Lopes hit the road for Silver State Showdown

Friday, January 31

Reno, Nev.

8 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Belmont Abbey

Photo by: Nate Cochran

1/30/2025 3:35:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Showcase to feature 4 of 2024's tournament teams

By: Nathan Peters


No. 11 Grand Canyon Lopes (5-1)	vs	Belmont Abbey (1-2)	Fort Valley State (2-4)
		Friday, Jan. 31 8 p.m. at The Reno Convention Center	Saturday, Feb. 1 4 p.m. at The Reno Convention Center

The 11th-ranked Grand Canyon men's volleyball team is set for the Silver State Invitational, a boys volleyball event featuring matches with four 2024 NCAA tournament teams. GCU will face Belmont Abbey on Friday and Fort Valley State Saturday with No. 1 Long Beach State also in attendance.

Both matches will be streamed live on BallerTV.

3 THINGS TO KNOW

PERSONAL BESTS: The Lopes had career-best matches from graduate outside Karter Rogers (13 kills), junior Cole Ottmar (17 kills) and junior setter Jaxon Herr (43 assists) on Saturday.
BOUNCE BACK: GCU played its first five-set match Saturday against UC Santa Barbara Saturday after a Friday loss. The Lopes' last regular season loss came in 2024, which sent them on a six match win-streak into the national semi final with an MPSF Championship victory along the way.
HISTORY: The Lopes have never faced Belmont Abbey or Fort Valley State in program history.

SCOUTING

Belmont Abbey has averaged 9.64 digs/set through its first three matches, ranking ninth in the country. The Crusades are led by sophomore outside Zach Puentes who is averaging 2.55 kills/set, with the team leading the nation in attacks per set with 32.64. Fort Valley State is led by sophomore outside Isaiah Fedd who ranks fifth in the country in kills/set at 4.24 and seventh in points/set with 4.90.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Lopes will have a bye week before hosting No. 15 UC San Diego with Friday's match taking place at 6 p.m. and Saturday's at 7 p.m. both in the Global Credit Union Arena.