News and Upcoming Events

Dallas, TX.  The MSU Men’s and Women’s Club Volleyball teams rolled into Dallas to participate in the 2013 NCVF National Championships during the first week of April and made quite a mark.

After an up and down season, the Spartan’s top men’s team, MSU Green, went 5-1 at the 2013 MIVA Championships, earning their way into the top flight of men’s teams at the NCVF event.  Green entered the tournament seeded 37^th of 48 teams, and fought their way to a very respectable19^th place finish overall with wins over Stanford (NCVC), Air Force (MWVC), Iowa (MIVA-BTMVA), Dayton (MIVA-GMVC), UW-Whitewater (WVC) and EIVA Club Champion, James Madison.  MSU Green advanced to the Semi-Finals of the Silver Division before dropping their final match to a very competitive Virginia Tech (EIVA) team.

After the last match of the season, Head Coach Sante Perrelli said, “I am proud of the club this year – Green fought through a great deal of adversity and learned to be persistent while bringing their own brand of excitement to the court.   I am especially pleased that our seniors had a chance to showcase their talent and peaked at just the right time.”  Perrelli added that “we are all very grateful for the work and dedication of Eric Lazowski this year.  Eric’s discipline and knowledge of the game were key factors in helping our club maintain competitive excellence this year.”  Lazowski, a member of the 1995 MSU Green Team and USAV elite coach, travelled from Grand Rapids throughout the year to help coach practices and competitions and run clinics.

MSU White entered the tournament ranked 18^th in Men’s Division III, and advanced to the Gold flight, eventually tying for 5^th place overall.  The 5^th place finish was the highest showing of any MSU White team in the history of the club.  MSU White’s performance was highlighted by wins over Southern California (SCVC), Texas (SIVA), San Jose State (NCVC), and UCSBB (SCVC).  White dropped a hard fought match to UC Berkeley B (NCVC) in the first round of the Men’s Division III Gold Bracket.  Brent Money (SR, Libero) and Juan Manfredi (GR, Outside) were honored as NCVF Division III All-Americans based on their steady and truly exceptional play.  White Team’s fantastic finish is a testament to the hard work and determination of both the team and their first year Head Coach Gina Lang.

This was a special year for the club in many ways.  The men hosted two tournaments in the fall and the 2013 MIVA Championship Tournament.  The women hosted 2 events, including an NCVF Seeding Tournament.  Nearly 100 teams drawing over 1,000, plus family members and fans travelled to East Lansing this year to participate and attend MSU club-sponsored events.  In addition, MSU entered a precedent setting third team into the MIVA this season.  MSU Posse, comprised of many beginning players, participated in practice and play throughout the year, completing over 20 years of consecutive organization as the clubs entry level squad.

As for the Club’s leadership, Coach Perrelli said “the E-Board leadership this semester was exceptional, led by Mike Gemkow (JR).  He stepped in with strong peer support from Ross Klein (SR), Matt Vander Meer (SR), Anthony Jurayj (SR), Bradley White (SO) and Matt Petry (SO), and did a tremendous job under some very challenging circumstances.”   Gemkow and the E-Board worked with women’s Club President Camille Lefevre and their leadership to send over 50 student athletes to Dallas for the NCVF event.  Cheering and supportive parents, fans and friends of the MSU clubs joined the teams in Dallas to form one of the largest club delegations in the 360 team field.

Green Team’s graduating seniors this year include four-year club member and Team Captain, Matt Vander Meer (Opposite, 4 year All-BTMVA honoree), Sam Lee (Setter, 2013 BTMVA Sportsman of the year, 2 year club member and assistant to former MSU player Matt Lewandowski, the current coach of Women’s White Team), Andrew Horne (2013 Middle Blocker, 2013 All-BTMVA, 2 year club member), defensive spitfire Sonny Lei (Libero), and Anthony Jurayj (Outside, 4 year club member).

Although a number of key MSU players graduate this year, the club will return a strong corps of capable and hungry Spartans next year.  Many will be training and playing beach volleyball this summer before returning for the 2013-2014 campaign.  The 2014 season will be the 25^th anniversary of the club’s 1989 MIVA Championship and will draw alumni, family and friends to East Lansing throughout the year.

