Red Devils Finish Runner-Up in Silver Bracket at NCVF Championships

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Eureka men's volleyball team capped its inaugural season with a runner-up finish in the silver bracket at the 2026 NCVF Division II Championships, closing the year with a 38-9 overall record.

Eureka opened the tournament in dominant fashion, cruising through Group G pool play on Thursday. The Red Devils swept Saint Mary's (Calif.) (25-14, 25-11) and South Dakota State (25-20, 25-18) before earning a three-set victory over Sacred Heart (25-18, 20-25, 15-12), a team receiving votes in the latest NCVF Top 25 poll. The 3-0 showing secured Eureka the top spot in the group and a berth in Championship Power Pool S.

In Friday's power pool action, Eureka battled but came up just short in both matches, falling to San Francisco in three sets (25-17, 22-25, 12-15) and No. 15 Parker (28-30, 22-25). Needing a top-two finish to advance to the gold bracket, the Red Devils instead moved into the silver bracket.

Eureka responded with a strong showing in bracket play, beginning with a quarterfinal rematch against Sacred Heart. The Red Devils earned a 25-16, 22-25, 15-7 victory to advance to the semifinals, where they faced another program receiving votes in the NCVF Top 25 Poll in UMBC. After dropping the opening set, Eureka rallied for a 26-28, 25-21, 15-12 win to punch its ticket to the silver bracket championship match.

In the title match, Eureka faced Xavier but fell in straight sets, 14-25, 23-25, to finish as the silver bracket runner-up.

Following Friday's matches, head coach Noah Ray was named NCVF Coach of the Year, recognizing his leadership in guiding the Red Devils to a 38-9 overall record and a perfect 18-0 mark in Midwest Plains Volleyball Conference play during the program's first season.

Saturday's championship match marked the final appearance in a Red Devil uniform for Eureka's lone senior, Jake Potter (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg Christian).