GLR Well Represented at NCAA Final Four

The 2013 Men's College Volleyball NCAA Final Four kicks off tonight at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion. The first semifinal features No. 2-seeded UC Irvine against No. 3-seeded Loyola-Chicago . The second semifinal will pit No. 1-seeded BYU against No. 4-seeded Penn State.

As if elite men's volleyball isn't exciting enough, we have a few more things to be excited about. Eleven and three things to be exact. Eleven is the total number of GLR alumni that play for one of these final-four teams. Three is the number of final-four teams carrying GLR alumni.

How cool is that! 

Loyola's roster boasts an impressive seven GLR alum. 

Diego Rodriquez (Oak Park, Ill./D1 VBC) is a freshman setter at Loyola. Click here to read his bio. 

Matt Phillips (Minooka, Ill./D1 VBC) is a red-shirt sophomore opposite at Loyola. Phillips earned MIVA Academic All-Conference honors in 2011 and 2012. Click here to read his bio.

Danny Podkowa (Glenview, Ill./D1 VBC) is a junior middle blocker at Loyola. Podkowa earned MIVA Academic All-Conference honors in 2011 and 2013. Click here to read his bio. 

Joe Smalzer (Palos Heights, Ill./ Ultimate) is a red-shirt junior opposite hitter at Loyola. Smalzer was recently named MIVA Player of the Year, MIVA All-Conference First Team and Off the Block/Springbak Server of the Year. Smalzer was named AVCA All-America Second Team in 2012, MIVA All-Conference First Team in 2011 and 2012 and MIVA Freshman of the Year in 2011. Additionally, Smalzer garnered MIVA Academic All-Conference accolades in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Click here to read his bio. 

Eric Daliege (Orland Park, Ill./Ultimate) is a red-shirt senior middle blocker at Loyola. Daliege earned MIVA Academic All-Conference honors in 2009-2012. Click here to read his bio.

Thomas Jaeschke (Wheaton, Ill./ Mizuno Sports Performance) is a freshman outside at Loyola. Jaeschke earned MIVA Freshman of the Year and All-Conference accolades. He also earned MIVA All-Conference First Team honors. Click here to read his bio.

Kevin Maxwell (Chicago, Ill./D1) is a junior setter at Loyola. Click here to read his bio. 

Penn State carries three former GLR standouts.

Matt Callaway (Wheaton, Ill./ Mizuno Sports Performance) is a freshman middle blocker/opposite at Penn State. Click here to read his bio.

Zack Parik (Woodridge, Ill./ Mizuno Sports Performance) is a freshman setter Penn State. Click here to read his bio.

Spencer Sauter (Woodridge, Ill./Mizuno Sports Performance) is a freshman outside hitter at Penn State. Click here to read his bio.

BYU carries a lone GLR alum on their roster.

Russ Lavaja (St. Charles, Ill./ Mizuno Sports Performance) is a red-shirt senior middle blocker at BYU. Lavaja garnered AVCA All-America Second Team honors and was named All-MPSF First Team in 2012. Lavaja earned All-MPSF Second Team his red-shirt junior season. Click here to read his bio.

In addition to our seven GLR alum competing, GLR's own Joseph Gustafson (Ultimate) has been selected to line judge at the NCAA Final Four. Joseph is a USA Junior National Official, a coach with Ultimate and a player/team rep with the Men's AA team Aim To Kill.

Good luck to all! You're making us proud.