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The first road match for new Ball State coach Donan Cruz will take place in one of toughest road environments in college men’s volleyball.
Ball State as part of releasing its 2022 schedule on Monday announced it will play a two-match non-conference series at BYU on Feb. 4-5.
BYU is coming off of an NCAA Tournament finals appearance in 2021 and was second in the nation averaging more than 4,000 people per home match in 2020. In addition, the Cougars are 9-3 in home matches against MIVA teams in the last 10 years with three of those wins coming versus the Cardinals.
Cruz arrives at Ball State after leading Grand View to an undefeated season and NAIA national championship in 2021.
The Cardinals in coach Joel Walton’s final year before retiring ended last season reaching the MIVA Tournament semifinals and at No. 15 in the national coaches poll.
Among the three All-MIVA starters returning for Ball State includes outside attacker Kaleb Jenness who was in the nation’s top 20 averaging 3.77 kills per game. Former ConfCarolinas Offensive Player of the Year and Barton transfer opposite Angelos Mandilaris also returns to the court after missing last season with an injury.
While BYU had three All-American starters last season, outside attacker Davide Gardini is the only returning All-American starter. Gardini was among the national leaders with a 3.05 kills per game average on a .327 attack percentage in 2021 and spent the offseason playing for Italy in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
BYU leads the all-time series against Ball State 12-4 and is on an eight match winning streak dating back to 1997. It also swept Ball State during the most recent meeting in 2019.
This series with BYU will come one week following Ball State’s two-match home series against the defending NCAA champions Hawai’i.
2022 Ball State regular season schedule
Jan. 13 vs. Maryville
Jan. 15 vs. Tusculum
Jan. 21 vs. George Mason
Jan. 29 vs. Hawai’i
Jan. 31 vs. Hawai’i
Feb. 4 at BYU
Feb. 5 at BYU
Feb. 10 at Lewis
Feb. 12 at McKendree
Feb. 17 vs. Purdue Fort Wayne
Feb. 19 vs. Loyola
Feb. 24 vs. Lindenwood
Feb. 25 vs. Quincy
March 11 at NJIT
March 12 at Princeton
March 16 at Ohio State
March 19 vs. Ohio State
March 25 at Quincy
March 26 at Lindenwood
March 31 vs. McKendree
April 2 vs. Lewis
April 7 at Loyola
April 9 at Purdue Fort Wayne