TRAFFORD, Pa. (Jan. 13) -- The Thiel College Men's Volleyball team was picked to repeat as Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) champions, as announced in the league's Preseason Coaches' Poll Tuesday afternoon.
The Tomcats received 6-of-7 first-place votes and 36 points in the poll. Grove City, whom the Blue and Gold swept in last season's PAC Championship match, was picked second with one first-place tally and 29 points. Saint Vincent was third with 25 points while Chatham and Hiram tied for fourth with 18 points. Geneva (15 points) was picked sixth and Bethany (6) was chosen last.
The 2025 Tomcats won a program-record 22 matches and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
Ezra Oesterling (Shelocta, Pa./West Shamokin), last season's PAC Newcomer and Player of the Year, was named a Player to Watch for the 2026 season. Joining him on the list are 2025 All-PAC First Team honorees
Ben Lowell (Portland, Ore./Sunset) and
Kaleb Proudfoot (Butler, Pa./Butler) along with
Eli Olszowka (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) and
Will Zimmerman (Cranberry, Pa./Seneca Valley).
Oesterling, a FrogJump National All-Freshman Team pick, six-time PAC Newcomer of the Week and two-time PAC Offensive Player of the Week, totaled a DIII-freshman leading 425 kills in 2025, the second highest total in team history and fifth highest of all DIII players. The West Shamokin High School product led all DIII freshman and was sixth of all DIII players in swings (994), the second-most in program history. He set a program record with a PAC-leading 46 aces, which was tied for 19th-most in DIII.
Lowell dished out 762 assists in 2025, the sixth most in team history and second most in the PAC. His 9.41 assists per set were third most in team history and second most in the conference.
Proudfoot, a three-time PAC Offensive Player of the Week and one-time FrogJump National Team of the Week honoree in 2025, set a program record with a .413 hitting percentage. He led the PAC in solo blocks (31) and was third in total blocks (89).
Olszowka was second on the team in assists (361) and assists per set (7.68) last season. He dished out a career-high-tying 57 assists at Mount Union (Jan. 28), which is tied for third most in team history.
Zimmerman was third on the team in kills (237), kills per set (2.67) and aces (23) last season. He set career highs in kills (22) and swings (49) at Mount Union on Jan. 28.
The Tomcats open the 2026 campaign Friday at Wittenberg's Jim Coleman Memorial Invitational against Eastern Mennonite (5 p.m.) and Westminster (Mo.) (7 p.m.) before battling Marian and Wittenberg Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
