The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's club volleyball team finished the season 28-3 at the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation Division II National Championship.
The Blue Gold finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation in Division II and won two national championships in the past three years. Nick Fine, who won MVP honors for the Nationals, emphasized the role the team's close bond played this season.
“We've said all year that not only were we the best team in the country this year, but there was no other team that was as close to us,” Fine said. “They are now lifelong friends of mine.”
At the national tournament, all seven Blue Gold starters received All-National Honors, including four second-team players and two first-team players. The Blue Golds also received the Wisconsin Volleyball Conference Team Achievement Award.
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“It was great for us as a club to have everyone win these awards,” Fine said.
One of the storylines surrounding the championship match was that it would be against UW-La Crosse, the team they faced in the past two national championships. The Blue Gold defeated Vienna University Lacrosse in 2022, but will be eliminated in the championship in 2023.
Mason Mortimer reflected on how his team bounced back from losing the 2023 National Championship.
“We never expected to lose the way we did in the Championship,” Mortimer said. “We all went back to work and back to the gym.”
While club volleyball is an opportunity for students to play their favorite sport and have fun, Blue Gold has built a culture of winning with families who strive to compete with each other every day.
“Being able to work together towards a common goal. We all set the standard at the beginning of the season,” Mortimer said. “Being able to live up to those standards and achieve the goal of winning a national championship at the end of the season is probably one of the best feelings. It's a lot of fun when you do it with your best friends.”
Mortimer and Fine said the team loves spending time with each other. This continued friendship spills over into the courtroom and is the driving force behind their long-term success.
For Fine, his goal was to win a national championship and dedicate it to his twin sister, who is battling cancer this year. It meant a lot to Fine to be able to do that and have her attend.
“Personally, after everything she's been through this year, being able to win and dedicate it to her meant the most to me,” Fine said.
Mason Mortimer, a second-teamer on the national team, wasn't on the team his freshman year, and in fact, he wasn't even a student at UC Eau Claire. Mortimer attended Maryville University in Missouri and played on the NCAA Division I volleyball team, finishing second on the team with 191 kills.
Mortimer came to Eau Claire not knowing anything about the students, but heard about how competitive the club volleyball team was and how successful they were. Mortimer has found the perfect blend to play on the team here in Eau Claire.
“The level of volleyball is still very high, but the detention time has been significantly reduced. I go to volleyball to enjoy club activities,” Mortimer said.
Although the team is in the offseason, they are participating in open gyms with the women's club volleyball team on campus, and anyone interested is welcome to attend.
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