NAPERVILLE — The 2026 men’s volleyball season is underway, and the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) wasted little time making a national impression. Opening week delivered ranked teams, record-setting performances, dramatic comebacks and early statistical leaders as CCIW programs set the tone in non-conference play. 
 
The first CCIW Men’s Volleyball Notebook of the season recaps the week that was, highlights standout individuals and units and looks ahead to a busy late-January slate.
 
Three's Company: CCIW Giants Claim National Territory
The opening week of the 2026 men’s volleyball season underscored the league’s national presence, with three programs appearing in the AVCA Division III Top 20 Poll. No. 2 Carthage led the way with a 3-0 start, followed by No. 14 Loras (2-0) and No. 20 North Central (1-0). 
 
Carthage, the preseason favorite to repeat as conference champion, opened the year with straight-set wins over Lakeland, Benedictine and MSOE. Illinois Wesleyan also made an early statement, opening 4-0 to match the best start in program history before suffering a narrow loss in its fifth match in six days. 
 
At week’s end, Carthage, Loras and North Central stood tied atop the league standings with unbeaten overall records.
 
The Marathon at River Forest and Titan Turnarounds
The first week featured dramatic moments and historic endurance, highlighted by Illinois Wesleyan’s road match at Concordia Chicago last Thursday. The Titans earned a 3-1 victory, despite dropping a marathon third set, 44-42, to the Cougars – the longest set in IWU history and tied for the second-longest in NCAA Division III history. Illinois Wesleyan responded with a 25-17 fourth-set win and set a program record with 64 kills in a four-set match. 
 
That same evening, North Central delivered its own statement performance, rallying from a two-set deficit to defeat Illinois Tech. The Cardinals dropped the opening sets 25-23 and 25-18 before winning the final three, fueled by a standout collegiate debut from freshman Elijah Landeros, who recorded 24 kills.
 
Freshman Phenoms and Statistical Fireworks
Individual performances quickly pushed several CCIW student-athletes into the national conversation. North Central freshman Elijah Landeros leads the conference in kills per set (4.80) and points per set (5.00), ranking third and fifth nationally, respectively. 
 
Carthage senior Ryan Bartz has been equally efficient, pacing the league with a .474 hitting percentage, which ranks eighth in Division III, while also sitting seventh nationally in points per set (4.94). 
 
Illinois Wesleyan’s Aydin Provost earned CCIW Hitter of the Week honors after recording 21 kills in a three-set win over Lakeland, breaking the school record for kills in a three-set match while hitting .531. Collectively, the conference opened non-conference play with a 10-2 record during the season’s first seven days.
 
Fortress of the Duhawks: A Masterclass in Net Defense
Defense emerged as a defining theme, particularly for No. 14 Loras, which features two of the nation’s top blockers. James Pirocanac leads the CCIW and ranks second nationally with 1.50 blocks per set, while teammate Roman Rothermel follows closely at 1.43 blocks per set, fifth-best in Division III. Rothermel was named CCIW Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week after posting a career-high seven blocks in a season-opening sweep of Benedictine last Saturday. 
 
In the back row, North Central’s Brannen Almarales leads the league and ranks second nationally with 4.20 digs per set. As a team, Carthage has established itself as the conference’s most stingy defensive unit, limiting opponents to a .071 hitting percentage through its first nine sets.
 
Setting the Standard: Master Facilitators Rewriting Records
Elite setting has driven the league’s early offensive success, with multiple student-athletes reaching historic benchmarks. North Central’s PJ Vaughan distributed 52 assists in the comeback win over Illinois Tech, tying for the fourth-most in a single match in program history and placing him fourth nationally at 10.40 assists per set. 
 
Illinois Wesleyan’s Ethan Kuziela added his name to the record book with 39 assists in a five-set win over Wisconsin–Stevens Point, then followed with a three-set school record of 37 assists against Lakeland. 
 
At Carthage, senior Ryan Morey continued his steady climb up the career charts, reaching 1,194 career assists after totaling 28 in a sweep of MSOE on Tuesday.
 
Looking Over the Horizon: Upcoming Battles and Matchups
The early momentum carries into a busy late-January slate. No. 2 Carthage travels to Concordia Wisconsin on Thursday, while No. 20 North Central opens a homestand against Concordia Chicago that same night. 
 
North Park (0-1) looks for its first win of the season with a Thursday road match at Edgewood. Action continues Friday as Augustana makes its season debut at Dominican, and No. 14 Loras visits MSOE. 
 
The weekend concludes with Illinois Wesleyan hosting a Saturday tri-match with No. 10 Aurora and Trine, while North Central faces a key non-conference test against Benedictine.