UW-Oshkosh Pushes to Make History (12-17-16)
The UW-Oshkosh men's Division I team will try to make history in the 2017 season as they attempt to take home their fourth consecutive National Collegiate Volleyball Federation Division I national title in Kansas City in April.
The Titans, winners of six Division I national championships, will be in the hunt again as they return three-time National Player of the Year Travis Hudson (Sr. - Wauwatosa) to run the offense. Allen Grunert (Sr. - Muskego), a two-time first team All-American and Wesley Morioka (Sr. - Chicago), a two-time honorable mention All-American will also return to anchor the right side and left side attack respectively.
2016 Wisconsin Volleyball Conference Newcomer of the Year Eaven Mason (So. - Milwaukee), will return as a middle blocker, as well as starting defensive players Sam Moua (Sr. - Appleton) and Micheal Wamboldt (Sr. - Pleasant Prairie) and utility player Devin Hudson (So. - Wauwatosa). Other returning players from the Division I team are left side hitter Sammy Pedersen (Sr. - Muskego) and middle blocker Nate Leitermann (Sr. - Brookfield), who was injured all of last season.
Michigan Tech University transfer Brandon Schmidt (Gr. - Kaukauna) will also join the Division I team this year as the Titans look to replace left side hitter Alec Redlich and two-time first team All-American middle blocker Tyler Range.
The Titans have won the last eight WVC Division I regular season titles and have 11 WVC State Championships in their history.
The Division II Titans should be strong again with Adam Landgraf (Sr. - Kenosha) the 2016 WVC Division II most valuable player returning to run the offense as UW-Oshkosh looks to extend its incredible string of WVC Division II regular season championships to a 15th season.
Other returning starters for the Division II team are libero Alex Harty (Sr. - Racine), right side hitter Mitch Lahmann (Sr. - Wauwatosa), left side hitter Tony Mack (Sr. - Muskego), and middle blockers Braeden Melton (Sr. - Beloit) and Michael Starzec (Sr. - Buffalo Grove, Ill.). All five received WVC Division II all-conference recognition last season and Mack and Starzec were NCVF Division III All-American honorable mention selections last season.
Other players that received plenty of playing time returning to the team are left side hitter John Collins (So. – New Berlin), right side hitter Steve Cotton (Sr. – Muskego), and defensive specialists Jake Martin (So. – New Lenox, Ill.), and Eli Miller (So. – Burlington). The Titans have have also won the last eight WVC Division II state championships and have three NCVF Division III national championships. Last season UW-Oshkosh II finished fifth.
The UW-Oshkosh III team turned heads last year by finishing second in both the WVC Division II regular season and state championship and taking fifth in their first appearance at the NCVF Division III national championships. UW-Oshkosh III was only defeated once (University of Arizona II; national champions) and beat the University of Missouri II that took second place to the Wildcats.
Returning to the team are left side hitter Alex Basting (So. – Franklin), middle blocker Tony D'Acquisto (So. – Franklin), defensive specialist David Edelmann (Jr. – Belleville, Ill.), right side hitter Kyren Hamilton (Jr. – Plainfield, Ill.), libero Joe Kuchler (Sr. – Muskego), setter Matt Pedersen (So. – Muskego), left side hitter Joey Mack (So. – Muskego), defensive specialist Danny Mirda (Sr. – Brookfield), right side hitter Andrew Shea (Sr. – Brookfield) and left side hitter Mike Skora (So. – Salem). Basting, Kuchler and Skora were named All-WVC first team last season with Kuchler and Skora earning NCVF Division III honorable mention All-America honors.
Top newcomers to the program include Nick Davies (Fr. – Waukesha), a 2015 first team All-State setter, Steve Seaman (Fr. – Muskego), a dynamic pin hitter and Thomas Schnoor (So. – Germantown), a 6-6 middle blocker that played last year on the Titans basketball team before joining the volleyball program this year. Middle blocker Bryan Milligan (Fr. – Kenosha) and right side hitter Ifeanyi Ukachukwu (Fr. – Evanston, Ill.) also join the Titans program this season as freshmen.
Transfers include left side hitter Ryan Albers (Jr. – Appleton) and Logan McAllister (So. – Ham Lake, Minn.) from Clarke University and middle blocker Jim Keuper (Jr. – Brookfield) from Juniata College that will add athleticism and size to the team.
"We will get going January 2nd for preseason," said head coach Brian Schaefer. "Our team lost a few great players but the current members are hungry to make history. We will piece all three teams together and once again try to give UW-Oshkosh a national championship. From top to bottom we might be the deepest we have ever been in our history. Practice will be competitive with a special group of hard-working guys that represent our team in so many outstanding ways on and off the court.”
Joining Schaefer on the Titans coaching staff will again be Will Brydon, Kurt Breier and Tim Weis. “I am lucky to stand along-side three dedicated coaches in Will, Kurt and Tim,” added Schaefer. “Many collegiate club programs do not have one coach, let alone three that put so much time and effort into making us great every year.”
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