MIAMI SHORES, Fla. --- The Tusculum University men's volleyball team is set to play in its sixth Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (IVA) Championship this week (Apr. 16-18), hosted by Barry University. The Pioneers are seeded fourth and will face No. 5 Merrimack at 11 a.m. on Thursday.
Going for its eighth-straight IVA title is top-seed Lincoln Memorial. The Railsplitters have a 15-6 overall record, while host Barry is the No. 2 seed on 20-5 mark. Catawba is the third seed with an 11-13 finish, as Tusculum is No. 4 at 14-9. Rounding out the tournament are No. 5 Merrimack (10-11) and No. 6 Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, who is 0-2 according to the NCAA.
RECAPPING THE SEASON
Tusculum (14-9) is a win shy of tying the program record for victories set by last year's team (15). This marks the first time that the team has reached double-digit wins in consecutive seasons. The Pioneers wrapped up the regular season against Newberry and Lincoln Memorial.
Donovan Nye led the way with 19 kills, just ahead of Aiden Roper (18), Morgan Makovec (17), Reef Mathis (17), and Caleb Hammann (14) in a multi-threat offense. Riley Wisniakowski dished out 59 assists on a 8.43 per set rate. Makovec and Nye added four and three service aces, respectively. Five Pioneers also reached double digit digs over the week: Roper (14), Nye (13), Makovec (12), Patrick Gresham (11), and Wisniakowski (11). At the net, Makovec notched four total blocks, Mathis was credited with three solo rejections, and Roper added three total.
On the season, Mathis has landed 238 kills (3.13 per set) on a .256 hitting percentage. Makovec has tallied 182 strikes on a .531 clip (on pace for the program record), followed by Roper's 157 kills. Wisniakowski has distributed 716 assists (third-most in a TU season) thus far at an 8.95 per set rate, which is good for the second-best rate in a TU season. He is also tied with Makovec at 26 aces apiece and leads the dig column with 136, trailed by Roper (120). The net defense has been led by Makovec with 74 total blocks (15 solo, 59 assists). Hammann is close behind with 66 rejections (14 solo, 52 assists).
Nationally, Tusculum is third in both blocks per set (2.613) and opponent hitting percentage (.187). Individually, Makovec leads the nation with a .531 hitting percentage and is 27th in blocks per set (.974).
LOOKING AHEAD
Merrimack and Tusculum have never faced one another and will meet for the first time at the IVAs. The Warriors rank second nationally in digs per set at a 10.58 rate, sixth in attacks per set (29.01), and 18th in opponent hitting percentage (.222). Individually, Kyle Standage ranks fourth in digs per set (2.69), while Dallas Birkenbeuel is fifth with 9.27 attacks per set. Birkenbeuel is also 18th in kills per set (3.69). Nick Tidik leads the team in both blocks per set (.815) and hitting percentage (.324).
Links to live stats and video for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.
2026 IVA Men's Volleyball Championship (hosted by Barry University)
Thursday, April 16th:
Match #1: No. 4 seed Tusculum vs. No. 5 seed Merrimack, 11 AM
Match #2: No. 3 seed Catawba vs. No. 6 seed P.R.-Rio Piedras
Friday, April 17th:
Match #3: Match #1 loser vs. Match #2 loser, 11 AM
Match #4: No. 1 seed Lincoln Memorial vs. Match #1 winner, 2 PM (semifinal)
Match #5: No. 2 seed Barry vs. Match #2 winner, 5 PM (semifinal)
Saturday, April 18th:
Match #6: Match #4 winner vs. Match #5 winner, 3 PM (championship)
*Times listed as Eastern
