CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Over the past half decade, the Campbellsville Tigers have been a mainstay in conference tournament championship games, but have never been able to finish the job. Losses in the Mid-South title game in 2022 and 2024 led to last season, when the Tigers had championship point before falling in heartbreaking fashion to Georgetown.
In 2026, however, with the chance to win a title on their home court, the Tigers were not going to be denied.
Campbellsville won their first River States Conference championship - and their first conference tournament title in any league since 2021 - with a 3-0 sweep of Oakland City in front of a near-capacity crowd at Gosser Gym in Campbellsville.
The energy in the gym was palpable from the opening serve, with both teams coming out firing early. Neither squad led by more than two points for the entirety of the first set (until the final point), which went back-and-forth between the Mighty Oaks and Tigers. Leading 22-21, the Tigers finished with a flurry, winning three of the final four points to claim the set by a 25-22 score, capped by a kill from RSC Freshman of the Year Savvas Christou.
After Oakland City claimed the first two points of the second set, Campbellsville ripped off five straight points to take a lead they would not relinquish. Oakland City got the Tigers lead down to one point on seven different occasions, but the Tigers would always claim the next point. Campbellsville's 25-20 win was punctuated by a kill from Second Team All-Conference selection Ayoub Hamadache.
With the title in sight, the Tigers closed the deal in the third set, jumping out to a 6-1 lead and leading the whole way. Oakland City made it interesting down the stretch, getting the Campbellsville lead down to three points at 21-18 and 22-19, but could not fully close the gap. On Campbellsville's second chance at championship point, Christou slammed a kill home to finish the scoring at 25-21, sparking a Tiger celebration five years in the making.
The Campbellsville attack, which finished the afternoon with a .382 attack percentage, was led by Denzel Madrigal, who logged 15 kills. RSC Setter of the Year Alonzo Vega dished out 39 assists, averaging 13 per set. RSC Defender of the Year Andrew Ovalle led the back line with eight digs, while the block was led by RSC Attacker of the Year Pedro Zavatini with four blocks.
The Tigers will make their third appearance in the NAIA Men's Volleyball Championship, and their first since 2022. It will be Campbellsville's first trip to Cedar Rapids since the tournament moved there in 2024. The Tigers will find out their draw on Monday, when the NAIA announces the full field and seedings.