Written by Bailey Coffman // Graphic by Wagner Valdez
With the end of the spring sports season approaching, the Harding University men’s travel volleyball club competed in the Midwest Plains Volleyball Conference Crossover Tournament in Springfield, Mo., winning the tournament and becoming Division II Gold Bracket champions to begin March. A mix of 32 Division I and Division II men’s teams competed in the tournament, making the matchups a “crossover” bracket.
For most of the members, the traveling volleyball team is an opportunity to be with their friends while participating in something they are passionate about, as the team is simply one of the many ways they are involved on campus.
Ben Sloan, a senior athlete on the team, spoke to how much he has enjoyed playing on the club team the past two years.
“I personally, as a senior, have enjoyed my time since this is the last chance I really have to compete at this kind of level before adulthood begins, and I wouldn’t want to do it without my friends on the team,” Sloan said.
The team has had the opportunity to face several experienced teams throughout their season and over the years, many at the Division I level.
“We got to compete against many Division I schools such as the University of Nebraska, Wichita State University and the University of Arkansas, beating all teams in two sets going 7-1 on the weekend [and] coming home the Division II champions,” Sloan said. “We look forward to fighting into Division I in the upcoming tournament in Chicago.”
Although the team is undeniably skilled, the most important thing to the team is the relationships formed while traveling and competing together, said senior Daniel Houser.
“It’s such a blessing to get to play volleyball with this extremely talented group of guys,” Houser said. “We have all been working hard to improve every aspect of our game, so it’s good to see that work come to fruition in this past tournament win for only being our second year as a program.”
Sophomore Joshua Schmidtlein also said the team has undeniable chemistry, which he has experienced while playing on the team.
“I’m so proud to be a part of a team that meshes together and upholds Christian values on and off the court,” Schmidtlein said. “The tournament was just a fraction of what this program can develop into. Through the support of Harding and our community, we will continue to advance the men’s volleyball team with hopes of NCAA sanctions in the future.”
