(LEBANON, Ill., February 3) - The McKendree University men's volleyball team begins its 2016 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association action this weekend with a pair of matches. The Bearcats host Ball State University Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the Harry M. Statham Sports Center followed by a Saturday night matchup with Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne at 7 p.m.

McKendree is 0-1 on the season after dropping its season opener to Missouri Baptist University.

McKendree sophomore outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) landed 14 kills in the Bearcats debut versus Missouri Baptist. Wilcox also finished with two aces and a pair of blocks. Junior middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) finished second in kills with seven, while hitting at a .417 clip and tallying three blocks. Sophomore setter Ian Zalewski (Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg) had a team high 34 assists, averaging 8.50 per set, while tabbing three digs and a block.

Other McKendree players to watch include sophomore outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) who landed six kills and four blocks. Junior middle blocker Michael Polizzi (St. Louis, MO/DeSmet Jesuit), who had a team high five blocks, and a pair of freshman in libero Zack Thompson who led the Bearcats with seven digs and Will Frank (Moro, IL/Edwardsville) who put down four kills in his Bearcat debut.

ABOUT BALL STATE UNIVERSITY

The Cardinals enter the weekend with a record of 5-3 and will be opening MIVA play against the Bearcats. Ball State rides a two match win streak into the weekend after toppling New Jersey Institute of Technology and George Mason last weekend. The Cardinals are paced by junior outside hitter Brendan Surane who leads the team in kills with 83, averaging 3.07 per set. Surane has also posted 30 digs and 18 blocks. Senior outside hitter Marcin Niemczewski is second on the team with 57 kills along with 23 digs and 12 blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Mitch Weiler rounds out the top three scorers for the Cardinals with 56 kills, while tabbing 36 digs and 14 blocks. Senior setter Hiago Garchet leads Ball State 255 assists, while junior middle blocker Alex Pia has a team high 34 blocks, averaging 1.13 per set along with 29 kills. The Cardinals swept the season series in 2015 taking a 3-0 win at home on Feb. 20, and nabbing a 3-1 decision at the Statham Center on Apr. 11.

ABOUT INDIANA UNIVERSITY-PURDUE UNIVERSITY FORT WAYNE

The Mastodons sit at 4-4 on the season and ride a two match win streak heading into a Thursday night matchup with Ohio State before taking on the Bearcats. IPFW is led by senior opposite Andrew Sellan who has tallied 120 kills in just eight matches averaging nearly five per set to lead the MIVA. Sellan has stuck 33 digs and added 18 blocks defensively. Sophomore outside hitter Tony Price is second on the team in kills (74) and digs (43) while adding 18 blocks. Senior middle blocker David Frazee rounds out the top three attackers for the Mastodons with 54 kills and leads the team in blocks with 29. Freshman setter Michael Keegan has dished out 296 assists for IPWF averaging 10.57 per set, while senior libero Luis Bertran leads the way from the back row with a team high 73 digs averaging 2.61 per set, which is second best in the MIVA this season. The Mastodons split the season series with McKendree a season ago as the Bearcats fell on the road 3-2 before upsetting the then 12th ranked team in the country one week later 3-1 in the Statham Center.