The Wittenberg club men’s volleyball program may not be on par with their female compatriots on a national scale, but the Tigers have made plenty of noise on a regional level recently. In the 2005-06 season, Wittenberg reached the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) Division 2 Tournament semifinals after an upset win over Grand Valley State University. In 2006-07, the Tigers just missed duplicating that feat, advancing to the tourney’s quarterfinal round, thanks in part to a victory over The Ohio State University.

Initiative is everything for this group of guys. The results speak for themselves.

“It feels great to beat schools of such a large size,” said Ryan Charles ’08. “Some of the teams we have beaten in recent years have enrollments 10-15 times what Wittenberg’s is, but we have a great chemistry on our team and a work ethic that has allowed us to achieve some great things.

“In addition, we have a great time together. It’s been a great experience.”

The team typically plays in five tournaments per school year, logging a total of 15 matches per season. It has played in tournaments at Michigan State University, Xavier University, Miami (Ohio) University and Ohio Northern University in recent years, and the Tigers have claimed victories over the University of Michigan, Indiana University and Western Michigan University, among others.

As a club team, the men’s volleyball players receive funding from Student Senate that covers travel expenses and membership fees to the MIVA. In 2006-07, the Tigers had 10 players on their roster, led by team captains Glenn Leever ’07 and Derek Fugate ’07, with coaching assistance from Ashley Anderson ’08, a former member of the Tiger women’s volleyball team.

— Ryan Maurer