March 15, 2023 by IH
Background:
Matt is a 6’2″ setter from Beaver Falls, PA. He is in his sixth year of playing NCAA volleyball for Messiah as a graduate student.
Messiah is currently the #7 team in the country for NCAA men’s volleyball in the latest IH ranking on 3/12/23.
Accolades:
Career Stats:
Q&A
How is the Monarch’s season progressing compared to expectations?
“We came into this season with high expectations. We had a core group of returners with some incoming freshman to add to the competitive mix. With last year’s freshman with now a year of experience, we felt like we could do really well. From a record standpoint, we are having a very successful year. Coach gave us a front heavy schedule against some very good teams. We had to be good from the start. We lost two games that we wish we had back but those were against two great teams in Juniata and St. John Fisher. Our hope is to take nothing for granted and continue to work towards a conference championship and ultimately a national championship.”
The MAC conference playoffs will be here soon. Which team do you think is the team to beat in the conference tournament and why?
“I am someone who doesn’t like to take any game lightly. Everything can look good on paper but that doesn’t mean anything if you don’t show up to compete. I see Stevens as the biggest roadblock to a conference championship. Dan Buehring has done a phenomenal job taking over the head coaching role at Stevens these past couple of years. He has developed a very technical and dangerous team that has done very well this year. In saying this, we still need to win games. I don’t want us overlooking anyone, we need to prepare for the next stretch of conference games coming up.”
Give us your picks for the NCAA D3 final 4!
“My picks would be Carthage, Messiah, Vassar, and Southern Virginia.”
Which player have you been most impressed by (outside of your own teammates) this season and why?
“As a setter, I am always watching others in that role. I like to think there is always something new to learn. I am very impressed with Vassar’s setter Jacob Kim. He has done a great job leading Vassar to an almost perfect record with big wins over Springfield, St. John Fisher, and Naz. He runs a great offense and is averaging over 10 A/S. His athleticism and knowledge of the game is a dangerous combination for anyone facing the Brewers.”
What has been your favorite part of the Monarch’s season thus far?
“I think to me it has to be the way we are able to find ways to win. There have been so many close games this year that have really pushed us both physically and mentally. I can’t say they were the prettiest games of volleyball you have ever seen, but the way the team has been able to work even harder when things aren’t clicking has shown. Games such as Mount Union early on in the year, Rutgers Newark at home, New Paltz, Southern Virginia, and Randolph-Macon were not statistically great games. But we found a way to win. That is what my favorite part of the season has been. Messiah teams in the past would shut down when things didn’t go their way. But this year, the team works even harder when things aren’t going our way.”
