Rockhurst Men's Volleyball opens the 2026 season with three matches in California and two matches in Hawaii. The Hawks face Vanguard on Thursday at 9 p.m. (KC time) in Costa Mesa, California and Concordia Irvine on Friday at 7 p.m. (KC time) in Irvine, California. Rockhurst finishes the weekend at UC San Diego on Sunday at 11 p.m. (KC time) in La Jolla, California.

The Hawks wrap up their road trip out west with two matches against the University of Hawaii on Jan. 14 and 16 in Manoa, Hawaii.

"I'm really excited about the elevated level of competition in our gym compared to last year," said second-year head coach Corey Marks. "Our guys are pushing each other every day in training, and I'm looking forward to seeing that intensity translate into matches this season."

Rockhurst posted a 19-11 record during its inaugural season, which was the highest win total for a first-year men's volleyball program in Division II in 2025.

"Last year was a great foundation, but this is a new team with over half the roster being new faces," Marks said. "We're not focused on being a second-year program, but we're focused on competing every day, preparing the right way, and giving our very best each time we step on the court."

The Hawks were picked to finish first in the inaugural GLVC Men's Volleyball Coaches' Poll. While Marks said it's certainly an honor for his team to be selected to win the league, the team's mindset remains simple.

"One day at a time, one opponent at a time, one point at a time," Marks said. "The GLVC is extremely competitive, and anything can happen on any given night. Our focus is on playing disciplined volleyball, taking care of our side of the net, and controlling what we can control."

Senior outside hitter Shay Spadaro and sophomore opposite hitter Lucas Tran headline the returnees. Spadaro led the team in points (349.5) and service aces (42), and was second on the team in kills (285). Tran led Rockhurst in kills (299) and was third with 21 service aces. Both Spadaro and Tran each earned Second Team All-IVA honors last season.

The Hawks also return junior setter Nathan Jacques and sophomore middle blockers Aron DeRoy and Daniel Mekonen. DeRoy was eighth in the nation in hitting percentage at 41.3 percent.

Middle blockers Wesley Yusk and Will Sutphen are the top newcomers. Yusk comes to Rockhurst from Lewis as a graduate while the Hawks welcome Sutphen from Ohio State as a redshirt freshman. Yusk and Sutphen bring MIVA experience and key depth to this year's team.

"If you ask the team, they'll tell you the goal is to win the GLVC — and of course that's a big one," Marks said. "But our broader vision is to continue building this program into a nationally recognized name in men's volleyball. The team shows up and works hard every day to make that a reality."