The top MIVA middle attackers from the last 25 years have been selected for a new conference honor.
Off the Block announced Wednesday the 30 middle attacker finalists for the MIVA Quarter-Century Team.
The MIVA Quarter-Century Team recognizes the top players who competed in the conference at any point between the 2001 season and 2025 season. The finalists from each position will be unveiled this week and then the MIVA Quarter-Century Team will be announced later this fall.
Off the Block selected the finalists for the MIVA Quarter-Century Team using a variety of metrics including career and season statistics, conference and national honors and a team’s overall achievements with the player on the court.
The MIVA is the oldest conference in college men’s volleyball and is one of seven leagues in the nation that receives an automatic berth to the Division I-II NCAA Tournament. The conference also in the last 25 years has won six NCAA championships.
Off the Block is a national award winning website that launched in 2011 and is the nation’s leader in college men’s volleyball coverage.
MIVA Quarter-Century Team finalists (middle attackers)
Matthew Denmark, Ball State (2000-03)
Conference accolades: 2003 First-Team All-MIVA; 2001 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2002 Second-Team All-MIVA
Felix Egharevba, Ball State (2019-23)
National accolades: 2022 National Blocker of the Year finalist; 2022 All-American Honorable Mention
Conference accolades: 2021 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2022 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2023 Second-Team All-MIVA;
Paul Fasshauer, Ball State (1999-02)
National accolades: 2002 First-Team All-American
Conference accolades: 2001 First-Team All-MIVA; 2002 First-Team All-MIVA
J.D. Gasparovic, Ball State (2008-11)
Conference accolades: 2008 MIVA Newcomer of the Year; 2009 First-Team All-MIVA; 2010 First-Team All-MIVA; 2011 Second-Team All-MIVA
Matt Leske, Ball State (2011-14)
National accolades: 2013 National Blocker of the Year finalist; 2014 National Blocker of the Year finalist; 2014 Second-Team All-American
Conference accolades: 2014 First-Team All-MIVA; 2013 Second-Team All-MIVA
Matt McCarthy, Ball State (2006-09)
Conference accolades: 2008 First-Team All-MIVA; 2007 Second-Team All-MIVA
Andres Nelson, Ball State (2009-11)
National accolades: 2011 National Blocker of the Year finalist; 2011 Second-Team All-American
Conference accolades: 2011 First-Team All-MIVA; 2010 Second-Team All-MIVA
Matt Walsh, Ball State (2015-18)
National accolades: 2015 National Blocker of the Year finalist; 2017 National Blocker of the Year finalist; 2018 National Blocker of the Year finalist; 2018 All-American Honorable Mention; 2015 Freshman All-American Team
Conference accolades: 2017 First-Team All-MIVA; 2018 First-Team All-MIVA; 2016 Second-Team All-MIVA
Aaron Flick, Lewis (2008-12)
Conference accolades: 2012 First-Team All-MIVA; 2011 Second-Team All-MIVA
Matt Gallik, Lewis (2008-12)
Conference accolades: 2010 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2011 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2012 Second-Team All-MIVA
Tyler Mitchem, Lewis (2018-22)
National accolades: 2022 Ryan Millar Award; 2021 Ryan Millar Award finalist; 2020 Ryan Millar Award finalist; 2019 Ryan Millar Award; 2022 National Blocker of the Year; 2022 Division II National Player of the Year; 2021 Dain Blanton Diversity Award; 2022 Dain Blanton Diversity Award; 2019 Dain Blanton Diversity Award finalist; 2020 Dain Blanton Diversity Award; 2020 First-Team All-American; 2021 First-Team All-American; 2022 First-Team All-American; 2019 Second-Team All-American; 2018 Freshman All-American Team
Conference accolades: 2019 First-Team All-MIVA; 2020 First-Team All-MIVA; 2021 First-Team All-MIVA; 2022 First-Team All-MIVA; 2018 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2018 MIVA All-Freshman Team
TJ Murray, Lewis (2017-21)
National accolades: 2020 All-American Honorable Mention; 2021 All-American Honorable Mention; 2018 Freshman All-American Team
Conference accolades: 2019 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2020 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2021 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2018 MIVA All-Freshman Team
Billy Sahagian, Lewis (2006-09)
Conference accolades: 2009 First-Team All-MIVA; 2007 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2008 Second-Team All-MIVA
Jacob Schmiegelt, Lewis (2013-17)
National accolades: 2016 All-American Honorable Mention
