Men's Volleyball Notes -- Week 1

WEEKLY STORYLINES
The 13th-ranked OUAZ men's volleyball team opens the program's fifth season this weekend at the NCCAA National Invitational. OUAZ will play four matches at the event hosted by Trinity Christian University in Palos Heights, Ill.

The Spirit enters as the No. 1 seed and plays No. 3 seed Geneva on Friday at 3:30 p.m. (AZ) and No. 5 seed Central Christian at 6 p.m. (AZ). On Saturday, OUAZ faces No. 4 seed Maranatha Baptist at 11 a.m. (AZ) and No. 2 seed Trinity Christian at 1:30 p.m. (AZ).

The team with the best record at the end of the tournament will win the 2022 NCCAA Championship. OUAZ is looking for its second NCCAA title after winning in 2019. The Spirit enters the event having gone 9-2 all-time at the annual tournament.

ABOUT THE SPIRIT
OUAZ returns 12 players from its 2021 team that finished 12-4 and advanced to the GSAC Championship Match. The Spirit won the GSAC East Division with an 8-0 record in conference matches a season ago.

The returning group of players accounted for 93.8 percent of the team's 714 total kills during the 2021 season. That includes the 3.71 kills per set from NAIA Second Team All-American Jordan Moses. GSAC Freshman of the Year Emery Outin is also back after posting 2.42 kills per set last season.

Tatum Gray returns to anchor the Spirit defense after averaging 2.23 digs per set a year ago. Conner Duyck is also back after leading OUAZ with an average of 0.87 blocks per set last season. Duyck and Outin also tied for the team lead with 22 service aces.

Nicho Calles is the most experienced setter in the program returning this season. Calles appeared in 10 matches last season and averaged 6.50 assists per set.

OUAZ also returns experienced players in Quaid King and Colin Donisthorpe. King averaged 1.92 kills per set last season after leading the team at 3.71 per set in 2020. Donisthorpe is the program's all-time leader with 151 blocks.

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Players Mentioned

#8 Nicho Calles: S; 6' 4"; Senior

#12 Colin Donisthorpe: MB; 6' 10"; Graduate Student

#11 Conner Duyck: OH; 6' 3"; Senior

#2 Tatum Gray: L; 5' 10"; Junior

#22 Quaid King: OH; 6' 3"; Junior

#15 Jordan Moses: OPP; 6' 4"; Senior

#4 Emery Outin: OH; 6' 5"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#8 Nicho Calles
: 6' 4"; Senior
: S

#12 Colin Donisthorpe
: 6' 10"; Graduate Student
: MB

#11 Conner Duyck
: 6' 3"; Senior
: OH

#2 Tatum Gray
: 5' 10"; Junior
: L

#22 Quaid King
: 6' 3"; Junior
: OH

#15 Jordan Moses
: 6' 4"; Senior
: OPP

#4 Emery Outin
: 6' 5"; Sophomore
: OH