By Emily Anastasio
Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wisconsin was rocking this past Saturday night as the hometown heroes, the Carthage Firebirds, swept the defending NCAA Division III men’s volleyball champions, Southern Virginia, to make it back to the Final Four of the 2026 tournament. This is the first time the Firebirds have a spot in the tournament’s semifinals in four years, and under the bright lights of Blake Arena this upcoming weekend, they will renew an old rivalry and in their quest to get back to the top of the Division III men’s college volleyball mountain.
Carthage is no stranger to this prestigious tournament, making 10 appearances since it first began in 2012. This year will be its fifth time taking a trip to the semifinal round of the tournament, a tough feat to accomplish in just 10 appearances. The last time the Firebirds moved on to the Final Four was in 2022, the year that they won their second-straight NCAA championship, the first coming in close but exciting fashion just the year before.
Led by Head Coach JW Kieckhefer, this season for the Firebirds has been quite the impressive one. Their overall record on the season stands at 24-3 and they posted an 8-2 record away from home, an advantage that will help them in Blake Arena’s hostile environment.
Kieckhefer joined Carthage men’s volleyball program as the head coach in 2019. Kieckhefer was essential to the Firebirds winning their back-to-back national championships, leading them to an undefeated 23-0 season in 2021 and a 24-3 season in 2022, identical to their current record.
The coaching staff at Carthage has been key to the success of the team, but the players have exploded this year to make their mark on the entire division. One of the standouts of the season for the Firebirds has been senior outside hitter, Ryan Bartz. He leads the team in kills (317), aces (43) and digs (153). Bartz has made an instant impact as a transfer, including recognition on the AVCA All-America first-team as one of the top outside hitters in the country.
Carthage’s climb back to the top of Division III men’s volleyball takes its final stop in Blake Arena right here on Alden Street, a familiar venue for the Firebirds, but one that they have not played in for 14 years. In the very first NCAA Division III men’s volleyball tournament in 2012, Carthage faced off against Springfield in the finals, but were ultimately swept by the Pride in quick fashion. A decade later, they faced Springfield once again, in the very same position as the first, but this time, taking the win and the championship on their own home turf. Should the Firebirds and the Pride come out of their semifinal matchups on top, we could potentially be seeing the rubber match in their story play out right before our eyes.
The Carthage College Firebirds will take on the Wittenberg University Tigers this Thursday at 7:30 PM in Blake Arena at Springfield College. While this is their first time facing the Tigers in the NCAA tournament, the Firebirds have a long-standing rivalry against them, dating all the way back to 2016 and Carthage has won all six matchups, and won 18 of 19 total sets. However, the Tigers knocked off the No. 2 team in the country, Juniata, on the road, and are playing their best volleyball of the season ahead of the big dance. With the Firebirds entering the final four as the No. 3 ranked team in all of Division III men’s volleyball and Wittenberg knocking off two nationally ranked teams to make it to this round, it is sure to be a can’t-miss matchup.
Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics