COLUMBUS, OH.- Fort Valley State University's men's volleyball team is making history once again as it heads to the NCAA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Championship Tournament, hosted by Ohio State University.

During a press conference held by Ohio State and the NCAA, Head Coach Larry Wrather alongside Isaiah Fedd, Jaxon Hicks and Kevin Charles talk about team culture and what this means.

"This is a prideful moment for our town, our school, and our conference," said Wrather. "One of the biggest improvements for this team has been understanding that they belong here. It's about setting the culture."

Now in just its fourth season, the FVSU program has made remarkable progress, earning back-to-back championship appearances it's a testament to its strong foundation and team unity.

"We started with nothing. Now we're back-to-back champions and 12-0," said Charles. "These guys have each other's backs. If one goes down, the others step up. It's like a family."

Charles emphasized the team's confidence and mindset heading into the tournament: "We know our capabilities and how we match up. If we play with confidence, we can regulate the game and show the world what we're capable of at our peak. I'm excited, exhilarated and it's a special feeling."

Fedd, one of the Wildcats' key leaders, highlighted how FVSU competes with heart and intensity, even when undersized compared to upcoming Long Beach State University. "Yeah, we may not have the same height, but we make up for it by competing aggressively and applying pressure with our serve," Fedd said.

With two weeks to prepare since claiming the SIAC title, the Wildcats have been focused on film study and refining their game plan. "It's been about locking in on the details studying film, schemes, and how we want to play," said Hicks.

Coach Wrather pointed to serve receive and handling high-pressure moments as key areas of focus. "We're not trying to be perfect just giving ourselves balls we can fight for," he explained. "Against a server hitting 84 miles per hour, it's about playing smart, playing defense, and sticking together."

"Believing in ourselves and our teammates is everything," said Hicks. Fedd added, "It's okay if people aren't at 100% every day. What matters is having each other's back and that's what makes this team so close. We're family."

The Wildcats kick off their 2025 tournament appearance with Long Beach State in the tournament opener on Thursday, May 8 at 5 p.m.