Men’s volleyball season preview

By Savannah Koga / Staff Writer 

Kansas Wesleyan Men’s Volleyball season is officially underway. After a successful preview of the men in the fall, the team is extremely positive for the upcoming season. The anticipation is building as the team is fired up about what can happen on the court. With an almost brand new roster, coaches adjustments and the fight from the Coyotes, students and fans can expect and exciting season. 

Men’s volleyball team lines up for the national anthem before the first home game of the 2024 season

Preview of ’24 Season

Every season brings new surprises, and this year is no exception. KWU Men’s Volleyball competes in the Great Plains Athletic Conference, and received nine votes in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll, landing them in fifth place. Head coach, Dustin Sahlmann, said his team will be much improved for 2024. Sahlmann brought in 9 new players, all are freshman that can make an impact on this team.

“I think the reason we’re going to excel this year over last year is the guys I brought in in this recruiting class have more experience. We are bigger, we’re more athletic and I think we’re more physical than we were last year,” Sahlmann said. 

“I think the reason we’re going to excel this year over last year is the guys I brought in in this recruiting class have more experience. We are bigger, we’re more athletic and I think we’re more physical than we were last year,”

So far, Sahlmann’s point has been proven correct. Just last week two of the newly recruited freshman broke school records, and season has barely begun. 

Tyler McUne, Freshman, Smithfield, Ut

Zayin Martinez, Freshman, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Zayin Martinez, a freshman out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, studying pre-physical therapy, broke the record for kills in a match as he had 26. 

Tyler McUne, a freshman from Smithfield, Utah, studying sports management had 58 assists in a match, breaking that school record. 

Even though the freshman are making a big name for the school, Sahlmann pointed out his returners are making significant improvements as well.

“Jeremy Lapeze has gotten better and he’s more mature. What I’ve seen just this week Pucky Lawrence is going to be better from a mental and maturity Standpoint,” Sahlmann said. “Justin Burras looks like he added about 15 points so that’s going to help him. He took an incredible number of swings last year and I don’t think his body was ready to handle that a freshman.” 

“Jeremy Lapeze has gotten better and he’s more mature. What I’ve seen just this week Pucky Lawrence is going to be better from a mental and maturity Standpoint,”

View the rest of the Men’s Volleyball roster here. 

Upcoming soon 

In the end, with the outstanding freshman and motivated returners, things are looking very positive for the Men’s Volleyball ’24 season. 

While it’s impossible to predict the exact outcome of the season, fans can expect lots of emotions and close matches. The team is hungry for success and ready to leave it all on the court.

The Coyotes play this weekend, February 9th and 10th and 7pm and 2pm respectively against Missouri Baptist University, at home in Muir Gymnasium.