IMMACULATA, Pa. – The Immaculata men's volleyball team is ready to kick off the 2022 season as they are set to host King's College on Wednesday night in their non-conference home opener. Wednesday night's matchup will serve as the first of a full 21-game season for the Mighty Macs following their shortened 10-game season in 2021.
 
"We were fortunate to be able to play a short season last year during the pandemic," said head coach Rob Smith. "That will give us a slight edge over some teams that did not have a season. Having the opportunity to play last also made the guys excited and ready to play a full season this year."
 
That desire to play shone through during the Macs' preseason as well.
 
"We had a strong preseason this year," continued Smith. "Many of our athletes have played together in past years, so it did not take much time for the team to come together and begin to gel as a unit."
 
All but two members of the Macs' roster are returning veterans this season. Leading the charge are the Macs' three senior members: Matthew Lynn, Garrett Pepper, and Bryce Wiltbank. Pepper has served as a driving force on both sides of the ball for the Macs, leading the team in both kills (54) and digs (59) in 2021.
 
John Bohrer and John Carter add to the Macs' veteran core as the team's two juniors this season. In 2021, Bohrer led the Macs with eight aces on the season while also contributing with 32 kills, seven assists, and 49 digs.
 
Sophomores Jack Debes, Joe Martell, and Thomas Pierce fill out the Macs' returning roster. Martell acted as the team's main setter in 2021, earning a team-leading 132 assists on the season. The Macs' return is then completed by the two-person freshman class of Matthew Pfister and Brandon McClernan.
 
"We are excited to add Pfister and McClernan to the roster this season," said Smith. "They came into the preseason excited to be part of the team and have learned a lot over their short time here."
 
Following Wednesday's home match against King's, the Macs will hit the road on Saturday for a tri-match against Alvernia and Brooklyn. After a nine-game non-conference schedule to start the year, the Mighty Macs will begin their Continental Volleyball Conference schedule on Friday, February 11^th against Eastern Mennonite University.
 
"Our team has played together for a couple of year now and we have really created a family dynamic here. That family atmosphere is going to help this team to secure some wins and learn from their losses throughout the upcoming season," concluded Smith.