Listen Here
By Andrea Hoffman
hoffmana1@findlay.edu
With a 22-4 record overall and postseason momentum on their side, the University of Findlay’s volleyball team is preparing to make a statement as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference tournament approaches. The Oilers host Thomas More (11-14 overall, 7-8 in the conference) Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. in the conference tournament quarter-final.
The Oilers dropped out of the top 25 national ranking Monday, Nov. 17 after spending a week at the No. 25 spot. As of Nov. 9 the NCAA ranked the Oilers as No. 2 in the Midwest Division II regional rankings.
“We have some great senior leadership and most teams that are very successful start with great senior leadership,” head coach, Wick Colchagoff, said. “We do things a little bit differently. We don’t have captains. What we do is we have a leadership council.”
That leadership structure has helped the Oilers maintain focus through a grueling schedule and multiple five-set matches. The council, made up of veteran players across positions, serves as a bridge between the coaching staff and the rest of the roster, setting the tone for preparation, accountability, and team culture.
“Our leadership council is voted on by the team. As someone who votes for leadership council, I make sure to choose people who are trustworthy, show confidence, and also leadership weather it is on the court or off,” Kirsten Bomholt, junior outside hitter, said. “I believe this helps our team chemistry by taking the load of coach-player confrontation off of the entire team which inevitably makes the team chemistry much higher.”
Findlay joins Cedarville and Ohio Dominican as the three G-MAC teams featured in the debut poll. The Oilers sit at 13-2 in the conference, sitting at the top of the north division in the G-MAC.
With three regular-season games before the G-MAC tournament, Findlay is focused on tightening up details and keeping their success alive.
“We want to finish really strong and give ourselves the best chance at hosting the conference
tournament this year,” Colchagoff said.
This year’s G-MAC title race has been highly competitive, with multiple teams boasting 20-win seasons. The Oilers’ schedule allows them to play almost every team in the conference twice, which has posed challenges but also learning experiences for the squad. Still, Findlay’s blend of veteran experience and dynamic offense has set them apart.
“That’s really been a big part of our success in terms of teaching is not being afraid to make errors,” Colchagoff said. “It’s sometimes tough, early in the season, we played Tiffin, and we just had one week in between the time we played again. Our team is pretty flexible in terms of our offensive play concept, and so it gives us a chance to work on some of those concepts that we wouldn’t necessarily use on a regular basis, and that’s how we’re successful in those situations.”
Last year, the Oilers brought home the first G-MAC title in program history and had their first-ever appearance in the NCAA regional final. The Oilers concluded the 2024 season with a 29-4 record, marking the most wins in a season since 2018.
If the Oilers maintain their current pace, they are positioned to have another historical finish.
“This year we are all about team first, and yes we have a lot of girls returning from last year, but it feels like an entirely different team,” Bomholt said. “Last year’s success has really pulled into perspective how far we can make it into the NCAA tournament and we are hoping to return this year and make it even further than what we did last year.”
The NCAA will release updated regional rankings weekly until the final Division II playoff bracket announcement on Monday, Nov. 24.