Conference accolades: 2016 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2017 All-MIVA Honorable Mention
Bobby Walsh, Lewis (2013-16)
National accolades: 2015 National Blocker of the Year; 2016 First-Team All-American; 2015 Second-Team All-American
Conference accolades: 2015 First-Team All-MIVA; 2016 First-Team All-MIVA; 2013 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2014 Second-Team All-MIVA;
James Grunst, Loyola (2004-07)
National accolades: 2006 First-Team All-American
Conference accolades: 2004 MIVA Newcomer of the Year; 2004 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2005 First-Team All-MIVA; 2006 First-Team All-MIVA; 2007 First-Team All-MIVA
Dan Haas, Loyola (2000-03)
Conference accolades: 2001 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2003 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2002 Third-Team All-MIVA
Jeff Jendryk, Loyola (2015-18)
National accolades: 2016 Ryan Millar Award finalist; 2017 Ryan Millar Award finalist; 2018 Ryan Millar Award finalist; 2017 National Blocker of the Year finalist; 2017 First-Team All-American; 2018 First-Team All-American; 2015 Second-Team All-American; 2016 Second-Team All-American; 2015 Freshman All-American Team
Conference accolades: 2016 First-Team All-MIVA; 2017 First-Team All-MIVA; 2018 First-Team All-MIVA;2015 Second-Team All-MIVA
Nicodemus Meyer, Loyola (2022-25)
National accolades: 2025 National Blocker of the Year; 2025 Ryan Millar Award finalist; 2025 Second-Team All-American; 2024 All-American Honorable Mention
Conference accolades: 2025 First-Team All-MIVA; 2023 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2024 Second-Team All-MIVA
Nick Olson, Loyola (2013-16)
National accolades: 2014 All-American Honorable Mention; 2016 All-American Honorable Mention
Conference accolades: 2014 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2016 Second-Team All-MIVA
Wyatt Dimke, McKendree (2018-21)
Conference accolades: 2019 First-Team All-MIVA; 2020 First-Team All-MIVA
Brendan Schmidt, McKendree (2015-18)
Conference accolades: 2018 First-Team All-MIVA; 2016 All-MIVA Honorable Mention; 2017 All-MIVA Honorable Mention
John Albertson, Ohio State (2006-09)
Conference accolades: 2006 MIVA Newcomer of the Year; 2006 First-Team All-MIVA; 2007 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2009 Second-Team All-MIVA
Driss Guessous, Ohio State (2014-17)
National accolades: 2014 Second-Team All-American; 2017 All-American Honorable Mention; 2014 Freshman All-American Team
Conference accolades: 2014 MIVA Newcomer of the Year; 2014 First-Team All-MIVA; 2017 Second-Team All-MIVA;
Kevin Heine, Ohio State (2008-11)
Conference accolades: 2011 First-Team All-MIVA; 2010 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2009 MIVA Tournament MVP
Blake Leeson, Ohio State (2016-19)
Conference accolades: 2019 First-Team All-MIVA; 2018 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2016 All-MIVA Honorable Mention
Cole Young, Ohio State (2022-25)
National accolades: 2023 All-American Honorable Mention; 2024 All-American Honorable Mention
Conference accolades: 2023 First-Team All-MIVA; 2024 First-Team All-MIVA; 2025 First-Team All-MIVA
Josh Stewart, Purdue Fort Wayne (2005-08)
Conference accolades: 2007 First-Team All-MIVA; 2006 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2008 Second-Team All-MIVA; 2006 MIVA Tournament MVP
Serdar Sikca, Purdue Fort Wayne (2003-06)
Conference accolades: 2004 First-Team All-MIVA; 2005 First-Team All-MIVA; 2006 First-Team All-MIVA
MIVA Quarter-Century Team finalists (middle attackers)
Matthew Denmark, Ball State (2000-03)
Felix Egharevba, Ball State (2019-23)
Paul Fasshauer, Ball State (1999-02)
J.D. Gasparovic, Ball State (2008-11)
Matt Leske, Ball State (2011-14)
Matt McCarthy, Ball State (2006-09)
Andres Nelson, Ball State (2009-11)
Matt Walsh, Ball State (2015-18)
Aaron Flick, Lewis (2008-12)
Matt Gallik, Lewis (2008-12)
Tyler Mitchem, Lewis (2018-22)
TJ Murray, Lewis (2017-21)
Billy Sahagian, Lewis (2006-09)
Jacob Schmiegelt, Lewis (2013-17)
Bobby Walsh, Lewis (2013-16)
James Grunst, Loyola (2004-07)
Dan Haas, Loyola (2000-03)
Jeff Jendryk, Loyola (2015-18)
Nicodemus Meyer, Loyola (2022-25)
Nick Olson, Loyola (2013-16)
Wyatt Dimke, McKendree (2018-21)
Brendan Schmidt, McKendree (2015-18)
John Albertson, Ohio State (2006-09)
Driss Guessous, Ohio State (2014-17)
Kevin Heine, Ohio State (2008-11)
Blake Leeson, Ohio State (2016-19)
Cole Young, Ohio State (2022-25)
Josh Stewart, Purdue Fort Wayne (2005-08)
Serdar Sikca, Purdue Fort Wayne (2003-06)