Loyola hires highly regarded Lewis assistant coach McCarthy

An AVCA National Assistant Coach of the Year recipient will switch sides in one of the top in-state rivalries in college men’s volleyball.

Matt McCarthy will depart Lewis to become the Loyola associate head coach, the Ramblers announced on Monday.

McCarthy has spent the last nine seasons on the Flyers coaching staff and helped guide Lewis to three NCAA Tournament appearances. In addition, McCarthy was named the National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2015 as Lewis advanced to the NCAA Tournament finals.

Lewis in each season with McCarthy won at least 19 wins and had players earn 19 All-American selections.

“Matt has proven to be one of the best coaches in our game and we couldn’t be more excited to have him on our staff,” Loyola coach Mark Hulse said in a statement. “He’s found success both as a coach and as a player and he has a true passion to learn, innovate and develop young men and volleyball players in a mission-driven environment.”

Along with his college coaching experience, McCarthy was an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team at the FIVB U21 World Championship last year.

McCarthy before joining the Lewis coaching staff was a two-time All-MIVA middle attacker and helped lead Ball State to the MIVA Tournament finals in back-to-back seasons. He also was in the conference’s top five with more than a .400 attack percentage in both his junior and senior season.

Loyola ended last season ranked in the top 10 of the national coaches poll and national media poll after reaching the MIVA Tournament finals. The Ramblers return multiple all-conference starters, including 2018 MIVA Freshman of the Year setter Garrett Zolg.

OTB, Springbak unveil 2018 Freshmen All-American Team


A nationwide voting committee selected 10 players to the annual Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshmen All-American Team.

The Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshmen All-American Team honors the top NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball freshmen players from the regular season. This is the fifth year Off the Block and Springbak, Inc. have presented the national honor, and it remains the only Freshmen All-American Team presented in college men’s volleyball. Continue reading “OTB, Springbak unveil 2018 Freshmen All-American Team”

Bracketology: Team comparisons using selection committee criteria

All the matches are done, and now it’s up left to the NCAA men’s volleyball committee to determine the NCAA Tournament field.

Off the Block has crunched the numbers using the same criteria as the selection committee to show how the top teams in the nation fare against each other in the race for the two at-large bids and NCAA Tournament seeding. Continue reading “Bracketology: Team comparisons using selection committee criteria”

Szerszen powers Ohio State past Loyola for third straight MIVA title

Photo courtesy of Ohio State athletics.

The MIVA championship three-peat is complete. Now onto the NCAA championship three-peat thanks to All-MIVA outside attacker Nicolas Szerszen.

Szerszen had a match-high four aces and added 12 kills on a .417 attack percentage to help Ohio State sweep Loyola 25-20, 25-23, 25-19 in the MIVA Tournament finals on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. Continue reading “Szerszen powers Ohio State past Loyola for third straight MIVA title”

Bracketology: Team comparisons using selection committee criteria

Two days until Selection Sunday and bracketology numbers remain close among teams vying for the final spots to the NCAA Tournament.

Off the Block has crunched the numbers using the same criteria as the selection committee to show how the top teams in the nation fare against each other in the race for the two at-large bids and NCAA Tournament seeding. Continue reading “Bracketology: Team comparisons using selection committee criteria”

Bracketology: Team comparisons using selection committee criteria

Five days until Selection Sunday and bracketology numbers remain close among teams vying for the final spots to the NCAA Tournament.

Off the Block has crunched the numbers using the same criteria as the selection committee to show how the top teams in the nation fare against each other in the race for the two at-large bids and NCAA Tournament seeding. Continue reading “Bracketology: Team comparisons using selection committee criteria”