MVB Preview: High Expectations

2/10/2021 3:03:00 PM

River Forest, IL - The Dominican University men's volleyball team heads into their first match of the 2021 season with unfinished business on their minds. The Stars' 2020 season was halted due to COVID-19 with a 13-2 record, thanks to a 12-game winning streak which saw them rise to seventh in the country.

The Stars roster includes an experienced group of returners, starting with the reigning Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Offensive Player of the Year Jack McGuire. The senior setter ranked third in the NACC a season ago in assists per set (9.46) while orchestrating an offensive attack that paced the league in hitting percentage (.332).

At his disposal are a pair of juniors in outside hitter George Kougan and middle hitter Mat Molloy. Kougan ended the year sixth in the conference in hitting percentage (.300) and seventh in kills per set (3.10). Molloy is the reigning NACC Co-Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in blocks per set (1.21). He is joined in the middle by senior Troy Kates who ranked third a year ago in blocks per set (1.07) on his way to being named an All-NACC second-team selection.

This amount of talent earned Dominican the distinction of being ranked sixth on the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III Men's Preseason Coaches Poll. Their schedule will reveal if they are up to the task as they are scheduled to play several fellow preseason ranked opponents including #11 Benedictine, #17 Aurora, and #20 MSOE.

Dominican kicks off their 2021 campaign when it hosts Loras this week on Thursday, February 11th at 5:00 p.m before a 2:00 p.m. Saturday match vs Augustana. The Stars open NACC play when they host Rockford on Thursday, February 18th for a 5:00 p.m. match with the Regents.

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