Go Green Go White, Go State

The Spartan Men’s Club Volleyball Teams have been back in the gym for a few weeks now and are anxiously awaiting the beginning of competition.  While all three teams are practicing in preparation for the beginning of tournament play, the Green team has already embraced the opportunity to give back to the volleyball community by leading a volleyball clinic for athletes of all ages.  In connection with the 9^th Annual Michigan State Men’s Volleyball Club Clinics in St. Joseph, the Green team played an exhibition match against Notre Dame, the defending National Champions.  This match, provided a great opportunity for the young Spartans to test their mettle against one of the premier clubs in the nation, but more importantly the day as a whole allowed the Spartans to spread and share the love of the game with a large audience.  The Green team swept Notre Dame in straight sets in front of a raucous crowd.  Head Coach Sante Perrelli wanted to give a “special thanks to Phil Hegg and the St. Joe community for supporting this event every year.”  The coach added that “this years’ Spartans are terrific ambassadors of club volleyball.  They played their hearts out against a very talented Irish squad and earned a solid win.  The entire experience was memorable for everyone involved.”  The Spartans would like to thank all that contributed to the success of the clinic.  The season picks up with two events scheduled for this week.  The White team will have a match against Adrian College B team this Wednesday at 7:30 at IM West,  followed by a match between Green and Adrian College A team at 8:30.  Both Green and White will be in action this weekend, February 2^nd, as they journey to Ann Arbor for the Michigan Classic, a Saturday tournament hosted by the University of Michigan Club Volleyball Team.  Thank you for your support of the teams and continue to cheer the Spartans on throughout the season.   Go Green!

This Saturday, the Michigan State Men’s Volleyball team will be hosting the Holiday Classic.  The Holiday Classic is a charity event with teams from the region, including Spartan alumni, making the trip to IM West for a day of volleyball and friendship.  While the tournament provides a great opportunity to play competitive volleyball, it also provides an opportunity to give back to the community at a time that can be difficult for those less fortunate.  With this in mind the club donating proceeds to Lansing area food banks and asks teams to participate in the canned food drive during the tournament.  Play will begin at 9:00 am after a brief captains meeting at 8:30 am. We look forward to seeing you at IM West!

The 23^rd Annual Spartan Back to the Hardwood Classic Tournament, a weekend filled with great competition and renewed friendships, has come to an end.  This year, 50 teams in two divisions journeyed to the MSU IM West Sports and Demonstration Hall facilities on November 10 and 11.  MSU Men’s volleyball club extends their gratitude for the support of all the teams, parents, friends, family members, USA Volleyball referees and university staff that helped make this year’s tournament a success.

A special thanks goes to Dan Kitchel and Adam Rykse for their help in organizing and running the tournament this year.  Mike Caldwell, MSU Club President says “Dan and Adam were awesome and were a central reason why this year’s event was able to continue our tradition of excellence at MSU.  The club very much appreciates the great sportsmanship and support by all participants and looks forward to seeing everyone during the upcoming MIVA and NCVF season.”

Two perennial heavyweights, Virginia Tech and Notre Dame, met in the Division 1 final, with the Hokies taking the Division 1 Hardwood title.  Virginia Tech defeated the defending NCVF National Champion Irish in a hard fought three set match.  The Hokies were the 2^nd seed coming into the tournament and had to overcome a strong Air Force team in the semi-finals, in a two set match decided by a combined 5 points.

Notre Dame, the tournament’s number 1 seed, defeated a competitive Purdue team in the other Division 1 Gold semi-final match.  The weekend was filled with well-played volleyball, raising the anticipation of an exciting club volleyball season.  Loyola (Chicago) came out on top of the Division 1 Silver bracket, winning the consolation division by defeating a determined Northern Illinois team in three sets.  Pittsburgh won the Division 1 Bronze bracket by defeating Miami U in three sets of a close match.

The MSU Green squad advanced to the Division 1 Gold Bracket after coming in second in their pool to Air Force and defeating Minnesota in a crossover match.  MSU Green was eliminated UW Milwaukee who stayed poised throughout the match.  team.  This year’s Green team continues the development of players developed in the MSU club system with the added excitement of a pair of promising new freshmen players.  Head Coach Sante Perrelli, in his 25^th season with the Spartan club, said  “this tournament such a great event for all our teams.  MSU Green took away something positive from each match it played and their finish in the round of 16 will keep them hungry for the upcoming season – especially with the exceptional training they are receiving from former Spartan and my assistant Eric Lazowski.”

Ohio State 2, last year’s NCVF Men’s Division III runner-ups, won the Division 2 Gold final for the second consecutive year by defeating a very skilled Xavier team in three sets.  The Buckeyes advanced to the finals by defeating MSU White in three sets in the semi-finals with Xavier edging Indiana “B” on the other side of the bracket.  Calvin came out on top of the Division 2 Silver bracket by beating a competitive Miami U “B” squad.

MSU White advanced to the semi-finals of the Division 2 Gold Bracket before falling to Ohio State 2 in a closely contested match.  MSU White played strong throughout the tournament with an overall record of 6-1 and 5 victories in three sets.  Hardwood will be a great learning opportunity for MSU’s  young development team.  The MSU White showed a lot of promise for the season to come behind a dedicated new coach, Gina Lang.  Coach Lang said “I’m proud of the contributions that everyone made and I believe the team earned some confidence as we approach the upcoming MIVA season.

