Jan. 12, 2007

CHICAGO - The 13th-ranked Loyola University men's volleyball team begins its 2007 season against the Lindenwood Lions at 4 p.m. on Saturday in Alumni Gym. The Ramblers were ranked 13th in the College Sports Television/American Volleyball Coaches' Association Preseason Coaches' Poll and are seeking their third consecutive MIVA regular-season championship and first-ever MIVA Tournament championship in 2007. Loyola was picked to finish third in the Preseason MIVA Coaches' Poll, following Ohio State and preseason favorite IPFW.

The Ramblers are coming off a 2006 campaign in which they won their second consecutive Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association regular-season championship with an 11-1 MIVA record and finished 23-7 overall.

Loyola welcomes back a talented mix of experienced veterans and youthful players. Senior middle blocker James Grunst and classmate Brian Guntli are already present in Loyola's record books and combine with Volleyball Magazine's seventh-ranked recruiting class for 2007 featuring George Kamberos, the Illinois high school all-time leader in career kills (1,126).

The Ramblers own a 5-0 advantage over the Lions in the all-time series. Each of the five previous meetings have been in Alumni Gym but this is the second time the two schools have met in a season-opening match. Loyola won last season's opener 3-1, on Jan 14. Loyola has lost only two games in the all-time series: the second game of last season's match and the third game of its 3-1 victory on March 17, 2000.

Lindenwood advanced to the first match of last season's NAIA National Invitation Tournament before losing to California Baptist. The Lions defeated Missouri Baptist 3-1 (30-20, 30-17, 25-30, 30-24) to win the Mid-America Men's Volleyball Intercollegiate East Conference championship thanks to outside hitter Joe Deimeke's match-high 20 kills.