Elgin, IL – Second-seeded Judson University took home the second-ever NCCAA Men’s Volleyball National Championship on their home court, defeating #1 Redeemer University 3-0 to take the best-of-three series 2-0 on Saturday April 25.
 
Match Two: #2 Judson University 3, #1 Redeemer University 0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-16)

• Both teams traded points early, as kills from Redeemer’s Jack Demik and Jonah Heidbuurt were answered by Judson’s Jacob Smith and Mason Snodgrass to tie the first set 8-8. The Royals took advantage of a trio of errors by Judson, and a Ben Brouwer kill put Redeemer ahead 14-10. The Eagles answered in kind as a kill and a block from Ramsey Vuorenmaa got Judson back into the match, before a Smith kill tied the set at 17 points apiece. A pair of Redeemer errors put Judson on top, and a pair of Snodgrass aces pushed the lead to 23-20. Grant Shipley ended the set with authority, as his kill gave Judson set one 25-22 to go ahead 1-0.
• Both teams went back and forth to open the second set, before a block from Vuorenmaa and Shipley sparked a burst for Judson, as two kills from Snodgrass and Shipley pushed the Eagles ahead 14-7. A kill from Silas Breukelman stopped the run, and after a pair of Judson errors, a kill from Jeremiah Zomerman helped Redeemer cut the lead to 15-12. Snodgrass added another kill for the Eagles, and an ace from Jackson Otto and a Vuorenmaa kill put Judson ahead 22-17. Vuorenmaa added two more kills to end the set, as Judson rolled to the 25-18 win and took a 2-0 lead.
• Early errors helped Judson jump ahead 4-1, but two kills from Simon Bourne cut the Eagle lead to 9-7 in set three. The law office of Shipley and Vuorenmaa added a pair of kills and then teamed up again for a block, before a kill from Reece Thompson to swell the Eagle advantage to 15-10. Four more Royal errors pushed the Judson lead ahead, and another Vuorenmaa kill gave the Eagles their largest lead of the match, going ahead 22-14. A Breukelman kill extended the set for Redeemer, but Shipley ended the match and clinched the national championship for Judson with a kill of his own, as the Eagles took the set 25-16 and the match 3-0.
• Snodgrass led the Ealges with 13 kills, adding three assists, two aces, one block assist, and four digs. Vuorenmaa added six kills, four block assists and seven digs in the win, while Shipley stuffed the stat sheet with six kills, five block assists, and four digs.
• The national championship win for men’s volleyball is the first for the Eagles and is the second different sport to win an NCCAA title at Judson, with men’s soccer having won seven NCCAA championships previously, the last coming in 2024.

Mason Snodgrass of Judson University was named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. To see a full list of award winners for men’s volleyball, click here.

About the NCCAA
Established in 1968, the National Christian College Athletic Association uses intercollegiate athletics to further the Great Commission and is committed to equipping student-athletes and coaches to make a positive impact for Christ. The NCCAA currently holds 23 national championship events, along with one national invitational for 88 member schools across 28 states and two Canadian provinces. For more information on the NCCAA, visit our website, thenccaa.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram at @thenccaa.