GREENVILLE, Pa. (Jan. 14) -- The Thiel College Men's Volleyball team enters the 2026 season with its sights set on repeating as Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) champions and returning to the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight season.
"Ideally we run it back and win the PAC again," first-year head coach
Henry Gorton said in our 2026 Season Preview. The full interview can be found
here.
The Tomcats are a veteran-laden squad with eight seniors and four juniors along with a trio of sophomores and a quadrant of freshmen.
Led by star outside
Ezra Oesterling (Shelocta, Pa./West Shamokin), the 2025 PAC Newcomer and Player of the Year, the Blue and Gold return all-but two players from their regular rotation last season. Oesterling, middle blocker
Kaleb Proudfoot (Butler, Pa./Butler) and setter
Ben Lowell (Portland, Ore./Sunset) all made the All-PAC First Team and return in 2026.
Bryce Lizanich (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour), an Honorable Mention All-Conference pick in 2025, also returns in the middle along with outside
Will Zimmerman (Cranberry, Pa./Seneca Valley) and defensive specialists
Josh Hovan (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) and
Josh Pugh (Wexford, Pa./Pine Richland).
Thiel was picked to repeat as conference champions in yesterday's
Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Pivotal matches and dates of significance on the 2026 schedule can be found below. The full schedule can be found
here or by clicking the blue box above.
Key Dates
- Jan. 16-17: Open the season at Wittenberg's Jim Coleman Memorial Invitational on Jan. 16 against Eastern Mennonite and Westminster (Mo.) followed by matchups with Marian and Wittenberg on Jan. 17
- Jan. 23-24: Trio of matches against Misericordia (Jan. 23), Elmira (Jan. 24) and Messiah (Jan. 24) at Cougar Kickoff Classic
- Jan. 27: 2025 PAC champions ring ceremony before home opener against Mount Union
- Jan. 31: Home tri-match against Roanoke and St. John Fisher
- Feb. 12: PAC opener against Bethany
- Feb. 18 & March 14: 2025 PAC Championship rematches against Grove City on Feb. 18 (away) and March 14 (home)
- Feb. 20: Home tri-match against Geneva and Buffalo State
- March 25: Home regular season finale against Chatham
- April 3: Regular season finale at Bethany
Roster
The 2026 roster can be found
here or by clicking the blue box above.
Looking Ahead
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.
