Ultimate Volleyball Club Boys’ Program Enjoys Continued Success

New Lenox IL

21 April, 2021

10:57 AM

Description

Ultimate Volleyball Club’s boys’ program has qualified three teams for the USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships held this summer in Kansas City, Missouri. During the unconventional, pandemic-modified 2020-21 season, teams from the Frankfort-based club competed in national qualifier events throughout the Midwest. In February the 16 Gold team, coached by Boys’ Director Joe Hovanes and Jake Walenga, clinched its bid by winning the highly competitive Open division at The Dennis Lafata Bid Classic in St. Louis. At the Boys’ Winter Volleyball Championships held in January in Indianapolis, the 15 Gold team, coached by Matt Murphy, and the 17 Blue team, coached by Nick Lilley, secured their spots at Nationals, earning bids in the Open and USA divisions, respectively. This season marks the twentieth year of competition for Ultimate’s boys’ teams. Earning over 20 top-ten national finishes, six national championship match appearances, and 64 All-American player awards, the club has fixed its place among the elite boys’ volleyball clubs nationwide. In its inaugural year in 2001, the boys’ program fielded three teams. The club hoped to provide an environment for boys in the south suburbs to learn the game at an advanced level in preparation to compete collegiately. Since those early days, the club has grown to nearly twenty boys’ teams, ranging from 12U through 18U, and has helped over 170 boys receive scholarships to play volleyball collegiately. Most recently, four of these Ultimate alumni – Gene McNulty, Zach Bulthies, George Kougan, and Matt Slivinski – were named to the 2021 NCAA Division III All-American team for their contributions to their college programs this season. Boys’ Director Joe Hovanes credits the club’s consistent high achievement not only to the talent and dedication of the club’s players, but also to the professionalism and experience of the coaching staff. Because many of the club’s coaches are former Ultimate players themselves, they are invested in building on the club’s tradition of rigorous training. The staff and players look forward to competing in Kansas City in July and hope to cap this season with yet another strong national showing.