Both MSU Posse and MSU Greenhorns fought hard in what was their second experience in tournament play for teams led by upperclassmen, comprised of players new to organized and competitive volleyball.

On top of a full practice schedule, MSU’s four squads actively participated in planning and execution of the 2012 Hardwood tournament this year.

This year’s event was held in connection with the MIVA (miva-vball.org) annual meetings where representatives of Midwest club teams assembled to discuss plans for the upcoming 2013 club competitive playing season. MIVA reams have captured a series of NCVF (ncvfvolleyball.org) national titles, and look poised again to pursue national acclaim in 2013.

All pool play and play-off results for both divisions of the Hardwood tournament, along with a printable bracket can be found at https://www.msu.edu/user/msuvball/hardwood/hdwindex.html.  Pictures from the event can be found on the club’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/MSUVBALL.

The first couple weeks of practice have ended and all three Spartan Volleyball teams are excited to begin playing this preseason.  While the Spartan Volleyball players will have to wait for tournament play, this week brings the season’s first game experience.   The Green team will be playing a scrimmage against the University of Michigan on Wednesday, Oct. 17^th, and both the Green and White teams will be traveling to Grand Valley State University for scrimmages this Friday, Oct. 19^th.  These scrimmages will help prepare the Spartans for the largest preseason tournament in the nation, The Hardwood Classic.  The 23^rd annual Hardwood Classic will be held Saturday and Sunday November 10^th and 11^th at IM Sports West and Demonstration Hall on the MSU Campus.  The Hardwood Classic provides the club with the opportunity to expose players to the game of volleyball at a high level of competition, as teams from around the nation make the trip to East Lansing for a weekend of volleyball.  Hosting the tournament also provides the club with the opportunity to see the amount of work that goes into running a volleyball tournament.  MSU Men’s Volleyball club annually hosts a second preseason tournament, the Holiday Classic.  The Holiday Classic will be held Saturday December 1^st at IM Sports West on the MSU Campus.  The Holiday Classic is a great opportunity for the club to connect with the community, as half of all proceeds go to helping the Lansing area this holiday season.  The Holiday Classic also provides an opportunity for a reconnection with past Spartans by the inclusion of alumni as well as community teams.  Go Green!

Here’s the complete open gym schedule for September:

Tuesday (9/4) 7-9

Wednesday (9/5) 9-11

Thursday (9/6) 7-9

Tuesday (9/11) 7-9

Wednesday (9/12) 9-11

Thursday (9/13) 7-9

Monday (9/17) 7-9

TRYOUTS WILL BE HELD

Wednesday (9/19) 7-9

Thursday (9/20) 7-9

Friday (9/21) 7-9

All open gyms and tryouts are held in the IM West Sports Arena.

See you guys there!

As summer is coming to an end, Spartans have already begun filing back to the Red Cedar.  The nerves and excitement of a new school year are once again upon us as we await the unknown of new professors, new classes, and new roommates.  This excitement is only enhanced by the prospect of the return of old faces and indoor volleyball (as I assume most of us found it a challenge to stay away from the game for a whole summer).  Not only will the usual characters return to the gym, but the fall welcomes a new generation to the Spartan volleyball family.  The march towards next season begins soon.  Official open gyms start will continue next week from 7-9 on Tuesday and Thursday, and from 9-11 on Wednesday the IM West Sports Arena Open gyms allow old players the opportunity to shake off the summer and new players the opportunity to become familiar with the sport before tryout, the week of Septemer 17th. The preseason is a chance to develop and refine our volleyball abilities in preparation for the season, leading up to the largest preseason tournament in the nation, Michigan State’s own Hardwood Classic.  If the itch for volleyball is too strong to resist, stay connected to the MSU volleyball network as unofficial gatherings for volleyball related activities have already started and will continue as more Spartans return to campus.  Let’s Go State!

The 22^nd annual Spartan Back to the Hardwood Classic Tournament drew 57 teams in two divisions this year at the IM West Sports and Demonstration Hall facilities on campus.  MSU Club President Mike Caldwell (SO) said “we are so thankful for the amazing support of all the teams, parents, friends, family members, USA Volleyball referees and university staff this year.” Club Vice President Andrew Smith (SR) added “our club really pulled together and worked hard to make this event happen — we all owe a debt of gratitude to our Director of Competition Dan Kitchel for all his support.  He is a true Spartan through and through.”

