2/24/26
When Jake Sehn takes the floor in Hilbert College’s royal and white uniform, opposing hitters quickly learn that very few balls are hitting the hardwood. The junior libero recently cemented his name in program history by recording 25 digs in a single match against Houghton, a new record for the Hawks men’s volleyball program and a performance that underscored just how far both the player and the program have come.
A Defender Born, Not Made
Sehn’s volleyball instincts didn’t emerge overnight. The son of Brad Sehn and Karen Wheeler, Jake grew up competing as a two-year varsity volleyball player in high school, earning 2nd Team All-League honors both seasons and being named the Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, a fitting foreshadowing of what was to come. He also balanced athletics with academics, earning Honor Roll status from 2021 to 2023, and even found time for a year of varsity tennis.
Before landing in Hamburg, New York, Sehn spent his freshman year at Wells College, where he competed on both the men’s volleyball and soccer teams and was named the Rookie of the Year for men’s volleyball, an early signal of his defensive potential. His freshman season at Wells also earned him recognition from the AMCC, which awarded him Defensive Player of the Week after putting up 25 total digs in a single week of play.
Finding a Home in Hamburg
After transferring to Hilbert, Sehn quickly became an anchor of the Hawks’ back row. As a sophomore in 2024-25, he appeared in 22 matches across 80 sets and accumulated 184 digs, averaging 2.30 digs per set, while chipping in 58 assists and 4.0 points off two service aces and two kills. Now in his junior season (2025-26), Sehn is pushing the program’s defensive ceiling even higher.
His 25-dig single-match performance against Houghton stands as the new Hilbert record and is a testament to his relentless floor coverage, anticipation, and competitive drive. Against a Houghton squad that has always provided a stiff challenge (Hilbert swept the Highlanders 3-0 in their 2024 matchup), putting up numbers like that requires not only athleticism but also volleyball IQ and stamina across multiple sets.
A Program on the Rise
Sehn’s record doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The Hilbert men’s volleyball program has been building steadily toward relevance in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. Founded as a Franciscan institution in Hamburg, New York in 1957, Hilbert College joined the NCAA at the Division III level in 1992. Men’s volleyball has been a part of the athletic fabric for years, but milestones have come in waves. The program’s first-ever AMCC win came after 30 tries in 2022, and by 2023 they had advanced to the AMCC Postseason Tournament for the first time in program history.
In 2025, three Hilbert players earned All-Conference recognition for the first time ever, and the team broke four single-season records. Sehn fits squarely within this culture of growth, part of a team increasingly defined by depth, defense, and determination.
With Sehn manning the back row for at least one more season, the Hawks’ defensive identity is in good hands. Twenty-five digs against Houghton is more than a statistic. It is a declaration of what Hilbert volleyball is becoming.