STORY COURTESY OF SOUTHERN VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
It was a Monday night spectacle at the Cregger Center in Salem, as the Southern Virginia University men's volleyball team competed in its first National Championship match against Springfield College.
An electric atmosphere, fueled by well over 1,000 Southern Virginia faithful, propelled the Knights to a historic victory, clinching the first NCAA Division lll Championship in University history with a sweep of the Pride.
After the match, Head Coach Tom Peterson shared his gratitude for those who made the hour drive to support the team.
"The crowd I think gave us a couple of points at the end. It's hard to express how thankful we are for the support from everybody."
Christian Sheaffer, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, was quick to embrace former teammate and brother, Tyler, after the final point. He went on to describe what fueled the Knights to a sweep in the biggest match of the year, just one season after a heartbreaking loss in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
"Seeing him unable to get off the floor after that loss was difficult. We were not going to have that again. We did this for our team, for our school, and I was doing this for my brother."
Sheaffer led the team with 13 kills, while Kristo Bianchin and Kyler Evans each held a hitting percentage of over .500 to help the attack. Justin Madsen and Jayton Hall recorded 12 and 10 digs respectively, and Gehrig Tolman finished with 36 assists.
Game Recap
In the opening set, the Knights played at a blistering pace that was difficult for the Pride to keep up with. Kyler Evans and Jeremy Brown helped Southern Virginia race out to a 12-4 advantage, leaving over a thousand rowdy Knight fans on their feet.
Following a historic performance in the semifinal where he recorded 11 blocks, Kristo Bianchin was a key source of energy for the Knights. He got his hands on plenty of Springfield attacks and took part in a couple of blocks early on.
Springfield attempted to mount a comeback, but the early deficit was too much and the Knights hung on for a 25-20 set one win. In the second, Tom Peterson's squad showed the resilience that had gotten them to the final. Despite falling behind, the Knights remained in touch and eventually gained a late three point lead after Gehrig Tolman connected on a pass from Jayton Hall to record his third kill.
After a kill from Bianchin, the Knights had Springfield on the brink of defeat, a set away from a first ever national title. In the third and potential final frame, Gehrig Tolman found the hot hands of Christian Sheaffer and Jayton Hall. Springfield did its best to stave off defeat, but a big swing from Bianchin clinched the title and the celebration was on.
All-Tournament Accolades
Jeremy Brown, Justin Madsen, Gehrig Tolman, and Christian Sheaffer were recognized as part of the all-tournament team for the final four. Adding to a busy trophy cabinet, Sheaffer showed why he was the National Player of the Year and was named Most Outstanding Player.
Brown, a senior outsider hitter, shared his thoughts on what the championship means to him. "We won this game because of momentum. This is for every individual that puts in work and for the many people that drove here to support us."
The victory has the team and thousands of Southern Virginia supporters basking in the glory that has been over 25 years in the making. 2025 will remain a season of lasting memories, and Southern Virginia University men's volleyball will be recognized as a team for the ages.
Finally, Head Coach Tom Peterson put a wrap on the magical season. "I'm not sure you can describe it, you can only feel it. I'm not sure I could imagine anything better than winning a championship with these guys."
