CHICAGO (November 13, 2017) – Loyola University Chicago men's volleyball coach Mark Hulse announced today the signing of six individuals to National Letters of Intent. The six players, three of whom are from the Chicagoland area, will begin competing for the two-time NCAA champion Ramblers in the 2019 season.
 
Joe D'Attomo is a 6-foot-7 middle blocker from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. Named to Volleyball Magazine's Top 30 Underclassmen to Watch list, D'Attomo was an All-Central Suburban League selection in 2017 and helped New Trier to a runner-up finish in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state tournament last season. He plays club for Adversity VBC.
 
"Joe is a big, physical player who brings a lot of offensive firepower to the middle blocker position," Hulse said. "Add in the fact that he comes from a high school program that regularly competes for state championships, and we think Joe will transition smoothly and add some needed depth to the position."
 
A 6-foot-6 opposite, Luke Denton was a 2017 USA Volleyball Youth A1 selection and earned all-tournament accolades at the 2017 High Performance Championships. Luke is a product of Desert Ridge High School in Mesa, Arizona, and also competes for Arizona Fear VBC.
 
"Luke is a powerful, athletic lefty who will impact our gym in a positive fashion right away," Hulse said. "A former high school quarterback, he brings a physical presence to the court at the opposite position. Luke gets better every time we see him play, which is a testament to his hard work and dedication."
 
Frankfort, Illinois native Mike Herlihy is a 6-foot-6 middle blocker and last season helped Lincoln-Way East High School to a runner-up finish at the IHSA Tournament. Herlihy also plays for Ultimate VBC, with fellow Loyola signee Ian Piet.
 
"Mike is a big, strong athlete who moves exceptionally well on the court.," Hulse said. "He has a background in basketball, moves laterally very quickly and comes from one of the top clubs and most competitive high school programs in Chicago."
 
Hulse also added three outside hitters in Andrew Lyons (Norfolk, Va./Maury), Ian Piet (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) and Cole Schlothauer (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis).
 
Standing 6-foot-7, Lyons was also named to the 2017 Volleyball Magazine Top 30 Underclassmen to Watch list. A three-time all-conference selection, Lyons was named first team all-state as a junior and helped Maury High School advance to the state tournament semifinals three times, reaching the championship game in 2016. He is a co-captain of the U18's National Team.
 
"Andrew is a very talented long, outside hitter that controls the ball very well for his height," Hulse said. "He has experience at both the opposite and outside hitter positions with his club team and epitomizes the kind of quality young man and student-athlete we are able to recruit here at Loyola."
 
Piet, whose versatility also has seen him play the libero position, has been a standout at Lincoln-Way East High School and in 2017 helped his squad to the IHSA finals and was named All-Southwest Suburban League. The 6-foot-1 Piet , who plays club for Ultimate VBC, was also selected to the all-tournament team at the U17 USA Volleyball Boys' Junior National Championships.
 
"Ian will bring a powerful arm, great ball control and incredibly high volleyball IQ to the program," Hulse said. "He is a cagey competitor that will bring versatility and grit to the program, not to mention a track record of success in both high school and club."
 
Lastly, the 6-foot-5 Schlothauer, has already left a lasting impression at Lee-Davis High School as the program's career leader in kills, while also possessing the top single-season marks in kills and service aces. Schlothauer was voted the 2017 Region 5B Player of the Year and also competes for Richmond Volleyball Club.
 
"Cole is a former basketball athlete, who, while relatively new to volleyball, will bring some exciting physical tools to the gym," Hulse said. "His size and explosiveness will allow him to transition quickly into the collegiate game and we look forward to watching him continue to grow."
 
Loyola finished the 2017 season ranked No. 14 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I-II Poll and returns four starters from last year's squad, including AVCA First Team All-America middle blocker Jeff Jendryk.
 
The Ramblers open the 2018 campaign January 5 at BYU, with their home opener coming on January 12 versus George Mason.