The Illinois Wesleyan University men’s volleyball team, ranked No. 17, will travel to North Park University for its last regular season road match on April 1. The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) contest is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in Carlson Gymnasium.
This matchup is significant as Illinois Wesleyan has reached its highest ranking in program history after moving up three spots in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll following a successful week, including a sweep of No. 10 Loras College. The Titans are one of three CCIW schools ranked in the top-20 nationally and have secured their first-ever 20-win season along with hosting rights for a CCIW Tournament Semifinal match.
Sophomore Ethan Kuziela leads Division III with five triple-doubles this season and contributed significantly to the team’s recent four-set win over North Central College by recording 23 kills, 20 assists, and 13 digs. Junior Brenden Reutter posted a career-best 33 assists during that game while sophomore Gavin Rohlwing tied his career-high with nine blocks. All three players earned weekly conference honors for their performances.
Illinois Wesleyan’s offense averages a nation-leading 13.54 kills per set, led by Kuziela’s team-high total of 293 kills this year and supported by freshman Aydin Provost and junior Bryce Williams. Defensively, sophomore Ben Zima has collected over 250 digs while Rohlwing leads the team with more than sixty blocks this season.
The Titans compete at the NCAA Division III level according to the official website. Home matches are hosted at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Illinois according to the official website. The program is part of intercollegiate athletics within the CCIW according to the official website and features student-athletes from all undergraduate class years according to the official website. Brandon Mueller serves as head coach according to the official website.
Looking ahead, Illinois Wesleyan holds an edge over North Park in recent meetings but trails overall in their series history. As both teams prepare for Wednesday’s match-up, live streaming options will be available online.
