The Hiram Terriers men’s volleyball squad started their season 0-1, but Coach Kyle Martini is confident that Hiram’s best is still yet to come as the team enters a new chapter with a new coach at the helm.
As The Villager previously reported, the Terriers (0-1, 0-0) will be on their third coach in three years but will have a familiar face taking the helm, as the 2025 graduate is remaining with the program where he spent three years as a player, including being a member of the 2023-2024 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference tournament title team.
In Martini’s first year as coach, he has inherited a team that returns only two starters who saw significant playing time last year, as the team graduated seven seniors and is ushering in eight freshmen.
As far as the first-year coach is concerned, Hiram has the perfect mix of youth and leadership, which also allows the program to begin a new era in a new system.
“The biggest thing that I can say about all of those guys is that they have really bought in no matter if they were somebody like Derek Chiang who was in the top three in the conference in points per set last year or if they didn’t contribute at all, either way they have all very much bought in and are all willing to go to work each day with the mindset that we are going to get better each day,” noted Martini.
Hiram fields only two starters this season, senior middle blocker Derek Chiang and junior libero Dakotah Welsh.
The 6-foot-6 Chiang returns after averaging 3.26 kills, 0.38 blocks, and 0.21 assists per set in 24 matches, being named to the All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference First Team last year.
This year, Chiang will take on a new role after spending last season as an outside hitter.
“Derek is a very steady presence for us,” said Martini. “I can put him out there anywhere whether it is from outside to right side, to setter. I can put him at Libero if I have to. He is very even keeled. He is willing to do anything that the team needs this year.”
The 6-foot-1 Welsh returns for his junior season after averaging 0.39 kills, 0.22 assists and 1.68 digs in 27 matches’ last season.
“He is our best ball control guy, so he really plays a vital role for us,” noted Martini. “He set the three-match record for digs against Penn State-Behrend on Jan. 20. He had 18 digs in three sets so the first game of the season, he is starting off hot and I can’t say enough about him.”
The rest of the Terriers’ starting line-up is comprised of first-year starters, as sophomore Darren Chiang will operate as the starting setter after recording 34 assists in seven matches last year off the bench.
“He has made a lot of improvements since the first time he stepped on campus last year. I think the biggest thing for me with him – this goes back to when I played with him – he and Derek are very similar in the sense that they bring that steady presence,” Martini said of the 6-foot-5 Darren. “They are always working in practice and always bring that can-do, will-do attitude.”
Senior right side hitter Colin Brooks will be in a starting role this season after tallying 0.51 kills, 0.54 blocks and 0.41 digs in 15 matches.
“He is one that I have been proud of with the way he has been able to bring that buy-in and bring that energy to practice every day,” Martini said of the 6-foot-2 senior.
Senior outside hitter Cullen Sivac will occupy a key role in the Terriers’ offense, coming off the heels of a junior season where he posted 1.27 kills, 1.32 digs and 0.19 blocks in 24 matches last season.
Hiram will feature two freshmen in the starting rotation. Liam Dwyer will serve as a middle blocker/right side hitter and Kekoa Tani enters the fold as another setting/right side hitter option.
Martini said that the Terriers’ service, receiving, and defense has already operated at a high level but still need to get a feel for their offense before it can take the PAC by storm. Although the Terriers are not as experienced a squad as they were last year, Martini is confident that they can be a major force in the conference once again.
“I think we have the makings of a team that can really compete, and I think we have the makings of a team that can really turn some heads in the PAC especially if the guys keep bringing this attitude of wanting to work every day,” he said.
The Terriers will hit the road and compete in a volleyball tournament at the Junker Center in Erie, PA beginning on Friday at 7 p.m.
