Oshkosh I Tournament Preview (4-7-06)
The UW-Oshkosh men's volleyball team is currently 41-1 after starting the season on a 40-match winning streak. The only blemish on the Titans season was a loss to #4 ranked Michigan State University in the finals of the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association tournament last weekend.
After taking NIRSA Division I runner-up honors a year ago, the Titans entered the 2006 season with one goal in mind - a national championship. So far this season they have proven that they are a front runner to give the Wisconsin Volleyball Conference a second consecutive national crown.
This season the Titans have accomplished some pretty impressive things on the court. UW-Oshkosh went 12-0 t capture their first WVC regular season title since 1997. That same year was the last time the team won the prestigious Hoosier-Illini Classic, which they captured this season without surrendering a game.
Two weekends ago UW-Oshkosh put the finishing touches on the regular season Midwest Ten Conference title and also was victorious in the Midwest Ten Conference tournament. This was the fourth consecutive year that the Titans have either won the regular season or tournament title in the Midwest Ten Conference.
After going 4-0 last Saturday at the MIVA championships (including a 2-0 win over Michigan State), the Titans beat three more opponents on Sunday before their setback to the Spartans. Despite the loss the Titans still had their best showing ever at the MIVA championships.
This weekend the Titans are attempting to win their sixth WVC state championship in the last ten years after capturing titles in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2004. No other team in the WVC has won more than three crowns.
UW-Oshkosh is led by three of the most decorated players in the history of the WVC. Jeff Thomas, who will exhaust his eligibility after the NIRSA championship started his career as the 2001 WVC Newcomer of the Year. During his six-year stay in a Titans uniform he was named All-WVC First Team in 2003, 2004, 2005, All-Midwest Ten First Team in 2003, 2004, 2005 and a NIRSA Division I First Team All-American in 2005.
Andrew Sederberg, enters the WVC championships as the most dominating setter to ever have played in the WVC. His list of accolades reads like a resume. Five years ago he was named the 2002 WVC Newcomer of the Year as well as All-WVC First-Team and All-Midwest Ten First-Team. The list goes on as he was named All-WVC First Team in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and All-Midwest Ten First-Team in 2004 and 2005. Last season he was name the WVC Player of the Year and a NIRSA Division I First Team All-American, after being named a 2004 NIRSA Division I Second Team All-American. This season he was already named the 2006 Midwest Ten Conference Player of the Year, the first in UW-Oshkosh history.
Mike Semrad, a transfer from Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne University became an instead force in the middle as he was named the 2003 WVC Newcomer of the Year and was named NIRSA Division I Second Team All-American. In 2005 he was named All-WVC First Team and NIRSA Division I First Team All-American. Last weekend it was announced at the MIVA Championship that he was named to the 2006 All-Midwest Ten First Team.
Supporting members of the Titans team include Matt Lewin, who was named a 2004 NIRSA Division I Honorable Mention All-American and All-WVC Honorable Mention honoree in 2004 and 2005. Lewin has been a starting member of the UW-Oshkosh Division I team for three years.
Aaron Wayne captured 2005 Division I NIRSA Second Team All-American honors and was named the 2006 Midwest Ten defensive Player of the Year. Nathan Sederberg was named the 2005 WVC Newcomer of the Year last and the Las Vegas Open Most Valuable Player leading the Titans to the tournament title. Finishing out the Titans Division I roster are All-WVC Newcomer honoree hopefuls James Bradley and Danny Hessling.
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