SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - Lawrence Tech men's volleyball enters the 2026 campaign with a clear identity as the team to beat in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, even as the Blue Devils adjust to new leadership on the sideline. Ranked No. 1 in the WHAC preseason poll after capturing back-to-back conference tournament titles and last year's regular-season crown, the Blue Devils open the season with the expectation of contending on both the league and national stages once again.
The program's recent track record sets a high bar. Lawrence Tech has reached the national tournament in each of the past two seasons and is coming off a 27-3 campaign, the winningest season in program history. That success now transitions to a new era with Gustavo Heidrich taking over as head coach following the departure of former head coach Jacob Paige. Heidrich inherits a roster accustomed to winning and competing deep into the postseason, and the preseason forecast suggests little drop-off is expected.
On the floor, the Blue Devils will again lean on a balanced, international-heavy lineup that has become a hallmark of the program. Sophomore setter Pedro Aguiar, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, returns as a key piece after earning AVCA All-America honorable mention recognition last season. With his ability to distribute in system and create one-on-one opportunities at the net, Aguiar anchors an offense that features size and versatility at the pins and in the middle.
Aguiar's setting corps is supported by additional depth in the position with returners such as Troy Horvath and Mario Cid, while the Blue Devils' attacking options include outside hitters Gabriel Alves, Gustavo Machado and Andres Vega, plus opposite hitter Noah Lippman. In the back row, libero Pol Cupons provides stability in serve-receive and defense, while middle blocker Yegor Volkov brings length at the net. The mix of skill sets across the roster gives Heidrich multiple lineup combinations as he shapes the Blue Devils' identity in his first season in charge.
Lawrence Tech's schedule offers early tests that should sharpen the Blue Devils for WHAC play. The season begins with a home opener against Georgetown College (Ky.) on Jan. 22 at Don Ridler Field House, followed by another home date with Life University on Jan. 23. A neutral-site matchup against William Penn University in Sylvania, Ohio, and a home contest versus Hope College add to a front-loaded slate before the Blue Devils travel to Chicago for the Saint Xavier Tri-Match, where they will face Saint Xavier and St. Thomas University.
Conference play opens Feb. 3 on the road at Cornerstone, followed by another WHAC test at Aquinas on Feb. 6, signaling the start of the Blue Devils' title defense. With a proven core led by Aguiar, a history of recent success and a preseason No. 1 conference ranking, Lawrence Tech enters 2026 positioned to extend its run as a WHAC power while beginning a new chapter under Heidrich's direction.