Two traditional MIVA rivals, Notre Dame and Wisconsin, clashed in the Division 1 final, with the Irish snatching its first ever Division 1 Hardwood title in a well played three game set. Notre Dame was the 2^nd seed coming into the tournament, finishing 2^nd in the nation at last season’s NCVF National Championship event.  They overcame a strong push by Big Ten foe Ohio State in the semi-finals.

Wisconsin, the tournament’s number 1 seed, blistered perennial EIVA powerhouse Virginia Tech in the other Division 1 Gold semi-final match.  MSU’s Head Coach Sante Perrelli said “Both semi-final matches and the finals were superbly played – in fact, there were great matches throughout the event, boding well for another fantastic club volleyball season. Congratulations to the very deserving winners and to all the teams who participated this year.”  UW Milwaukee powered its way through the Division 1 Silver bracket, winning the consolation division by defeating an up-and-coming Loyola (Chicago) squad.

A completely retooled MSU Green squad advanced to the quarterfinals in the Division 1 Gold Bracket by winning hard fought matches against in-state rivals Michigan and Grand Valley.  Coach Perrelli said “considering that this year’s squad only has 4 returning players from last season, a Gold division finish speaks volumes about the team’s work ethic and determination this Fall.  He added   “I personally appreciate the work by former MSU Green player Eric Lazowski in acting as my assistant coach this Fall.  He has helped the club transition players that had been so well developed by MSU White Coach Han Chew last year, and help us teach the game to a number of new players.”

Ohio State 2 won the Division 2 Gold final by posting a “w” against Big Ten rival Indiana B.  The young Buckeyes eliminated Wisconsin B in the semi-finals with Indiana “B” disposing of in-state rival Cincinnati B” in the other Division 2 Gold semi-final match.  A rejuvenated Ferris State club captured the Division 2 Silver Division title by overcoming a spirited Michigan Tech B squad.

MSU White earned a spot in the Gold Bracket in Division 2 before bowing out in the first round.   MSU White churned out victories against Michigan Tech B and Grand Valley B. MSU White Coach Han Chew said, “the Gold Bracket finish was ‘mission-accomplished’ considering that this year’s White team was built from ground up in two months. Despite being consisted of mostly freshmen and upperclassmen redeployed in new positions, the White team stayed competitive and showed a lot of promise for the regular season.”

MSU Posse spanked MSU Greenhorns to capture the Bronze final in Division 2.  Both Posse and Greenhorns are composed of [C1] players who are gaining their first experience at playing organized and competitive volleyball.

In addition to a full practice schedule, all of MSU’s four squads actively participated in planning and execution of the 2011 Hardwood tournament this year.  Club President Mike Caldwell says that the Spartan chant “we are one” very much “describes our united effort to make men’s volleyball playing opportunities a reality for student athletes.”

This year’s event was held in connection with the MIVA (miva-vball.org) annual meetings where representative of Midwest club teams assembles to discuss plans for the upcoming 2012 club competitive playing season.  MIVA teams have captured a series of NCVF (ncvfvolleyball.org) national titles, and look poised again to pursue national acclaim in 2012.

All pool play and play-off results for both divisions of the Hardwood tournament, along with a printable bracket can be found at https://www.msu.edu/user/msuvball/hardwood/hdwindex.html. Pictures from the event can be found on the club’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/MSUVBALL.

The MSU Men’s Volleyball Club is proud to announce that it is accepting registrations into this year’s annual pre-season event.   The Spartans will host Men’s Division 1 and Division 2 teams over two days on November 12 and 13, 2011 at the IM West and Demonstration Hall.  The tournament provides participating teams an opportunity to preview the upcoming 2012 season competition and get a feel for a national level tournament play format that emulates the NCVF National Championships.

In conjunction with the Hardwood, the annual MIVA Organizational Meeting will be held will take place on Saturday, November 12.  Information on the MIVA meetings can be found here.

For the most up to date Hardwood information click here.

Below is the schedule for our Fall open gyms and tryouts. Try to make it to as many open gyms as you can to knock off the rust or get some time in the gym before tryouts begin the 21st. Keep in mind that the club takes players of all skill levels and focuses on developing players with little experience once the teams have been divided. Anyone with an interest in volleyball is more than welcome to join.

Hope to see all of you in the gym!

Open Gyms:
Tuesday, Sept. 6 9-11 PM
Wednesday, Sept. 7 9-11 PM
Thursday, Sept. 8 7-9 PM

Monday, Sept. 12 7-9 PM
Wednesday, Sept. 14 9-11 PM
Thursday, Sept. 15 7-9 PM

Monday, Sept. 19 7-9 PM

Tryouts:
Wednesday, Sept. 21 9-11 PM
Thursday, Sept. 22  7-9 PM
Friday, Sept.23 7-9 PM