WVC State Championship Previews (3-22-13)
Division I
UW-Oshkosh continues to make a splash on the national scene with a 37-1 overall record and number one National Collegiate Volleyball Federation Division I ranking heading into the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association tournament that was held on March 23-24 at Michigan State University.
UW-Oshkosh won its fifth straight Wisconsin Volleyball Conference regular season title by going 14-0 over the 2013 conference season. The Titans only lost three total sets and have a 48-1 record in WVC regular season contests over that five year span. UW-Oshkosh looks to capture its league leading 10th WVC State Championship this weekend, including its third straight overall.
UW-Oshkosh also won the 2013 Midwest Ten Conference regular season and conference tournament titles, the prestigious Hoosier-Illini Classic hosted by Indiana University and took second at the Mountain West Conference Invitational held in Las Vegas.
The Titans are led by the left side hitting duo of Bill Meidenbauer and Nick Mueller and the middle blocking tandem of Dan Ruys and Jake Ahnert. Meidenbauer is a three-time collegiate club All-American and two-time WVC first team selection and Mueller garnered WVC first team accolades last season and was the NCVF Division III most valuable player in 2010. Both have strong jump serves and are a constant threat in the front and back row for the Titans.
Ruys has been invaluable for the Titans over the years grabbing WVC first team awards each of the last three seasons and was a NCVF Division I first team All-American selection in 2011. He has led the WVC in hitting percentage and blocks per set on two occasions. Ahnert is a high flying second year varsity member that has been a consistent threat in the middle both offensively and defensively.
Jordan Mattingly, the starting libero for the Titans' Division I national championship team in 2011, starts at right side hitter this season. Seemingly undersized, Mattingly offers mad hops and the ability to set the off ball to keep the Titans in system.
Making an immediate impact for UW-Oshkosh are freshmen Travis Hudson and Wesley Morioka, leading candidates for WVC Newcomer of the Year honors. Hudson's size at the setting position makes opponents off guard at the net and Morioka's serve receive, defense and serve has been a stable for the Titans since taking over as the starting libero.
Important to the team are Shane Heyrman and Bob Hall. Heyrman, a member of the Titans' varsity team last season uses his long frame at both the left side and right side hitting position. Hall has seen court time as setter, right side hitter and defensive specialist this season. Hall's experience and energy helps the Titans in crucial situations as he was the starting setter for both of the Titans' NCVF Division III national championship teams in 2010 and 2012 where he was named an All-American both times.
UW-Oshkosh is coached by head coach Brian Schaefer and assistant coach Ryan Schultz. Schaefer has compiled a record of 593-144-5 at UW-Oshkosh and was a member of the Titans' first national championship team. Schultz was a three-year member of the UW-Oshkosh II team where he won WVC Division II first team accolades in 2011 and was a part of three WVC Division II conference championships.
Division II
The 2013 UW-Oshkosh II team continues to be a perennial national power behind a small core of experienced players and an influx of newcomers eager to prove that they belong in the conversation to repeat as National Collegiate Volleyball Federation Division III national champions.
UW-Oshkosh II captured its incredible 11th straight WVC Division II regular season conference title in 2013; or every year they have been in the WVC. The Titans secured at least a share of the title by going undefeated heading into a showdown with UW-Oshkosh III late in the season.
UW-Oshkosh II is led by reigning WVC Division II most valuable player Steve Brunelli, 2012 NCVF Division III and WVC Division II libero of the year Tyler Wiedenhoeft and 2012 NCVF Division III honorable mention All-American and 2011 and 2012 WVC Division II first team honoree Andrew Nett. Brunelli, a left side hitter, returns as the team captain and emotional leader, Wiedenhoeft patrols the back court and Nett provides a lethal offensive outburst on the right side for the Titans.
