SWANNANOA, N.C. — The Carolina University Bruins Men's Volleyball team opened the 2026 season with a strong road performance, earning a 3–1 victory over Warren Wilson on Monday night, January 19, in a 6 p.m. match at DeVries Athletic Gymnasium.
Under second-year head coach Jake Boldog, the Bruins began a new chapter with a retooled roster that features four returners and eight newcomers. With a full offseason together and a year of experience under the coaching staff, Carolina showed early signs of growth and cohesion in its season opener.
Carolina took control early, winning the first set 25–22 before responding to a narrow second-set loss with back-to-back wins in sets three and four (25–15, 25–20) to secure the match. The Bruins posted a .204 team hitting percentage and outpaced Warren Wilson in kills (43–34), assists (41–29), and total points (57–41).
Freshman Sam Gruver led the attack with a match-high 18 kills while hitting an efficient .654, adding multiple blocks and service pressure throughout the night. Logan Hall followed with 11 kills on .391 hitting, and Fritz Hall chipped in across all phases with kills, digs, and blocks. Setter Kai Jamerson orchestrated the offense with 35 assists, helping Carolina maintain balance and tempo.
Defensively, the Bruins recorded four total team blocks and limited Warren Wilson to a .173 hitting percentage. Carolina also held the advantage in serve-receive and transition play, capitalizing on key runs in sets three and four to pull away.
Head coach Jake Boldog emphasized the importance of the opener for a young but motivated squad.
"For our first match of the season, I was really pleased with our effort and composure," Boldog said. "We have a lot of new faces, but the guys competed hard, trusted each other, and executed when it mattered. This is a solid first step as we continue to build and grow together this season."
With the season-opening win, Carolina University improves to 1–0 on the year and will look to carry the momentum forward as the Bruins continue their early 2026 slate as they travel to Randolph-Macon College on Friday January 23 for a 7pm match.
