Loyola University Chicago Athletics

Inside a sold-out Gentile Arena on May 3, 2014, the Loyola men’s volleyball team made history by capturing the university’s first-ever NCAA men’s volleyball national title and just the second NCAA championship across all Loyola sports. Competing in front of their home crowd, the Ramblers defeated Stanford University in four sets (25-17, 19-25, 25-19, 25-15), becoming only the fourth program to win an NCAA championship on its home floor.

The 2014 Ramblers posted a remarkable 29-1 overall record, the best single-season mark in program history. Their .967 winning percentage ranks tied for seventh in NCAA Division I-II history. Loyola dominated the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) with a perfect 14-0 record and remained undefeated on the road (10-0), a feat still unmatched by the program.

That season, Loyola led the nation with NCAA records in kills per set (13.98), hitting percentage (.366), and assists per set (13.05). Cody Caldwell was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, while Peter Hutz and Joe Smalzer joined him on the NCAA All-Tournament Team. In the championship match, Caldwell tallied 20 kills and 10 digs, with Smalzer and Thomas Jaeschke each adding 12 kills and eight digs. Hutz directed the offense with 47 assists as Loyola hit an impressive .452 in the final.