The Elon University men’s club volleyball team’s biggest test yet is the 2022 National Collegiate Volleyball Association Championships in Phoenix, Arizona, today through Saturday, according to senior libero Dave Derosa.
Going 4-0 two weeks ago at Virginia Tech, the Phoenix have progressed a long way since the start of their season. Freshman middle blocker Ryan Maier, who has received ECVA Division South Honors, said he has noticed the consistent improvement throughout the season since it first began.
“Winning the tournament at VT has just shown how far we have come as a group, especially beating them on their home court,” Maier said.
The team has been preparing for the event all season and is going in with a confident mindset.
“It’s simple,” Derosa said. “Serve the ball in and win. We have a great offense and if we can serve the ball we have a real chance to go deep in this tournament and maybe even take it home.”
This year’s team is made up of seasoned upperclassmen, along with new members who have never played before, but that doesn't affect the team chemistry on and off the court. Maier also said the group is comfortable being underestimated since Elon is a smaller school compared to its competitors.
“If I were playing against us I would be shocked. We are playing teams that pull from much bigger schools, so it is expected that they will be good,” Maier said. “But here we are running a program that's winning tournaments coming from a smaller school. It definitely could catch other teams by surprise and probably helps us out.”
According to Maier, the trust the team has for each other has taken the program far. Creating an environment where everyone truly wants to contribute has motivated players to give everything to the “team mentality” rather than individual accolades.
“Our biggest strength is simple: no ego,” Maier said. “We are all equal to each other no matter what class, and we've bonded to the point where we understand each other's strengths and weaknesses, and just that understanding can build a team to be as good as they can be.”
Derosa seconds the message of team unity and unbreakable mentality. He attests to how this team is different than any other he has been a part of through its unrelenting willpower and determination to win.
“No team is mentally stronger than we are,” Derosa said. “If there's one thing that this team does well it's mentally we don't break. And when other teams think they can break our spirits, that's when we’ll catch you.”
The team's upperclassmen have cemented a culture where volleyball is a top priority for every player, and high energy during games is essential. Both Maier and Derosa agree that the upperclassmen have set up a legacy that the younger players really want to continue in future years.
“We're loud. You'll know you're playing us just because we'll be screaming at you,” Derosa said. “You either have it or you don’t and this team definitely has it. You can kill us in the first set but if you think we're going to hang our heads for the next one then you're dead wrong.”