BEREA, Ohio – Baldwin Wallace University Men's Volleyball Head Coach Kyle Mars has announced the inaugural class of players in program history. 14 young men will be joining the program as the first class of student-athletes for play starting in 2021.
"We couldn't me more excited to welcome this group of young men to the program," said Mars. "As a first-year program, our number one strength is the diversity we have from across the country with this incoming class. That includes personal backgrounds, personalities and high-level club experience. Now that we've been able to get to know the group more over the first few weeks of the school year, it's very apparent that they are ready to compete in the NCAA. With that said, these guys understand that building a program is not easy and will take hard work over a long period of time. The uncertainty of this year will actually allow us to slow down the pace of a normal Fall and really discuss, implement and execute what we would like to accomplish this year as we form into a cohesive team of freshmen."
The first men's volleyball class in BW history represents seven different states and features 13 freshman and one junior. The class immediately becomes one of the most geographically diverse in the Yellow Jackets athletics program, with athletes from Arizona, California and Hawaii.
Arizona
- Mason Galindo (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium)
- Adan Gonzalez (Glendale, Ariz./Mountain Ridge)
California
- Chris Moehl (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino)
Hawaii
- Kãmau Maka'ike (Hilo, Hawaii/Kamehameha Schools)
Illinois
- Zach Petro (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg)
New York
- Joe Meyer (Waterford, N.Y./Shenendehowa)
Ohio
- Michael Beard (Hilliard/Darby)
- Aaric Gossett (Lewis Center/Olentangy)
- Nick Irelan (Powell/Olentangy Liberty)
- Brandon Long (Hinckley/Metea Valley [Ill.])
- Nick Mazzone (Springboro/Bishop Fenwick)
- Nick Reilman (Medina/Walsh Jesuit)
- Don Travis (Reynoldsburg)
Pennsylvania
- Logan Reese (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts)
The Yellow Jackets will kick off their first season in program history in 2021, joining the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League (MCVL). The league includes fellow Ohio Athletic Conference competitors the University of Mount Union, as well as Adrian (Mich.) College, Fontbonne (Mo.) University, Mount St. Joseph University, Olivet (Mich.) College, Trine (Ind.) University, Wabash (Ind.) College and Wittenberg University.
