The Lancaster Bible College men's volleyball team begins its 2020 season Friday evening in Springfield, Ohio, as the Chargers take part in the Jim Coleman Invitational at Wittenberg University. Lancaster Bible will face Lakeland, Augustana (Ill.), and Mount St. Joseph at the invitational, as the Chargers take part in the season-opening invitational for the third straight season.
 
Lancaster Bible played terrifically for large parts of the 2019 season, and reached a season-best ranking of ninth in the AVCA Top-15 Poll late in the season, but the Chargers season ended abruptly in the North Eastern Athletic Conference Final in mid-April, as Wells, who was a strong team all season long, defeated Lancaster Bible, 3-2 to earn the conference's bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.
 
Despite the upset loss in the NEAC Final, the Chargers finished with an overall record of 26-5, and were a perfect 10-0 during the regular season in NEAC action.
 
The 2020 squad features six seniors, and this group has seen a little of everything. A NEAC Championship, an NCAA Division III National Tournament berth, a loss in the NEAC Final, being ranked nationally for the first time, and a slew of five-set wins and losses. The 2020 seniors have an overall record of 75-19, and are 30-4 in NEAC play, and have not lost a conference match since the 2017 season.
 
In addition to the preview below, you can listen to Lancaster Bible Head Coach Jade Brubaker talk about the upcoming season on the Horse with No Name Podcast.
 
2020 Lancaster Bible Men's Volleyball Preview
 
Head Coach: Jade Brubaker (7^th season, 90-87 overall record)
Assistant Coaches: Julie Brubaker, Kasey Gentry (Lancaster Bible, '18), Garyd Martin (Lancaster Bible, '19)
 
2019 Record: 26-5 overall, 10-0 NEAC
2019 Postseason: Won NEAC Regular Season title…Defeated Keuka, 3-0 in the NEAC Semifinals…Lost to Wells, 3-2 in the NEAC Final
 
Returners
Seniors: Cameron Conkle (OH), Jacob Faust (MH), Kole Horst (OH), Colin McCabe (OH), Benjamin Herb (OH), Kurt Maysilles (L)
Juniors: Kyran Flahave (RS), Zach Keating (S), Phillip Maher (OH), Zeke Hallman (MH)
Sophomores: Daniel Keene, Hunter Davis, Reuben Kemrer (S), Joshua Hess (L), Konrad Martin (OH), Caleb Roberts (MH)
 
Newcomers
Freshmen: Tanner Shertzer (S), Caleb Horning (OH), Kevin Koch (MH), Elijah Herb (MH), Noah Miller (OH)
 
Losses to Graduation / Did Not Return
-Garyd Martin, Nicholas Wesley, Joshua Rotz, Daniel Kreider, Nate Miller, Kaleb Ansell
 
Program Notes
-The 2020 year marks the 17^th season in program history
-The Chargers have an overall record of 166-209 (.443) in 16 seasons of play, though the program does boast the aforementioned 75-19 record (.798) over the past three seasons
- Head Coach Jade Brubaker is just 10 wins away from his 100^th coaching victory at Lancaster Bible…The other seven coaches in Lancaster Bible history have a combined 76 career wins at Lancaster Bible
-Senior Kole Horst enters his final season in a Lancaster Bible uniform with 689 career kills, 452 digs, and 147 blocks
-Junior Zeke Hallman needs just nine blocks to reach 100 for his career
-Senior Kurt Maysilles needs 70 digs to reach 500 for his career
-Lancaster Bible will play 10 home matches at Horst Athletic Center this season
 
3 Questions for 2020
1. The Chargers are not messing around with their non-conference schedule this season, as the team plays four ranked teams, including several who are receiving votes or are perennially good teams…Can Lancaster Bible win some of those matches and set themselves up well for NEAC play, or will some of those matches reveal problems and cause issues for conference play?
 
2. While much of last season's team returns this year, there are changes, and players playing new positions or seeing extended time…How will those players respond? It was apparent the team was very deep at each position over the last two years, and appears to be again, but can those who were in rotation last year or on the bench play up to their potential for 30+ matches this year?
 
3. The non-conference matches will be exciting and will test the Chargers, but as Coach Brubaker said on the podcast during his preseason interview, it really comes down to Lancaster Bible and Wells in the NEAC…Who will play better during the regular season and earn home court in the NEAC playoffs? And what does the NEAC Final bring out of each team? Barring a surprise team making a big leap in the NEAC this season, it will be the Chargers and the Express meeting on April 11 either in Aurora, N.Y. or Lancaster, Pa. in the NEAC Final…What will happen?
 
Season Preview Podcast
-Head Coach Jade Brubaker talked about the 2020 season, as well as the team's missions trip to Brazil in early January, on the Horse with No Name Podcast this week.
 
Season Links
Team Roster
2020 Schedule
2019 Statistics
Program History