitter totaled 116 kills, 11 assists, seven aces, 106 digs, and 31 total blocks across 86 sets as a freshman. Roper has bests of 10 kills, two assists, three aces, 11 digs, and five blocks.

Wisniakowski, a sophomore from Pensacola, Florida, excelled as the Pioneer setter in 2025. He racked up 21 kills, 376 assists, nine aces, 67 digs, and 18 total blocks. Wisniakowski had highs of four kills, 48 assists, five aces, 13 digs, and four block assists. He is already listed in the program records, sitting third in career assists per set (7.67) and sixth in assists. 

Svendsen, a junior from Harrison, Tennessee, had limited action in 2025. The outside hitter appeared in just two sets in the season opener against No. 15 CSUN. As a freshman, he totaled 65 kills, three assists, two aces, 38 digs, and 16 total blocks across 30 sets. Svendsen had highs of 12 kills, 15 digs, and four block assists.

Second-year head coach Alberto Chiaparini will have a roster of 18 in 2026. Chiaparini retains 12 from last year's record-breaking squad, adding six freshmen to the fold. His inaugural team went 15-13 (3-3 IVA), setting a program record for single-season wins and earning the No. 3 seed in the IVA Tournament. Tusculum established team season records in hitting percentage (.250), digs (921), digs per set (8.77), total blocks (202), blocks per set (1.92) and points per set (14.5).

Tusculum opens the 2026 season on the road at Queens on January 10, followed by three-straight home matches.

2026 IVA Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll

2026 IVA Men's Volleyball Preseason All-Conference
First Team
Johan Negron, Lincoln Memorial
Axel van Baars, Lincoln Memorial
Relja Milosavljevic, Lincoln Memorial
Bobby Clapp, Barry
Jeremy Ferreira, Barry
Morgan Makovec, Tusculum
Aiden Roper, Tusculum
Reece Lindstrom, Merrimack
Kyle Standage, Merrimack
Justin Arrowood, Catawba
John Cordray, Catawba
Adrian Rivera, P.R. Rio Piedras
Lucas Nieves, Newberry

Second Team
Zadyn LaBreche, Lincoln Memorial
Philip Tien, Barry
Joao Piazza Baumgartem, Barry
William Phinizy, Barry
Riley Wisniakowski, Tusculum
Adam Svendsen, Tusculum
Kristian Smith, Catawba
Max Adkisson, Catawba
Luke Ramirez, P.R. Rio Piedras
Leonardo Lopez, P.R. Rio Piedras
Julian Rivera, P.R. Rio Piedras
Preston Anderson, Newberry
Tibulo Smith, Newberry