Grow the Game Challenge Homepage

(Lebanon, Ill., Jan. 10) -- The McKendree University men's volleyball program will take part in the inaugural Off the Block Grow the Game Challenge this weekend in Nashville, TN. The Bearcats are one of ten teams taking part in the event, which will feature 12 matches over the course of three days at the Allen Arena on the campus of Lipscomb University.

McKendree is coming off of a trip to Southern California last week, in which they finished 0-4, with losses against #2 Long Beach State, UC San Diego, #3 UCLA, and King University. This week, the Bearcats will take on Limestone College on Friday, before matching up with Lincoln Memorial University on Saturday, with both games starting at 5:30 CT.

Freshman outside hitter Patrick Ross leads the Bearcats in kills with 40 total, for an average of 2.67 per set, and has collected 16 digs. Senior Nolan Rueter has put away 36 kills and has recorded 16 digs. Red-shirt senior middle Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) has contributed 11 total blocks, and is hitting .436 with 33 kills.

Junior libero Zach Thompson is averaging 2.07 digs per set, currently leading his team in that category. Senior setter Pasquale Fiduccia is boasting an average of 10.13 assists per set, to go along with 20 digs. Red-shirt freshman Wyatt Dimke has earned 8 total blocks and 22 kills, while hitting .486 on the season so far.
 

Limestone College Saints (0-2)
The Saints opened their 2018 season last weekend, getting swept twice by George Mason and Marymount. Limestone finished last year with an overall record of 13-11, and reached the semifinals of the Conference Carolinas Tournament, falling to Barton College.
Freshman Francisco Salinger Cenzual and senior Anthony Savage currently lead the saints in kills, with 14 and 13 respectively. Freshman libero Florian Ruhm from Germany has recorded 18 digs so far on the season, for an average of three per set.
 

Lincoln Memorial University Railsplitters (0-0)
The Railsplitters are entering their second year as a program, after finishing 10-17 overall in their inaugural season. They will open 2018 on Friday against the #4 University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors in Nashville, TN.
Sophomore Evan Cory and senior Joshua Riblett return as the top offensive producers for LMU. Cory average 2.65 kills and 1.52 digs in 2017, while Riblett averaged 2.92 kills and 1.33 digs. Sophomore middle Pedro Carvalho led the Railsplitters last season in blocks, collecting 107 total, and also averaged 1.84 kills per set.