Posted: Feb 08, 2021
This Week for SHU Men's Volleyball
Tue., Feb. 9: at Aquinas * - 5:00 PM | Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center
Fri., Feb. 12: MVNU - 5 PM | SHU Fieldhouse
Sat., Feb. 13: at Adrian - 8 PM | MSFC
Upcoming for Saints Men's Volleyball: The Saints open the 2021 season with a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) matchup on the road against Aquinas on Tuesday before hosting Mount Vernon Nazarene on Friday. The week concludes with a cross-town road contest against Adrian College on Saturday night.
Head Coach: Chris McKim makes his coaching debut for the Saints after taking the reigns from Kim Berrington back in December of 2020.
WHAC Openers: Siena Heights is 3-1 in WHAC opening matches since the team joined the league in 2016. This year is the second time the Saints start the conference season on the road. The first was a 3-1 loss at #7 Lourdes in 2017.
Protect This House: The Saints are 50-40 at home since 2010. During that time, Siena Heights is 6-4 during that stretch for home-opening matches. SHU has won the last five-straight home openers.
Series History: Aquinas: Siena Heights trails Aquinas 0-4. The SHU Saints have taken one set from their WHAC foe in those meetings. MVNU: This will be the first-ever meeting between Siena Heights and Mount Vernon Nazarene in men's volleyball. Adrian: SHU is 7-2 against the Bulldogs. The first meeting was in 2015 and Adrian earned a 3-0 win. Since that time, the Saints won seven straight before Adrian ended that streak in the 2019 season in the SHU Fieldhouse.
Top Returners: The Saints return several upper-classman from the 2020 roster including setter Keegan Crawford, outside hitter Alex Garavalia, outside hitter Bryce Johnson, and middle blocker Shevin Blades.
Siena also returns a few sophomore players that saw action in their first season with the team. Nathan Lee, Jakob Pickett, Bernard Bell, and Marc Arsenault. Lee finished 2020 with 16 service aces and 33 digs in his 25 appearances. Pickett totaled 94 kills, four aces, and 80 blocks. Bell registered eight kills and 19 blocks. Arsenault led all freshman with 100 kills and 23 blocks.
Newcomers: The new additions to the roster should add depth to the team. Most notably junior transfer Joudiel Poveymirow from Orlando, Florida. Preseason Rankings: The Siena Heights men's volleyball team made its first appearance in the national rankings with a 14th-placing in the NAIA 2021 Men's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Top 15 Poll. The team's previous listing on the polls was in 2020 when the squad was receiving votes.
Season Breakdown: The Saints play eight matches in the month of February. Starting with the three this week before facing WHAC opponents Indiana Tech (Feb. 19) and Lourdes (Feb. 21) at home. Siena Heights will then go on the road to face Thomas More in a non-conference match on February 23 before returning home to play Cornerstone the following day. The final match of February will be at Goshen on the 26th.
The final seven matches take place in the month of March starting with two matches on the fifth against William Penn and Cumberland. These matches will take place at Cumberland. On March 13, the Saints host St. Xavier (Ill.) before hitting the road for conference matches against Lourdes and Cornerstone. The final home match of the season is on March 23 against Aquinas before the regular-season finale at Mount Vernon Nazarene.
