Firebirds Set for NCAA Semifinal Clash With Wittenberg

KENOSHA — The Carthage College men's volleyball team prepares for another trip to the national stage, taking on Wittenberg in the NCAA Semifinals on Thursday, April 23, at 6:30 p.m. The matchup marks Carthage's first meeting with the Tigers since 2023 and the program's third semifinal appearance under head coach JW Kieckhefer.

The Firebirds advanced to the final four with a pair of dominant postseason victories, sweeping No. 15 Dominican (Ill.) in the second round before knocking off No. 6 and defending national champion Southern Virginia, also in straight sets. Carthage enters the semifinal riding an eight-match winning streak and has not dropped a set since March 21. During that stretch, the Firebirds have hit .331 while averaging 13.92 kills per set.

Three Firebrids were named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America list, with Ryan Morey and Ryan Bartz earning AVCA First Team All-America honors, while Ben Heise secured Second Team recognition.

Morey, the CCIW Co-Setter of the Year and AVCA Region IV Player of the Year, paced the conference with 10.18 assists per set and totaled 794 assists this season, pushing his career total to 1,959. The senior recorded a season-high 50 assists against North Central (Ill.) on March 18 and has delivered 239 assists during the current winning streak, averaging 11.38 assists per set.
Bartz, named the CCIW Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year, led the league with 3.82 kills per set, ranking 13th nationally. He also sits 11th in the country in aces per set. A First Team All-CCIW selection, Bartz posted a season-high 21 kills against Stevens on Feb. 5 and matched his top serving performance with five aces against North Central (Ill.). Over the last eight matches, he has totaled 92 kills across 22 sets, averaging 4.18 kills per set.

Heise added to the Firebirds' offensive depth, ranking sixth in the conference with a .360 hitting percentage and fifth with 3.16 kills per set. Nationally, he stands among the top 30 in multiple categories, including kills, hitting percentage, and points per set. Heise recorded a season-best 20 kills against UC Santa Cruz on Feb. 13 and has contributed 77 kills during the current winning streak.

Additional contributions have come from Ryan Monahan, who has tallied 60 kills (2.86 per set), Hudson Sweitzer with 31 kills (1.48 per set), and Devon O'Callaghan, who has anchored the defense with 63 digs (2.63 per set).

As a team, Carthage ranks among the nation's best, sitting second in hitting percentage (.330), third in kills per set (13.21), and fourth in assists per set (12.25).

The Firebirds hold a 6-0 all-time record against Wittenberg dating back to 2016 and have not dropped a set to the Tigers since 2019. Under Kieckhefer, Carthage has earned two previous wins over Wittenberg, both in straight sets.

A watch party will be held in the Todd Wehr Center, with doors opening at 6 p.m. Admission is free, and concessions will be available at no cost through the first set.

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Players Mentioned

#13 Ben Heise: OPP; 6' 6"; Junior

#6 Ryan Morey: S; 6' 7"; Senior

#23 Devon O'Callaghan: L; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#14 Hudson Sweitzer: MB; 6' 5"; Sophomore

#16 Ryan Bartz: OH; 6' 5"; Senior

#17 Ryan Monahan: OH; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#13 Ben Heise
: 6' 6"; Junior
: OPP

#6 Ryan Morey
: 6' 7"; Senior
: S

#23 Devon O'Callaghan
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: L

#14 Hudson Sweitzer
: 6' 5"; Sophomore
: MB

#16 Ryan Bartz
: 6' 5"; Senior
: OH

#17 Ryan Monahan
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: OH