Ball State Men's Volleyball finish Homestand 4-0

Cardinals extend win streak to 9 games, sit atop MIVA standings

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Ball State Men's Volleyball team finished their opening homestand in conference play with a perfect 4-0 record, including wins over No. 12 McKendree and Lindenwood. The Cardinals have now won 9 straight matches and sit atop the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) standings with a 12-1 overall record.

Why it matters

Ball State's strong start to conference play positions them as an early favorite to win the MIVA title and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Volleyball Tournament. The Cardinals are looking to build on last season's success and make a deep postseason run.

The details

The Cardinals defeated McKendree 3-1 and then followed that up with another 3-1 win over Lindenwood. Despite going down 1-0 against Lindenwood, Ball State never wavered and was able to bounce back and win the next three sets. Head coach Mike Iandolo was pleased with how his team responded after some slow starts, saying they were able to 'buckle down' and play their disciplined style of volleyball.

  • Ball State defeated McKendree on February 12, 2026.
  • Ball State defeated Lindenwood on February 13, 2026.

The players

Mike Iandolo

Head coach of the Ball State men's volleyball team.

Patrick Rogers

Senior outside hitter for the Ball State men's volleyball team.

Wil Basilio

Outside hitter for the Ball State men's volleyball team who recorded 25 kills across the two matches.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We were just feeling them out in [set 1]. We just played together and had fun and that was the most important thing for sure.”

— Patrick Rogers, Senior Outside Hitter (ballstatedailynews.com)

“Stayed together as a team. Losing that first set, we could have gotten down on ourselves, but we came back hard on that second set.”

— Wil Basilio, Outside Hitter (ballstatedailynews.com)

“It is a huge feeling, really good because it is kind of proving ourselves. [It] solidifies us as the top team in the MIVA which we always love to see.”

— Wil Basilio, Outside Hitter (ballstatedailynews.com)

What’s next

The Cardinals will now travel to Ohio State on Feb. 19 to take on the Buckeyes followed by a matchup in Kentucky on Feb. 21 to take on the Northern Kentucky Norse's.

The takeaway

Ball State's strong start to conference play has established them as the team to beat in the MIVA. Their ability to bounce back from slow starts and play disciplined volleyball has been the key to their success so far this season as they look to make a deep postseason run.