Off the Block

Category: Ball State Cardinals

  • The 2013 Ultimate Christmas Gift List for volleyball fans

    Let’s be honest, when Christmas shopping it’s not always easy to find that volleyball-theme gift for that college volleyball fan in your life.

    With the Christmas shopping season beginning this week, Off the Block has scoured the internet to create the 2013 Ultimate Christmas Gift List for college volleyball fans. Everything from books and retro NCAA Tournament shirts to great volleyball stocking stuffers made the cut to this year’s list.

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  • Video: Former Ball State teammates Nelson, Ebel make transition to coaching

    It was just four years ago that Billy Ebel and Anders Nelson led the Ball State to the MIVA championship match, but Saturday in Nashville the two former all-conference teammates were facing each other.

    Nelson as an assistant coach with the No. 19 Kentucky women’s volleyball team helped guide Kentucky to a sweep against Lipscomb and his former college teammate and roommate Ebel, who is a Lipscomb women’s volleyball assistant coach.

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  • Harvard adds more non-conference matches vs. MIVA schools for 2014

    Harvard will increase its non-conference strength of schedule for the upcoming season with more matches against the MIVA.

    The Crimson recently unveiled their 2014 schedule that features a program-record four non-conference matches versus MIVA opponents, including the school’s first meetings with Ball State and Ohio State

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  • Top 10 storylines from college men’s volleyball during the summer

    So much for a quiet off-season summer in college men’s volleyball.

    The last three months produced everything from the announcement of what conferences will have to participate in the new NCAA Tournament play-in match to schools scheduling big non-conference matches for the upcoming season. Check out the top 10 college men’s volleyball storylines from the summer.

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  • Ball State, George Mason to renew non-conference series in 2014

    After a one-year break, Ball State and George Mason will renew their non-conference series beginning next season.

    Off the Block was informed via email Monday that the two teams during the upcoming regular season will continue one of the nation’s longest standing non-conference series as Ball State will travel to play George Mason.

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  • Ball State promotes Palilonis to new full-time assistant coach

    A longtime Ball State volunteer assistant coach has received a promotion the upcoming season.

    Ball State coach Joel Walton announced Wednesday that Jim Palilonis was named a full-time assistant coach for the 2014 season.
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  • The Volleyball Debate now available for people to purchase

    Readers can begin to purchase “The Volleyball Debate,” the newest ebook written by Off the Block editor and national award winning college men’s volleyball reporter Vinnie Lopes.

    “The Volleyball Debate” focuses on the Ball State University men’s volleyball team and Hall of Fame coach Don Shondell overcame opposition from school officials in the 1960s to emerge as one of the first varsity college volleyball teams in the nation.
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  • New book about Shondell, Ball State volleyball to be released Monday

    A new book will be released next week examining the controversial start to the Ball State University men’s volleyball team in the 1960s.

    “The Volleyball Debate” focuses on how the Hall of Fame coach Don Shondell and his players almost 50 years ago overcame opposition from school officials to become one of the first varsity college volleyball teams in the nation.
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  • Volleyball Magazine reveals 2013 Player of the Year, All-American teams

    There is a split decision this year to the National Player of the Year.

    BYU outside attacker Taylor Sander was named the 2013 Volleyball Magazine Player of the Year — one month after the All-American junior lost the AVCA National Player of the Year honor to Long Beach State outside attacker Taylor Crabb. (more…)

  • Off the Block Fan Choice Player of the Year: First-round voting

    Off the Blocked selected and seeded the 65 players in a bracket, and now it is up to the fans to determine who should win the Off the Block Fan Choice Player of the Year.

    The Fan Choice Player of the Year recognizes the best individual performances from NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball players during the season and gives volleyball fans from around the world the chance decide the winner through online voting.


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