Spark

In its third season as a varsity program, its first under head coach Aaron Sagraves, the Calvin men’s volleyball team saw its focus on faith development and team chemistry spill onto the court in a record-breaking 21-5 campaign. 

The Knights won 14 games combined in the first two years of the program but built toward—and delivered—a standout third season. They entered the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League (MCVL) Tournament as the number 3 seed, reflecting a third-place regular season finish. They ended their season in the tournament final, losing 3–2 to Wittenberg University, who advanced to the NCAA III Final Four. Out of 130 NCAA III men’s volleyball programs across the country, Calvin finished the 2026 season ranked 31st after ranking 98th in 2025. 

Along with team success, Gabriel Laughlin ’25, who began a master’s degree in exercise science at Calvin, became the first Calvin men’s volleyball player to earn All-MCVL First Team honors. Juniors Nick Bultje, Brady Gudauskas, and Daniel Rua were each named All-MCVL Second Team.

Built on Faith and Academics

Sagraves took over the program in September 2025 and put in motion a program philosophy that prioritized faith development and academics to prepare student-athletes for life after college. That philosophy included pre-practice devotions, player-run Bible studies, and service projects that helped build team chemistry.

“We want to find young men who want that same philosophy as well as coming into a community where they will immediately have a brotherhood that will last for years,” Sagraves said.

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Laughlin is a founding team member who helped lead the club-to-program transition and finished his career as the men’s volleyball all-time kills leader (605). He expects that bond to follow him well beyond his final match.

“The volleyball team has brought me a brotherhood that is going to be with me for the rest of my life,” Laughlin said. “I have a hard time coming up with real, proper words that explain what this team means to me. I don’t think I could ever ask for a better group of guys to spend my life with and my time with here at Calvin.” 

Men's Volleyball on the Rise

Over the last three seasons, the Calvin program has seen the rise of men’s volleyball as a sport across the country, especially in west Michigan. Once a regional game with top talent hailing primarily from California and the Chicago, Illinois, area, the sport has experienced a Midwest expansion in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Wisconsin at the high school and collegiate levels, granting new opportunities to young players. 

Gudauskas, a native of Naperville, Illinois, has seen that rise over his three seasons with the Knights after growing up around the sport in a region that produces a significant number of NCAA Division I players. 

“Over the last few years, it’s been fun to watch the sport grow,” Gudauskas said. “We hosted a high school tournament [at Van Noord Arena] in April and, based on the skills of both players and coaches, it was evident that the game is growing. More than 20 teams showed out that day, which was cool to see because it wouldn’t have been possible several years ago. We’re blessed that Calvin volleyball has had a part in making the game known.” 

So what role will Calvin play in the growth of men’s volleyball going forward?

“The sky is the limit,” said Sagraves. “We have a compelling program to pitch to prospective student-athletes. We have great facilities, dedicated fans, and a world-class Christian education. I get excited every day to work with this program and university because, at the end of the day, sport brings people together, but faith gives direction to everything we do.”