In a tournament defined by relentless competition, the Dartmouth men’s club volleyball team found itself tested from the very first serve. Competing against hundreds of teams at the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation Tournament in Kansas City, M.O., the team faced some of the strongest club volleyball programs in the country.
Over three days, the team competed in a two-pool play bracket tournament. The strong level of play was immediately apparent.
“There were no bad teams,” captain Ethan Greenberg ’26 said. “The lowest-ranked team we played, we still went to a full three sets with them… it was just endless, relentless.”
That intensity defined the weekend. Dartmouth battled through pool play to earn a spot in the Silver Bracket, eventually advancing to the quarterfinals. Their run ended there in a gritty tiebreak set, falling 9-15 to the University of Maryland-Baltimore’s A-team.
For players, nationals represented both the culmination of their season and an environment unlike that of any other tournament.
“It’s probably the coolest volleyball tournament in the country because of its social aspect,” Greenberg said. “It’s like a high school reunion… getting to support your friends, getting to all go out for dinner after and just a whole week of that to wrap up the season.”
While the national stage was the season’s peak, the team’s confidence was forged months earlier during their New England Collegiate Volleyball League games. Despite playing in a conference featuring powerhouses like Bentley University, the team signaled their potential early on with a historic win over Boston College in January.
“We beat BC in straight sets for the first time… and they’re definitely one of the best teams in our league,” Daniel Westphalen ’28 said. “We were definitely really hyped to start off our season like that.”
That success was a product of the team’s unique, “self-regulated” structure, Chris Harvey ’28 said. Unlike varsity programs, the club is entirely student-run, so “captains are essentially our coaches” and design practices that balance technical drills with high-energy scrimmaging, he explained.
Practices typically include drills, skill work and scrimmages, often with a specific focus for improvement.
“We’ll have a goal of the day… and then usually the bulk of the practice will be playing and scrimmaging,” Greenberg said.
That structure requires a high level of accountability from players, but it also creates a sense of ownership that carries into matches.
Players repeatedly pointed to team chemistry as the defining feature of the program.
“Our team is a really good mix of competition, but also fun,” Westphalen said. “We take it seriously on the court… but off the court, we can always laugh and have fun with each other.”
Harvey echoed Westphalen’s sentiment about the “balance” between competitiveness and fun. “We take ourselves seriously in practices and games… but it’s not too stressful… and the team is super close outside of volleyball,” he said.
So close, in fact, that Greenberg likened the team to a “family.” “You’ve got older brothers on the team showing the younger brothers the ropes… that chemistry, that ‘I’ve got your back no matter what happens,’” he said.
That dedication to the team was made evident at nationals. The team could only roster 15 players, despite having more than 15 people interested in going. Several players not on the roster traveled solely to support their teammates.
“It just speaks to how awesome the experience is that we have people that are willing to take off 3 days of class, fly across the country and not even play because they love the team,” Harvey said.
For many, that bond creates the team’s most memorable moments on and off the court. Westphalen recalled a huge win over Harvard University in January where the “vibrant” bench energy carried them to a sweep, and Harvey emphasized informal games played on the Green as defining parts of the experience.
The team now turns toward the future. As seniors — including key leaders like Greenberg — graduate, younger players are preparing to step into larger roles. Still, the program’s foundation remains unchanged.
“Our main goal every year is to just be better than we were last year,” Greenberg said.
For a team built on both competition and camaraderie, that goal extends beyond wins and losses, reflecting a culture that players say defines their Dartmouth experience.
“It almost feels like I’m graduating this team… just as much as the school,” Greenberg said.
Gabriella Messina ’27 is a sports writer. She is from Rye, N.Y. and is majoring in Engineering and minoring in French. On campus, Gabriella is on the club lacrosse and taekwondo teams. She is also a member of the 2027 class council.
