Matthew Muhlnickel of Lincoln-Way East is starting to lose count of how many national development camps he has attended.
He had to pause before answering.
“I think it happened four or five times,” he said.
The 6-foot-4 junior outside hitter may have had trouble remembering those numbers, but he has a pretty strong memory of how tough the competition was.
And how great his performance has been.
“It's a great experience,” Muhlnickel said. “It's definitely great for my development. It's very intense and very competitive because you're playing against the top players in the country. It's great volleyball, isn't it?
“I definitely feel like I'm with them. My passing has gotten a lot better. I've learned to take shots around the big guys. I think it's going very well.”
Mulnickel also believes he has a chance to make the U.S. U-19 junior national team in 2025.
“My ultimate goal is to make the national team,” he said. “I would say I'm right there. I'm probably one of his fourth or his fifth guys, so I'm trying hard to get up on that list.”
But first, Muhlnickel and senior outside hitter Trey Marek are working hard to get the young Griffins (20-9) back on track with the postseason looming.
Heading into this week, Muhlnickel and Marek combined for 413 of the team's 718 kills.
The team has been on a roller coaster ride this season, but one of the highlights was winning the tournament title in Fishers, Indiana. It was the first time the team won the tournament since 2019.
The host Griffins were also satisfied with their third-place finish at the Lincoln-Way East Invitational Tournament, which concluded on April 27th. However, in the four games since then, they have won one and lost three.
“It's definitely been a crazy season,” Muhlnickel said. “Winning the Fishers Tournament was huge for us. But there were also a lot of downs. I think we can definitely go far this year.
“At the beginning of the season, a lot of teams counted us out. We lost seven seniors and a lot of schools thought we weren't going to be this good. People thought we were going to win the state title. I didn't think we would be a candidate, but I think we have a great chance to go far.”
The Griffins are the top seed in the Collinsville Sectional subsection.
Lincoln-Way East coach Chris Fiore has praised Mulnickel's growth over the past two years. He feels playing against the nation's elite players has been a big help.
“His experience with kids at that level gives him confidence,” Fiori said. “He's playing at the highest level of the game. He's seen those kids, and he's just as gifted in his athleticism.”
After the high school season ends, Mulnickel's summer will be filled with the club's pursuit of a national championship. In July, she will compete in a national tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, as a member of the USA Volleyball Great Lakes Region U19 team.
I would also choose a university if possible.
He already has offers from Lindenwood, George Mason, Purdue-Fort Wayne and Lewis. He could wait for more offers to come along, but he's leaning toward getting it done sooner rather than later.
“At this point, we're hoping to speed up the decision a little bit,” Muhlnickel said. “It's a lot of pressure to play, but I still have it in the back of my mind and wonder what I'm going to do with the rest of my life.
“I think it’s great to make a decision right away.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.