GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Messiah men's volleyball team is set to begin its 2022 season on the road next Wednesday, Jan. 19, traveling to Marymount University to take on the Saints at 7:00 p.m. The Falcons look to continue a momentous 2021 campaign which brought the program its first MAC Championship, first NCAA Tournament appearance, and first NCAA Tournament victory.
Messiah, entering just its fifth season in program history,
was picked first in the 2022 MAC Men's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Poll.
Read below for a quick preview of the upcoming 2022 season:
A Look Back
Messiah men's volleyball finished the 2021 season with an overall record of 17-3 (14-2 MAC). After winning their first six matches of the season, the Falcons dropped just two of their final 10 regular season matches heading into the MAC Tournament. Messiah earned the top seed in the tournament, topping No. 5 Alvernia University, 3-1, in semifinals. The Falcons brought home their first-ever conference crown in dramatic fashion at home opposite No. 2 Stevenson University. Trailing the Mustangs after dropping the opening two sets, the Falcons rallied from behind to administer a reverse sweep to claim the MAC Championship. Senior
Matt Knab earned MAC Tournament Most Valuable Player after dishing out 40 assists in the title match.
Messiah, in its first NCAA Tournament match in program history, won a five-set thriller against Fontbonne University. The Falcons successful 2021 campaign would finally come to an end against Carthage, falling to the eventual National Champions, 3-0.
In addition to a successful team effort, the Falcons were decorated with many individual awards, highlighted by the
American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) naming sophomore outside hitter Mason Nissley the National Player of the Year. Nissley was also named an AVCA All-American, as Knab and
Nate Bowman also claimed All-American accolades. That same trio was also honored with All-MAC honors, as
Owen Hanzelman earned a nod as well. Head coach
Justin Beachy was named MAC Coach of the Year, also claiming Regional Coach of the Year by the AVCA.
Roster
In total, the Falcons return eight players from the title-claiming 2021 roster. Those returners include the reigning National Player of the Year and MAC Player of the Year (Nissley). Knab and Bowman, two 2021 AVCA All-American selections, return as well. Hanzelman returns for his sophomore year campaign, looking to build upon a first season in which he averaged 2.62 digs/game.
Joining the strong leadership core of returners are seven newcomers, consisting of six first-year players and one transfer. The first-year players include
Lucas Plumey,
Conner Stauffer,
Brayden Parks,
Alexander Chamberlain,
Jacob Hamm, and
Ryan Givens.
Adam Casper, transferring from Penn. State – Harrisburg, is a junior middle hitter listed at six feet, eight inches. Look for this group of newcomers to mesh well with the already-established core of returners in the Falcons' quest for back-to-back conference titles.
Head coach
Justin Beachy (63- 29 overall, 36-11 conference) returns for his fifth season at the helm of Messiah men's volleyball.
Schedule
As stated above, Messiah will begin its season on the road at Marymount University (Jan. 19). The Falcons home-opener will be on Tuesday, Jan. 25, hosting Penn State Altoona at 7:30 p.m. on Jordan Court in Hitchcock Arena.
Messiah opens its MAC conference play on Tuesday, Feb. 8, squaring off with visiting King's College (Pa.) at 7:30 p.m. The Falcons' last scheduled regular season match is with Arcadia University, an away conference matchup on Saturday, April 2. The MAC Tournament is slated for April 4-9.
Be sure to follow the Falcons all season long right here at GoMessiah.com!
