The Irvine Valley men's volleyball team's schedule for 2023 has been released and the Lasers open the season on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at home against Antelope Valley at 6 p.m.
The Lasers, under the direction of new head coach Rory Jones, will play nine home matches during the regular season.
Irvine Valley is led by returning first team all-Orange Empire Conference libero Adam Schulte.
Jones was named the new head coach of the men's squad last fall.
He takes over a program that has had a ton of success, not only with wins and four state championships, but with moving players on to the next level.
Legendary coach Tom Pestolesi started the program and then Ryan Windisch took over. Pestolesi retired this past summer and Windisch, who led the IVC men to a state title appearance in 2019, will continue to coach the women's indoor team and take over the women's beach duties.
Jones is more than ready to lead the men's program.
He helped the Irvine Valley men's team win a state title in 2007. The Lasers had a record of 17-2 overall and were the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference champs.
IVC upset Long Beach City in five sets (15-13 in the fifth) to win the state title.
Jones played along some of IVC's best-ever players with Peter Johnson, Sean Grubbs, Tyler Rex, Kaleo Baxter, Adam el-Rakabawy, Ted Slaughter and Bryan Simmons.
That squad was coach by Pestolesi and current NCAA Division I head coach at George Mason Jay Hosack.
Jones went on to compete with NCAA Division I Long Beach State and has been a part of volleyball his whole life. He has coached at the high school and club levels and then at IVC.
He has been an assistant coach for the Lasers on the men's side for the previous four years with Windisch and had taken over a lot of the specific practice training.
"I am very happy that Rory will be our next men's coach," Windisch said. "He has been right by my side for the past four seasons and was a huge part of our success during those years.
"Being a former IVC player himself, he knows the standards that should be held when running a great program like this is.
"It will be fun to watch him bring some more of his own coaching style to the program and I wish him all the best."
Irvine Valley, which returns 2022 all-conference libero Adam Schulte and star outside hitter Demetre Gossett from the 2021 OEC-championship squad, finished with a record of 17-5 overall last season and went 5-2 in the Orange Empire Conference.
The team made the state playoffs and swept Santa Monica in the first round before losing to Orange Coast in three sets in the state semifinal at El Camino.
"I am fired up," Jones said. "We have several returners and a lot of new guys that we can't wait to see play.
"I want to continue what I have learned under coach Pesto and then build on what myself and Ryan (Windisch) have done over the last few years. Our goal is to be competitive and one of the top teams in So. Cal., challenge in the Orange Empire Conference and make another run in the playoffs."
The full Irvine Valley 2023 schedule can be seen here
After the contest with Antelope Valley, Irvine Valley will play matches against Long Beach City and El Camino in the John Altobelli Memorial Quad at Orange Coast on Saturday, Feb. 4 and then returns home to take on Moorpark on Feb. 7 at 6 p.m.
Irvine Valley's OEC action starts on Wednesday, March 15 against rival Orange Coast at 6 p.m.
