Patrick Dasbach celebrating a point against Trine Jan. 24, 2026

ASHTIN ELDER PHOTO

Men’s Volleyball Opens CCIW Play at No. 5 Carthage

Titans take on nationally-ranked Firebirds

2/18/2026 2:00:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Looking to add to its program-best start, the Illinois Wesleyan University men's volleyball team will open College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play at No. 5 Carthage College Thursday night, Feb. 19. The Titans (12-3) will take on the Firebirds (8-2) inside Tarble Arena at 7 p.m.

Illinois Wesleyan enters the match after defeating Westminster College in four sets Saturday, Feb. 14. Junior Bryce Williams (Chicago, Ill.-Whitney M. Young) led the offense with 13 kills on a .385 attack percentage, while sophomore Ethan Kuziela (Chicago, Ill.-Marist) tallied a team-high 29 assists to go along with 12 kills on a .458 showing. Senior Jace Milka (Bolingbrook, Ill.-Plainfield East) totaled a career-best five aces to lead the Green and White from the service line. With 15 digs, sophomore Ben Zima (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard South) captained the defensive efforts. Freshman Dylan Quinn (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove North) finished with the team-lead in blocks, totaling three.

The Titan offense has been led by three-time CCIW Hitter of the Week honoree, freshman Aydin Provost (Chicago, Ill.-Mount Carmel). Provost has totaled 184 kills on a .358 attack percentage, with his average of 3.61 kills per set, ranking 24th in Division III. The reigning CCIW Setter of the Week, also earning the award three times this season, Kuziela sits second on the squad with 141 kills, an average of 2.66 per set on a .332 clip. Williams rounds out the top three Titan offensive threats with 129 kills, an average of three per set. Together, the trio lead an IWU offense that leads the nation in kills per set with an average of 13.68.

The Green and White also have the best assists per set average in Division III, as it enters Thursday's match with an average of 12.46. Kuziela has orchestrated a large chunk of the attack, as he leads IWU with 374 assists, averaging 7.06 per set. Junior Brenden Reutter (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) is second with 176 assists, an average of 4.19 per set. The setter duo has been the masterminds behind an IWU offense that is hitting .284 collectively, a mark that ranks 18th in the nation. Kuziela also leads the team in aces with 16, followed by 15 from Williams, and Provost's 14.

Defensively, sophomore Ben Zima (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard South) ranks 18th across the country in digs per set with an average of 2.94. The sophomore has led the back row defense with 156 digs across 53 sets. Kuziela's 99 digs, an average of 1.87 per set, are the second-most by a Titan, and have helped him complete three triple-double performances which is the most in Division III this season. With 64 digs, Williams ranks third on the team. Quinn's 43 blocks, an average of 0.84 per set, lead the Green and White, followed by 28 rejections apiece from Kuziela and Provost. The Illinois Wesleyan defense has held its opponents to a .195 attack percentage this season.

IWU and Carthage will meet for the 11th time, with the Firebirds having won all previous meetings. The Titans nearly pulled off the upset in the most recent meeting though, as they took the sixth-ranked team five sets March 29, 2025. Williams led the offense with 20 kills, while he tallied 16 digs to complete a double-double performance. Reutter also notched a double-double, as he posted a team-best 21 digs to go along with 16, tying for the team lead with Williams. Three Titans totaled three blocks to lead the net defense. Carthage most recently fell in five sets to No. 7 University of California, Santa Cruz Friday, Feb. 13.

Print Friendly Version