The MSOE Men's Volleyball will be looking to take another step forward in the 2008 season. This year the Raiders will be taking their game to the Midwest-III Volleyball Conference, after serving as a member of the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) for the last four years. Head coach Brian Gibboney's team returns nine players including four starters from last year's squad.
This year's roster will feature three seniors, including Mike Mocchi, who averaged over four kills per game (310 total kills) in 2007, placing him 15th among the Division III national statistics leaders. He also led the team in service aces with 32 and was 30th among NCAA Division III players in the country. Mocchi, a 6'8" outside hitter, also placed 16th in the country, averaging 4.73 points per game. "He is our go-to-guy," Gibboney said. "Arguably one of the best outside hitters in the nation among Division III players. All around, he is a great athlete and we are lucky to have him."
Playing middle hitter and right side for MSOE this year is 6'6" junior Dan Goray who is the leading returning blocker for MSOE. Goray was named MIVA Coleman Division Player of the Week for the week of January 28th, 2007. He helped MSOE beat sixth ranked (NAIA) Cardinal Stritch 3-1 during that week by recording five service aces, 12 digs and eight kills. Goray averaged 2.31 kills per game during the 2007 season which put him tied for second on the team in that category. Goray is a versatile player and Gibboney is looking to use him in different spots on the floor for the Raiders.
"With Dan, he's a great utility guy," Gibboney said. "He's got a lot of balance. We can put him in the outside as a left side hitter, middle hitter or a right side hitter and he's going to be effective."
Kevin House returns to the squad to again play the right side position. Last year, House, a 6'4" senior, had 201 kills (2.31 per game) which was second on the team. House also was second in digs for MSOE with 117. "We used him like Dan in many different positions," Gibboney said. "But right side seems to be his home. He's a very effective hitter on the right side."
In 2007, Chris Brandt was called upon to solidify the setter position and he did just that for MSOE. Brandt led the team in assists (815 total and 9.37 per game) and digs (143 total and 1.64 per game) as a freshman. He will be once again called upon to man the setter spot for the Raiders in 2008. Brandt is one of three co-captains for the squad this year, along with Goray and House. "He's a great athlete," Gibboney said. "He's definitely the court general of this team."
Also returning for MSOE is 6'2" junior Jason Kothrade who will see action at the middle hitter position. Last year, Kothrade was fifth on the team with 94 kills and was third in block assists with 27.
Three returning players that could see considerable player time this season includes 6'2" senior middle hitter Mitchell Modjeski, and 6'1" sophomore outside hitters, Glenn Frazee and Evan Simatic. Sophomore Jon Holzbauer looks to be the starting libero position during the 2008 season.
Some of the new players on the roster this year include 6'4" junior outside hitter Bryce Kingsley who transferred from Clark College after playing two years at that school. Kingsley was fourth on the Crusaders last year with 180 kills (1.82 per game) and third on the team with 142 digs (1.43 per game). "We are fortunate to have a player of his caliber come into and be part of our program," said Gibboney. "He will only make us stronger as a team".
Also new to the squad is 6'4" freshman middle hitter Chris Reininger who played on three state championship teams at St. Mary's High School in St. Louis, Missouri. 6'4 middle hitter Ryan Haas and 5'7" libero Marcus Traber are freshman that will look to contribute to the Raider's success this season.
The schedule is once again tough with non-conference games against Division II teams Lewis University and Quincy University, who the Raiders will play twice in 2008. MSOE will play Molten Division III Men's Invitational Championship runner-up Carthage College two times as part of the Midwest-III Volleyball Conference schedule. MSOE opens up the 2008 schedule with a match against first-year varsity program and new conference foe Fontbonne University at the Kern Center. The Raiders will travel to New England at the end of February to play five matches on the road, including MIT, who finished 11th in the final CSTV/AVCA Division III Top 15 Coaches Poll and Rivier who was tied for 13th in that same poll.
"It's a good mix this year," Gibboney said. "We play a lot of strong Division III teams out in Boston that are top 15. Also, finally schools are coming here to play us because they know that we are one of the top Division III teams to contend with."
The conference season will finish up with the Midwest-III Volleyball Conference Tournament. The Division III season ends with the Molten Invitational Championship which will take place in Springfield, Massachusetts this year.