Returning to the team are Mitch Lahmann, a 2012 WVC Division II first team selection and Erik Harke, a 2011 WVC Division II first team player who sat out last year recovering from an injury. Lahmann sees time in both the front row and back row and provides instant offense with an aggressive jump serve. Harke, a starting left side hitter has been a powerhouse at the net and also provides a strong passing game.
In order for UW-Oshkosh II to continue its streak of winning the WVC regular season title, the Titans must reload every year and 2013 is no exception as six freshmen have significant roles on this year's squad. Starting at the middle blocking positions are Danny Kingstad and Tyler Range and guiding the offense at setter is Adam Landgraf. Range and Kingstad take turns leading the Titans in blocks each match and Landgraf possesses a deadly float serve and the ability to keep opponents off guard with a potent dump.
Playing multiple roles for the Titans are newcomers Alec Birz, Eddie Keesecker and Michael Starzec. Birz, who missed a portion of the season with an injury, is looked upon to help UW-Oshkosh II with a tough jump serve and left side attack. Keesecker offers a huge block on either side of the pin at the net and possesses a ridiculous float serve and Starzec can see court time at middle blocker, right side hitter or setter.
UW-Oshkosh II enters the WVC State Championship with an 18-3 overall record with tournament appearances at the Moody Bible Institute Invitational, Jose Jones Memorial Volleyball Tournament and University of Iowa Spring Fling. The Titans look to reach the gold division of the Collegiate Club Division III championship for the ninth consecutive year where they have won two national titles and have finished third or better eight times.
UW-Oshkosh II is coached by head coach Kurt Breier and assistant coach Brian Fox. Both helped the Titans win Collegiate Club Division I national titles in 2006 and 2011, respectively.
Division III
The UW-Oshkosh III team looks to break through and reach the title game of the WVC Division II state championship for the first time in school history after four previous trips to the semifinals where they ended up losing to the UW-Oshkosh II team on three of those four occasions.
After a two-year hiatus from the league, UW-Oshkosh III returns to the WVC Division II with a legitimate chance for a conference title. The Titans sport a 5-1 record in WVC matches with a narrow five-set loss to Marquette University II (UW-Oshkosh II and UW-Oshkosh III played on March 26th) and have put together an impressive 14-7 overall record competing at the Moody Bible Institute Invitational, Jose Jones Memorial Volleyball Tournament and University of Iowa Spring Fling.
UW-Oshkosh III has a signature win over Winona State University, a team currently ranked #6 in the NCVF Division II and narrow defeats to Wheaton College and UW-Eau Claire, both of which are ranked in the top 20 in the same division.
The Titans feature three players that were part of the program's 2012 NCVF Division III national title. Patrick Phillips starts at the left side hitting position and Jordan Berget and Devin Llanas split time in the back row mostly at the libero position.
UW-Oshkosh III relies on eight freshmen to carry most of the offensive load and to distribute the ball to its hitters. Joe Lesko plays all six rotations for the Titans at the other left side hitting position and possesses a tough, consistent jump serve. Since moving to the right side hitting position, Sam Picchietti has led the Titans in kills on multiple occasions.
Stuart Burkart can generate offense at both sides of the pin and Josh Preiss and Braeden Melton lead the Titans at the net in the middle blocking position. Preiss is new to the position and has height to hit over the block and Melton has a quick attack that beats the opponent. Alonso Amador, a high school teammate of Melton and Chris Flood run the offense for the Titans and Brock Van Deurzen sees court time as a defensive specialist.
Former UW-Oshkosh player Brian Fox is the head coach for UW-Oshkosh III and is assisted by former Titan Kurt Breier.
UW-Oshkosh Would like to Honor its Departing Players:
Steve Brunelli - 2012 WVC Division II Most Valuable Player
Jordan Mattingly - Two-time All-WVC Division II First Team - 2009 WVC Division II Most Valuable Player
Bill Meidenbauer - Two-time All-WVC Division I First Team
Dan Ruys - 2012 WVC Leif Storvik Winner - Three-time All-WVC Division I First Team
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