BABSON PARK, Fla. (February 1, 2018) – Warrior fans, it's time to come out and support your Webber International University men's volleyball team.

The Warriors are entering their very first season of official NAIA competition in 2018, and Webber is hoping to provide the fans with an exciting first season.

"We have a good mix of returners and newcomers that should be able to come together and have some success this year," said Head Coach William McPhee.

Webber will open its inaugural campaign as a member of the new Southeast Athletic Conference (SAC), which features schools from other leagues across the country such as The Sun Conference, the Mid-South Conference, the Appalachian Athletic Conference, the River States Conference and the Southern States Athletic Conference. In 2019, Webber and the rest of the SAC will compete in the 10-team Mid-South Conference, which will become the sixth conference to offer men's volleyball as a sport.

"We play in a difficult conference, both in playing-level and geographically, which will present some issues for us as we go through the year, but the men seem up for it, and it will be a great challenge," added McPhee.

In addition to opening ups its season with the Warner-Webber Spring Invitational against SAC opponents Brewton-Parker College (Friday, Feb. 2; 1 p.m.), Bluefield College (Friday, Feb. 2; 7 p.m.) and Cincinnati Christian University (Saturday, Feb. 3; 7 p.m.), the rest of Webber's new conference schedule will feature multiple matches with No. 7 Warner University, St. Andrews University and Campbellsville University. The Southeast Athletic Conference Men's Volleyball Tournament will be held from April 5-7 in Campbellsville, Kentucky.

Including Webber's rival school from across the lake (Warner) which comes in at No. 7 in the latest NAIA Men's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Top 10 Poll, other nationally ranked opponents the Warriors will face during their first NAIA season will be No. 6 Cardinal Stritch University and No. 9 Lourdes University. Clarke University, another team Webber will square off against this season, is currently the top team receiving votes in the national poll.

Returning players from last year's club team for Webber include five sophomores, middle blocker Jack Chernak, outside hitter/right-side hitter Chris Ludwig, libero Steven Bartlett, defensive specialist Trevor Johns and outside hitter Christian Alvarez-Rivero.

"We have five returners from our club team last year, and they are all doing a great job of bringing the freshman and newcomers along in the new system," concluded McPhee. "With as young as we are and with as little game-experience as we have as a team, I honestly expect every single person on this roster to be a difference-maker at some point during our season. Men's volleyball rosters are traditionally smaller rosters than most sports, so everyone on the roster is called upon to impact a game. We certainly have All-American caliber players on our roster, but everyone on the team will be a difference-maker in one way or another."

One of those potential All-American candidates is newcomer Liam Gilchrist (outside hitter; Miami, Fla.), who has impressed Coach McPhee both in practice and in exhibition action. Other freshman looking to make an immediate impact for the Warriors will be right-side hitter/outside hitter Zachary Ayala from Cerritos, California; setter Kyle Robertson from Coconut Creek, Florida; middle blocker Cesar Remedios from Miami, Florida; outside hitter/setter Justin Beecher from Orlando, Florida; and setter Tim Rouch Jr. from Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Select Webber men's volleyball matches will feature live stats and live video of the action, so check out our Stretch Internet and Live Events pages for all of the details.