MEN'S VOLLEYBALL vs. GRAND CANYON 
WHEN: Friday, January 13 | 7 p.m. ET 
WHERE: Fairfax, Va. | The RAC
RECORDS: Mason (0-0), Grand Canyon (2-0) 
HOW TO WATCH: ESPN+ or follow on Live Stats

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason Men's Volleyball team will open its season with the Patriot Invitational against Grand Canyon tomorrow, Jan. 13 at 7 P.M. and Ohio State on Sunday at 3 P.M.
 
The Patriots finished last season with a record of 13-15 including finishing sixth in the EIVA Conference with a 7-9 record.
 
Head Coach Jay Hosack returns for his eighth season alongside his assistant Joe Norton who is in his seventh. Junior Jack Bolz and Omar Hoyos along with freshman Georgi Zahariev have been named captains of the team. The Patriots return 13 players including the team's leaders in kills, set assists, blocks and digs along with five new freshmen.
 
During the 2022 season, Jack Bolz, a redshirt junior, led the team in kills with 348 over the course of the season, averaging 3.55 a set. Last season, he was recognized as an EIVA All-Academic selection, 2nd team All-EIVA member and took home three EIVA player of the week awards, two for offense and one for defense.
 
Troy McDonald, a sophomore, recorded the most set assists with 705, averaging 8.70 a set. Another returning sophomore, Lucas Little, led the team in blocks tallying 88 over the course of the season with 1.05 per set and earned a EIVA defensive player of the week award.
 
Junior Omar Hoyos led the team in digs with 193, averaging 1.84 per set. He was also recognized as an EIVA All-Academic selection, 2nd team All-EIVA member and took home two EIVA offensive player of the week awards.
 
Mason is 33-14 (.702) all-time in season openers, including a 5-2 record under head coach Jay Hosack.
 
Scouting #9 Grand Canyon (2-0, 0-0 MPSF)
 
Grand Canyon finished last season with a 16-12 record going 6-6 in MPSF play. They return with their team leader in kills Camden Gianni (348, 3.70 per set), assists Nicholas Slight (791, 9.20 per set), digs Cole Udall (228, 2.21 per set) and blocks Colin Lovejoy (59, 0.76 per set).
 
They have started off their season with two straight wins against Lindenwood.
 
The Patriots lead the all-time record 6-4 against the Antelope.
 
Scouting #14 Ohio State (2-0, 0-0 MIVA)
 
Ohio State finished last season with a 13-14 record going 7-7 in MIVA play. They are headlined by Jacob Pasteur who led the team in kills with 417 and was second on the team in blocks with 59. He was also named to the First Team All-MIVA. Noah Platfoot returns as well who led the team with 1,022 assists with 10.53 assists per set.
 
They have started off the season going 1-1 with a win against Central State and a loss at the hand of #4 Penn State.
 
The Patriots are losing the overall series record 27-33 against the Buckeyes.