Follow
The Railsplitters will get two opportunities to try to upset one of the most historic programs in college men’s volleyball.
Lincoln Memorial as part of recently unveiling its 2021 schedule announced it will play a two-match road series against Ball State on Jan. 28-29.
This will be the first all-time meeting between the top NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball independent team in recent years and oldest active NCAA men’s volleyball program in the Midwest. The two teams were scheduled to play each other last season, but days before that match the remainder of the season was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The defending IVA champions Lincoln Memorial ended the shortened 2020 season on a nine-match winning streak and at No. 7 in the Off the Block/Frisco Mo Division II National Coaches Poll.
Three All-Independent Team selections return for the Railsplitters, including middle attacker Pedro Carvalho who enters his fifth season after the NCAA granted players an additional year of eligibility because of the shortened 2020 season. Carvalho finished last season in the nation’s top 15 with a 1.04 blocks per game average and had a career-best .444 attack percentage.
Lincoln Memorial, though, for the upcoming season will be without graduated opposite Evan Cory. Cory concluded his college career in 2020 repeating as the Independent Teams Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Division II National Player of the Year.
Ball State was receiving votes in the national coaches poll and in third place in the MIVA when the 2020 season was canceled. The Cardinals also in the recent MIVA Preseason Poll were projected to finish the upcoming conference season in third place.
Along with multiple starters returning, All-American opposite Angelos Mandilaris opted to transfer as a graduate student from Barton to Ball State.
The two-match series against Ball State will be part of an early-season stretch of six consecutive matches for Lincoln Memorial versus MIVA opponents. Lincoln Memorial also will have road matches against Loyola, Lewis and McKendree, along with a home match versus Lindenwood.
The Railsplitters are slated to play a 20-match regular season and will conclude their season competing in the IVA Tournament on April 16-17 at Queens.
Lincoln Memorial 2021 schedule
Jan. 16 vs. Lees-McRae
Jan. 22 at Loyola
Jan. 23 at Lewis
Jan. 24 at McKendree
Jan. 28 at Ball State
Jan. 29 at Ball State
Jan. 30 vs. Lindenwood
Feb. 2 at Tusculum
Feb. 9 at King
Feb. 13 at Emmanuel
Feb. 26 vs. Queens
Feb. 27 vs. Limestone
March 4 vs. Erskine
March 9 vs. Emmanuel
March 16 vs. King
March 26 at Queens
March 27 at Limestone
April 3 at Lees-McRae
April 10 vs. Alderson Broaddus
April 10 vs. Tusculum