No.12 Ohio State Volleyball Wins MIVA Opener

Buckeyes sweep newcomer Northern Kentucky in conference debut

Feb. 5, 2026 at 8:47pm

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The No. 13 Ohio State men's volleyball team opened its Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) campaign with a 3-0 victory over newcomer Northern Kentucky on Thursday at Regents Hall in Highland Heights, Kentucky. The Buckeyes improved to 4-3 overall and 1-0 in MIVA play with the sweep of the Norse, who fell to 1-3 on the season.

Why it matters

Ohio State is one of the perennial powers in men's college volleyball, having won 23 MIVA regular season titles and 16 MIVA tournament championships. The Buckeyes are looking to bounce back after a 4-3 start to the season and get off on the right foot in conference play.

The details

Ohio State cruised to a 3-0 victory over Northern Kentucky, winning the match by set scores of 25-19, 25-20, 25-18. The Buckeyes hit .348 as a team in the match, led by 11 kills from opposite hitter Jacob Pasteur. Setter Mitch Vargas dished out 35 assists to guide the Ohio State offense.

  • The match took place on Thursday, February 6, 2026.
  • It was the MIVA opener for both Ohio State and Northern Kentucky.

The players

Ohio State

The No. 13 ranked men's volleyball team that competes in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA).

Northern Kentucky

The men's volleyball team that is a newcomer to the MIVA conference, having a 1-3 record entering the match.

Jacob Pasteur

The Ohio State opposite hitter who led the Buckeyes with 11 kills in the match.

Mitch Vargas

The Ohio State setter who recorded 35 assists to guide the Buckeyes' offense.

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What’s next

Ohio State will continue its MIVA schedule on Saturday, February 8 when it hosts Lindenwood at St. John Arena in Columbus.

The takeaway

The Buckeyes opened their MIVA campaign with a convincing sweep of newcomer Northern Kentucky, showing their conference dominance as they look to contend for another MIVA title this season.