Jan. 5, 2006

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - The next era in Lewis men's volleyball begins with the 2006 season, as a crop of new faces hit the court and work to restore Lewis as one of the nation's top programs.

Following a 17-14 campaign that saw Lewis finish tied for third in the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association with a 10-6 mark, the Flyers said goodbye to several top contributors from the past few seasons, including All-American Jeff Soler and All-MIVA members J.J. Castellano and Enrique Escalante.

Those and other key departures left some big holes to fill, but they also provided a chance for second-year head coach Dan Friend to flex his recruiting muscle.

Besides returning all-conference second-team selection Jared Dayton, who will be taking a redshirt for 2006, only two other players are back from the 2005 season. That left Friend tasked with recruiting the biggest class since the program's inception 12 years ago. For Friend, it was the opportunity he was waiting for since taking the reins prior to the 2005 season.

"It's not too often a coach has a chance to bring in so many new players all at once," said Friend. "I've recruited players who fit my style of play, and I'm proud to have my signature on this entire team."

During his recruiting efforts, Friend sought players who would adhere to his philosophy for success - bringing effort and intensity at all times. Not only does Friend believe the freshmen prospects he's brought are capable of that, he expects them to hold their own against other top teams in the conference.

"We've got a group of guys who are going to work hard and compete every day," said Friend. "They have nothing to lose and that not only makes them fearless, but dangerous for the competition."

Friend has worked hard to install a solid work ethic in the newcomers, and he expects them to bring a high level of energy and desire to every phase of the game.

"I am building a work ethic in these guys that is unmatched," said Friend. "In the past, I've been known as a defensive-minded coach. This team is going to work as hard with offense as defense and gain the same rapport with both."

Almost equally as important to hard work is team chemistry, and Friend knows that good chemistry is crucial to the success of any team.

"To win at a high level, you need good team chemistry," said Friend. "As the coach it's my job to help develop leaders on the team who will help to bring out the best in their teammates."

One player Friend is looking to help take a leadership role with the club from the onset is freshman outside hitter Drew Pickering. A team MVP for Wauwatosa High School (Wauwatosa, Wis.) the past three seasons, Pickering led his team in kills (425) and digs (118) and was named to the all-state first team last year. He served as captain the past three years and will hold the same role on this young team.

"Drew was all-tourney at the Can-Am Challenge," said Friend. "He has an explosive game and can touch 11-2. He's our captain as a freshman, so we're looking for leadership out of him right away."

Two other newcomers for whom Friend has high expectations are freshmen middle hitters Craig Boller and Alex Vigansky. Boller was a varsity starter for the past three seasons at Bartlett High School (Bartlett, Ill.) where he was all-conference and all-academic as a senior. In club play he won Flight One at the 2005 Junior Nationals, totaling 655 kills.

"Craig has a big, long frame," said Friend. "He will have a dominant presence in the middle for us."

Vigansky is a two-time all-conference first-team honoree from Tremper High School (Kenosha, Wis.). During his senior year, he played 52 games and totaled 136 kills, 21 aces and 70 blocks while hitting .500. He also earned honorable mention on the all-state team.

"Alex brings us another big, long presence up front," said Friend. "He can hit the ball from a high point."

At the libero position, Friend has brought in freshman Rob Colombo from St. Louis. A two-time varsity letter-winner at DeSmet Jesuit High School, Colombo averaged 4.5 digs per game his senior season.

"Rob has established himself in the position," said Friend. "He brings a real tenacity to the floor."

Freshman Jordan Vidovic has earned the starting setter role on the 2006 squad. Vidovic was the starting setter for Brother Rice (Chicago) the past four seasons. As a sophomore he tallied the second-highest assist total in state history (1,329), and he was named to the 2005 Volleyball Magazine's FAB 50 list following his senior season.

"Jordan has earned the starting role," said Friend. "Now we're looking for him to take the reins offensively. It's a big responsibility but with his poise, I know he is capable of doing it."

Three more top freshmen prospects who figure to see a lot of time in 2006 are middle hitter/opposite David Kelnhofer, outside/middle hitter Billy Sahagian and outside hitter Mykolai Zerebeckyj.

Kelnhofer, another Volleyball Magazine FAB 50 selection and all-state first team recruit from Wisconsin, was tops in his state with 470 kills and 142 blocks as a senior at Catholic Memorial High School (Waukesha, Wis.). Sahagian posted a .550 hitting percentage his senior season at Bartlett, where he played alongside Boller. Zerebeckyj, a Colorado Gold standout, was all-league and team MVP his senior season.

"These guys are going to be great contributors for us," said Friend. "Kelnhofer can touch 11-4, Billy brings a lot of energy and Mykolai has a great arm swing."

Adding depth to the Lewis roster this season are a couple of returnees and several more freshmen.

"Our reserves have been working real hard," said Friend. "They will make significant contributions throughout the season. Guys like Kyner, Perakes and Krumlinde will see some good time for sure."

Sophomore David Kyner saw action in 19 games last season and has proven himself as a good communicator on the court. Nick Perakes was co-captain of his high school team last season and will provide solid support as a back-up libero. Zak Krumlinde averaged 3.61 kills per game his senior season at Minooka Community High School.

Junior Sean Phillips played in seven games in 2005 and will continue to bolster the team's depth in the middle, while freshmen Chase Grinnell and Tom Garvey round out the Flyers' supporting cast. Freshmen Aaron Beik, Chris Gorman and Ryan Roschman will join Dayton by wearing redshirts this season.

Lewis always plays one of the toughest schedules in the nation, and 2006 is no different. The Flyers open the 28-match season in Cambridge, Mass., to face Rutgers-Newark and Harvard in the Crimson Classic. From there the team dives right into conference play, with eight of the next 10 matches against MIVA foes. That stretch also includes six of the Flyers' 14 home matches.

In early March, Lewis heads west for a three-match swing against UC-Santa Barbara, 2005 national runner-up UCLA and NAIA national champion California Baptist. Following that trip the team plays nine of its final 12 matches in conference, including the last two matches of the regular season against 2005 MIVA first-place finisher Loyola Chicago and second-place Ohio State, respectively.

The MIVA, as always, should be extremely competitive with several teams battling for the top spot. Despite their youth, the Flyers plan to be part of the mix.

"I want to re-establish Lewis as a top competitor in the conference," said Friend. "I'd like to see us in the top half of the conference. These guys are young, and that is an advantage. They are going to gain valuable experience, and I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised."