CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- The Tusculum University men's volleyball team is set to play in its third Independent Volleyball Association (IVA) Championship this weekend (Apr. 14-15), hosted once again by Queens University of Charlotte. The Pioneers are seeded fourth overall and will face No. 5 Maryville (Mo.) at 1:30 p.m. on day one.

Lincoln Memorial has clinched the No.1 seed at this weekend's IVA Tournament, finishing the regular season with a 18-4 overall record and 7-0 in IVA league play. Queens earned the No. 2 seed with a 14-12 overall record and a 5-2 record in league play. Earning the No. 3 seed is Limestone, who finished the season with a 14-11 overall record and a record of 2-4 in IVA action. Tusculum landed at the No. 4 seed, as it went 9-15 overall and 2-6 against IVA opponents. Earning the No. 5 seed is Maryville, who will be making its first IVA Tournament appearance, after finishing the season with a 10-16 overall record and a 1-2 record in IVA play. Rounding out the field at the No. 6 seed is Alderson Broaddus, finishing with a 10-17 overall record and a 0-6 record against IVA opponents.

RECAPPING THE SEASON
Tusculum (9-17) last played the weekend of April 7-8, falling to Barton in five sets before rounding out the regular season with a four-set loss at Mount Olive.

IVA second-teamer Colby Landry led the way with 30 kills over the weekend, including a program-best 26 against the Bulldogs. Dane Loup was just behind with 26 overall. Jaden Bramhall did the setting with 77 assists across the nine sets, while Jake Whyte landed six service aces. Taylor West tallied 25 digs, ahead of Loup's 20. Bramhall (11) and Jabes de la Cruz (10) also reached double-figures in the defensive category. At the net, both Whyte and Bramhall were credited with five total blocks (three solo, two assists) in the span.

On the season, Landry is averaging just shy of three kills per set (2.99) for a total of 281. Deklan Wingo (240), Shaphar Grant (150), Whyte (149), and Loup (128) have all reached the three-figure plateau in the offensive category. Jaden Bramhall has done the majoring of the setting, recording 517 assists. Both Landry (28; 111) and Wingo (22; 101) have more than 20 aces and 100 digs apiece. West is just shy of the century mark with 94 digs. At the net, Grant is credited with 78 total blocks (21 solo, 57 assists), a nearly one block per set average.

Nationally, Tusculum ranks 16th in attacks per set (27.47). Grant is listed in the top-25 in both hitting percentage (24th; .347) and blocks per set (25th; 0.962).

LOOKING AHEAD
Maryville is sixth nationally in opponent hitting percentage (.193) and 17th in blocks per set (2.101), the highest out of the IVA teams. David Fleischer is leading the IVA with a 0.966 blocks per set average, good for 24th individually. Victor Ganev (146), Jacob Fischer (143), and Drew Rogers (143) are all within three kills of one another for the team lead. Cameron Chambers has dished out 635 assists, while Fleischer and Fischer have 27 and 25 aces, respectively. Defensively, Chambers also heads up the dig category with 126. Fleischer (84) and Fischer (75) have combined for over 150 total blocks.

Links to live stats and video for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com. For more information, please visit the official IVA Tournament webpage.

2023 IVA Men's Volleyball Championship (hosted by Queens University of Charlotte)
Friday, April 14th:
Match No. 1 – #6 Alderson Broaddus vs. #3 Limestone 10:30 AM
Match No. 2 – #4 Tusculum vs. #5 Maryville 1:30 PM
Match No. 3 – Winner Match No. 1 vs. #2 Queens 4:30 PM
Match No. 4 – Winner Match No. 2 vs. #1 Lincoln Memorial 7:30 PM

Saturday, April 15th:
Match No. 5 – Loser Match No.1 vs Loser Match No. 2 (5th Place) 11:00 AM
Match No. 6 – Loser Match No.3 vs Loser Match No. 4 (3rd Place) 2:00 PM
Match No. 7 – Winner Match No.3 vs Winner Match No. 4 (Championship) 5:00 PM