The Illinois Wesleyan University men’s volleyball team will host Loras College in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament Semifinal at the Shirk Center on April 8. The match is set for a 7 p.m. start, with both teams ranked nationally by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
This matchup is significant as it features two top-20 Division III programs competing for a spot in the conference championship. Illinois Wesleyan enters as the No. 2 seed after an 8-2 record in league play, while Loras is seeded third and previously won the conference title in 2024.
Illinois Wesleyan Titans Men’s Volleyball participates at the NCAA Division III level, according to the official website. The team hosts home matches at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Illinois, as reported by their official site. Head coach Brandon Mueller leads Illinois Wesleyan’s program, which competes as part of intercollegiate athletics within the CCIW and includes student-athletes from all undergraduate class years.
Ahead of this postseason run, several Titans received conference honors announced on April 7: Ethan Kuziela became IWU’s first First Team All-CCIW selection; Aydin Provost earned Second Team honors and was named CCIW Newcomer of the Year; Gavin Rohlwing made Second Team All-CCIW and became IWU’s first multiple honoree; and Mueller along with assistant coaches Mike Eastman, Alec Mucha, and Joe McDonagh were recognized as Coaching Staff of the Year.
Statistically, Illinois Wesleyan leads NCAA Division III with an average of 13.44 kills per set this season. Kuziela tops individual stats with five triple-doubles nationally while also leading his team in kills and assists. Other key contributors include Provost (295 kills), Bryce Williams (228 kills), Brenden Reutter (427 assists), Ben Zima (268 digs), Rohlwing (70 blocks), Jace Milka (25 aces), among others.
The upcoming match marks their third meeting this season—Illinois Wesleyan has won both previous contests against Loras but trails overall in series history. In their most recent encounter on March 25 at Shirk Center, IWU swept Loras behind strong offensive numbers including a .423 attack percentage.
Looking ahead, Wednesday’s winner will advance to face either Carthage College or North Central College for a chance at securing a conference championship berth.
