Get-To-Know: Men's Volleyball

CU Denver Men’s Volleyball is gearing up for their spring 2026 season, bringing together a group of 19 talented athletes, all united by discipline, dedication, and friendly competition. Coached by Ian Park, Ian hopes that every single one of his players performs their very best, and is ready to push them to compete at a D1 Club level for Nationals.

With only two set practices a week at our campus’s rec-center, the team trains hard, competes harder, and brings the energy every time they step out on the court. But that’s not all our Men’s Volleyball team brings – they’ve built a true sense of family, creating an environment built on playfulness, dedication, and accountability. Every single player shows up, ready to grow, learn, and push one another, and elevate the team together.

CU Men’s Volleyball is split into two different teams – A Team and B Team. With a flexible lineup, our Lynx athletes on both A and B team play roles that best suit their individual strengths. Both teams compete at the same tournaments, and sometimes even face off against one another.

Meet the players:

Thor Kuusivuori - Senior and Officer on the team | Pre-med Biochemistry Major. Position: Outside Hitter. Jersey #9

Thor joined Men’s Volleyball when he was a freshman. Having come from a background of playing volleyball in high school, he was excited to see that CU Denver also offered the opportunity to play. Tryouts was a great exposure to the team, and he really enjoyed the atmosphere it provided. “This team has been my base, and I made all my friends here at the university.” He currently holds an officer position on the team, and has learned quite a deal from his experience and responsibilities, especially in time management. Being a Pre-med and Biochemistry major, Thor is booked and busy. But he has learned to be diligent and mindful with how he uses his time, and balances it out between studying, school, and practice. He always shows up with a smile on his face, ready to push himself and his teammates on the court.

Logan Smith – Sophomore | Education Major. Position: Middle Blocker. Jersey #8

Logan committed to CU Denver because of the school’s accessibility and well-rounded academic offerings. Like Thor, he played volleyball in high school and decided to try out when he heard CU Denver had a club. Logan values the connections he has formed with his teammates, calling it a “brotherhood”. Travel trips have been a big difference between his experience playing in high school vs. now; from competing with clubs in-state and out of state, traveling for a tournament has been a little challenging to overcome. “Volleyball is different out there, like in California and Florida, the people out there are different. Everything’s a little bit tougher.” The community formed around volleyball is a little different, varying region to region or state to state, and Logan appreciates a good challenge to face off against.

As the season progresses, everyone is looking forward to watching the team improve. With new players on the team, and a new coach who is dedicated to helping grow and support the athletes, both Thor and Logan have expressed that they’re excited to witness the progress and to continue playing with everyone. Coach Ian has also expressed his enthusiasm for this semester, hoping to push past the challenges that the CU Denver community faces. “CU Denver has many students, even though many of them are online, we are considered a D1 school by population. The challenges of a commuter school are pretty harsh. We have a small in-person student body, limited outreach capabilities, limited practice times, and with everyone living far from campus, it can make it complicated. But I want to try and make those challenges work and worth it so we can play our game when we go to Kansas City!”

CU Denver Men’s Volleyball’s Tournament schedule:

CU faces their first tournament of the semester at UNC, February 8. Following that, they will be traveling to Mesa for Conference, which is set for March 6-8. HOME tournament/senior night will be held on March 10, and Nationals this year will be held in Kansas City, Missouri on April 4-5.

To support our Men’s Volleyball Team, we hope that you can come cheer on and attend our HOME GAME on March 10^th, which will be held at Lola & Rob Salazar Student Wellness Center, on the courts-floor2.

If interested in joining, please contact Ian Park at ian.park@ucdenver.edu