Hoosier State Today

No. 8 Ball State (2-2) hosts Queens University of Charlotte (1-3) Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 pm ETNo. 8 Ball State (2-2) hosts Sacred Heart (1-2) Saturday, Jan. 28 at 5 pm ET

Series History: Ball State leads the all-time series with Queens by a margin of 1-0

Series History: Ball State leads the all-time series with Sacred Heart by a margin of 12-0

Last meeting: Ball State 3, Queens of Charlotte 0 in Muncie (Jan. 11, 2020)

Last meeting: Ball State 3, Sacred Heart 0  in Muncie, Ind. (March 7, 2020) 

CRUZ'S FIRST MEMORABLE SEASON: The Cardinals are looking to build off a historic 2022 season which saw Donan Cruz, in his first year at the helm, lead Ball State to a 23-4 overall record and the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship. BSU was also ranked third in the final NVA/AVCA Men's Division I-II Coaches Poll: the highest ranking in program history. Ball State was also the 2022 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association regular season and tournament champions. Cruz was named the 2022 AVCA Coach of the Year last season and MIVA Coach of the Year. 

SCOUTING QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE: This will be only the second meeting between the Cardinals and the Royals. Both Kaleb Jenness and Felix Eghervba were on the team when Ball State hosted Queens in their last meeting in 2020. The Cardinals defeated the Royals that contest by a score of 3-0, Jan. 11, 2020 in Worthen Arena. Queens recently suffered a 3-0 loss to No. 1 Hawai'i Wednesday in Charlotte. The Royals lone win this season came against Lees-McRae College which was a 3-0 victory for Queens on Jan. 18, 2023.

SCOUTING SACRED HEART: This marks the 13th meeting all-time between Ball State and Sacred Heart. The Cardinals won their last meeting against the Pioneers in Worthen Arena by earning a 3-0 sweep on March 7, 2020. It was the last match the Cardinals played that season due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Sacred Heart is looking for its second win of the season after defeating Stevens in five sets (3-3) Wednesday, Jan. 18 in Fairfield, Conn. Prior to the match against the Cardinals, the Pioneers will play at Ball State's rival Purdue Fort Wayne Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 pm ET.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS: Ball State went 2-0 last week at home with wins over Harvard and Tusculum. The Cardinals opened last weekend with a 3-0 sweep over the Crimson and then finished with a 3-2 victory against the Pioneers. For the week, Trevor Phillips led Ball State with 20 kills while Bryce Behrendt had 18.

MIVA/AVCA PREASEASON PREDICTION: The reigning 2022 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association regular season and tournament champions, the Ball State men's volleyball team was picked first in the preseason MIVA poll. In addition, two Cardinals were named to the 12-member preseason all-conference team — outside attacker Kaleb Jenness and middle blocker Felix Egharevba. Jenness was also tabbed as the preseason MIVA Player of the Year. The Cardinals were recently selected No. 6 in the preseason AVCA Coaches Poll.

CARDINAL STANDOUTS RETURN: The Cardinals return veterans outside attacker Kaleb Jenness and middle blocker Felix Egharevba. Jenness has been tabbed preseason All-MIVA three straight seasons. Last year, Jenness was tabbed the MIVA Player of the Year and the MIVA Tournament MVP while also tallying First Team All-MIVA honors. Jenness was also tabbed as First Team NVA/AVCA All-American. Egharevba, a force to be reckoned with on defense, Egharevba was tabbed to the All-MIVA Second Team for the second time in his career. Last year Egharevba also earned NVA/ AVCA All-American Honorable Mention. He ended last season as the 2021-22 NCAA Division NC statistical champion for blocks per set (1.41).

USA VOLLEYBALL WINS BRONZE: Ball State men's volleyball senior Kaleb Jenness along with his former teammate and alumnus Quinn Isaacson helped the USA Men's Volleyball team earn the bronze medal at the Pan Am Cup this past summer in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. The U.S. led in kills (56-42) and had a .463 hitting efficiency behind Isaacson who dished out 86 assists in four sets (25-16, 25-15, 22-25, 25-21) against Chile.

NEXT GAME: After this weekend, Ball State continues its eight-match homestand when it hosts No. 12 BYU for two matches with the first being played Thursday, Feb. 2 at 7 pm ET and the second match-up Saturday, Feb. 4 at 3 pm ET in Worthen Arena.

Original source can be found here.