LC Men’s Volleyball Gears Up for 2019 Season

[January 25, 2019] 

The Lincoln College Men’s Volleyball team is set to begin their first season as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). LC will play their opening match of 2019 on Saturday, January 26th when they travel to Indiana take on Goshen College.

The Lynx will be making the move to varsity competition after enjoying tremendous success at the collegiate club level. In 2018, Lincoln captured the National Club Volleyball Federation (NCVF) DII National Championship after finishing fifth in the nation the year before.

Lincoln Head Coach Mark Tippett is looking forward to seeing his team tested in a new league. “After winning Club Nationals last year, the time seemed right to join the rest of our athletic department in the move to the NAIA,” said Tippett. “Men’s volleyball has been growing rapidly at the NAIA level, so we should not have a shortage of strong competition.”

Lincoln will have roster that is deep with experience for their first NAIA season. Seven starters from the 2018 National Championship team will return for the 2019 campaign, including team captains Deantrius Coleman (North Chicago), Bryan Orellana (Chicago) and Corey Poindexter (Overland, MO). All three athletes are entering their senior seasons.

 

Coleman, who has been a standout as a middle hitter for the Lynx since joining the team in 2016, is looking forward to working with his long-time teammates one more time. “A strength of ours is our team chemistry and the unbreakable bond that we all have with each other,” said Coleman. “As a team, I want us to continue to grow with support and encourage each other,” he added.

Senior Bryan Orellana runs the offense as one of the setters in LC’s two-setter system. He is looking forward to the competition level he expects to see this year. “The NAIA is a league with four-year players and every team should be strong,” said Orellana. “I will try to keep having a quarterback mentality in order to find ways to lead this army to wins every night.”

Corey Poindexter has been a solid contributor as a left side hitter who can pass in serve receive and play defense through the back row. Poindexter says he’s looking forward to making a statement this season. “Our strengths are definitely our offense and chemistry, said Poindexter. “We are so versatile on offense and have plenty of guys who can put the ball away.”

Two other senior leaders for the Lynx are North Chicago High School grads Greg Scott and Michael Wesley. Scott will see time at both right side and as a setter while Wesley will assume his familiar position as a middle hitter.

“We are fortunate to have such strong senior leadership in our first season as a varsity team,” said Coach Tippett. “We will not be a typical first-year program due to the depth and experience we will bring to the court,” he added.

LC's Charles Carter hitting during the 2018 National Championship match

In addition to the talented senior class returning for LC, junior right side hitter Charles Carter (Blue Island) will figure to make a big impact on offense, while fellow junior Trenton Kelion will step into the role of libero. Carter has been among the team leaders in kills during each of the two previous seasons, and Kelion gained valuable experience last year as libero for the LC JV team that finished fifth at the DIII National Tournament.

Lincoln will also look to several underclassmen to provide contributions to their lineup. Sophomore standout Ramon Matos, who was a major offensive contributor as a right side hitter for the 2018 National Championship team, will be making a switch to the left side for 2019, and Jack Lindner, a sophomore left side from Oak Lawn, Illinois figures to push for playing time at that position as well. In addition, St. Louis, Missouri native Nick Washington, who is in his first year in the program, will look to play a big role as both a setter and swing hitter on either side of the court.

Lincoln will have their first home match of the season on Friday, February 8th when they will host Goshen for their second meeting of the year. Match time is set for 6:30 and will begin with the unveiling of the team’s 2018 Championship banner. A full season schedule can be found on the Lincoln College Athletics website at www.lincolnlynxsports.com.

[Mark Tippett
Lincoln College
Sports Information]