Carthage College Men's Volleyball

JW Kieckhefer will begin his seventh year with the Firebirds after being named Head Coach in July of 2019. Kieckhefer has coached four NCAA Tournament squads, with historic seasons in 2021 and 2022, winning back-to-back National Championships. It marked the first-ever team NCAA National Championships for Carthage since the College began competing in athletics in 1895. The 2021 National Championship team went 23-0 and 69-3 in sets. Kieckhefer was named CCIW Coach of the Year, AVCA Region Coach of the Year, United States Marine Corps/AVCA Division III Men's National Coach of the Year, and became a recipient of the AVCA 30 under 30 award in the same season. Carthage had another historic season in 2022 as the Firebirds won their second NCAA National Championship trophy. The team went 24-3 and was the first team to repeat as NCAA champions since 2018. The Firebirds concluded the season on a 24-game winning streak. During his six years with the program, he has amassed a record of 118-24 (.831), was named AVCA National Coach of the Year in 2021, AVCA Region Coach of the Year in 2021 and 2025, made 4 NCAA Tournament Appearances, won 4 CCIW Conference Championships, and was a four-time CCIW Conference Coach of the Year award winner.  Kieckhefer’s tenure at Carthage has seen players amass 2 AVCA National Newcomer of the Year Awards, 3 AVCA Region Player of the Year Awards, 17 AVCA All-American Selections, 23 AVCA All-Region Selections, and 26 CCIW All-Conference Selections.  Before Carthage, Kieckhefer was an assistant coach at NCAA Division 1 Purdue Fort Wayne for 5 seasons. In his last season at PFW in 2019, he helped the Mastodons to a 17-12 record. They earned the No. 3 seed in the MIVA Tournament thanks to their best finish in the MIVA regular season play since 2007. As a player for Purdue Fort Wayne, Kieckhefer saw action in 105 matches from 2011-14. He was sixth in NCAA D1 digs per set during the 2012 campaign with 2.57. That 2012 season landed him 4th in program history for digs in a season and 5th in digs per set in a season. Prior to Fort Wayne, Kieckhefer played at Hartford Union High School and club volleyball with Milwaukee Volleyball Club.

Marx begins his 13th year as a head varsity coach in 2017 (250-123, 12 years).  Marx was named both American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III Mens Coach of the Year and Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Division III Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2007.  He has guided the Red Men to a second-place finish at the 2012 NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championship, two Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Coleman Division titles, four Midwest-III Volleyball Conference championships and two shared Continental Volleyball Conference West Division titles and an outright title in 2014.  Marx also guided the Red Men to two-consecutive Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League titles in 2015 and 2016.    In Molten Championship competition, Marx led the Red Men to second-place finishes in both 2005 and 2007 and third-place finishes in both 2010 and 2011.  Carthage played host to the 2010 event at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.   Marxs players have earned AVCA All-America honors on 26 occasions.  He has also coached one American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III "Player of the Year," six conference players of the year and 40 all-conference selections.  His teams have won either divisional or conference titles in 10 of the last 11 years and have won divisional or conference tournaments in seven of the last 11 seasons.  Six of Marxs 12 teams have finished among the AVCAs top-three NCAA Division III teams in the final poll, 10 teams have finished in the top-10, and all 12 have finished in the top-15.   Prior to the start of Carthages varsity program, Marx coached the Red Mens club teams in 2003 and 2004, compiled a 43-18 record and won the 2004 National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Division II championship.  Marx served as an assistant womens volleyball coach at Carthage for three years from 2004 to 2006 after three years as a part-time assistant coach from 2000 to 2002.     A native of Racine, Wis., Marx graduated from Carthage in 2003 with a bachelors in exercise and sport science after transferring from Wisconsin-Parkside.  As a player, Marx was named All-Wisconsin Volleyball Conference in both 2002 and 2003 and selected for that leagues all-star match both years.  He also played on a 2003 Wisconsin Volleyball Conference squad that competed at the USA National tournament.  Marx is a certified USA Volleyball coach and has guided four USA Junior National All-Americans and three Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selections.  He has also served as a coach at the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships and camps.  L.J. Marx Head Men's Volleyball Coach Office Location: TARC 2170 L.J. Marx begins his 13th year as a head varsity coach in 2017 (250-123, 12 years).  Marx was named both American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III Mens Coach of the Year and Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Division III Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2007.  He has guided the Red Men to a second-place finish at the 2012 NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championship, two Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Coleman Division titles, four Midwest-III Volleyball Conference championships and two shared Continental Volleyball Conference West Division titles and an outright title in 2014.  Marx also guided the Red Men to two-consecutive Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League titles in 2015 and 2016.    In Molten Championship competition, Marx led the Red Men to second-place finishes in both 2005 and 2007 and third-place finishes in both 2010 and 2011.  Carthage played host to the 2010 event at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.   Marxs players have earned AVCA All-America honors on 26 occasions.  He has also coached one American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III "Player of the Year," six conference players of the year and 40 all-conference selections.  His teams have won either divisional or conference titles in 10 of the last 11 years and have won divisional or conference tournaments in seven of the last 11 seasons.  Six of Marxs 12 teams have finished among the AVCAs top-three NCAA Division III teams in the final poll, 10 teams have finished in the top-10, and all 12 have finished in the top-15.   Prior to the start of Carthages varsity program, Marx coached the Red Mens club teams in 2003 and 2004, compiled a 43-18 record and won the 2004 National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Division II championship.  Marx served as an assistant womens volleyball coach at Carthage for three years from 2004 to 2006 after three years as a part-time assistant coach from 2000 to 2002.     A native of Racine, Wis., Marx graduated from Carthage in 2003 with a bachelors in exercise and sport science after transferring from Wisconsin-Parkside.  As a player, Marx was named All-Wisconsin Volleyball Conference in both 2002 and 2003 and selected for that leagues all-star match both years.  He also played on a 2003 Wisconsin Volleyball Conference squad that competed at the USA National tournament.  Marx is a certified USA Volleyball coach and has guided four USA Junior National All-Americans and three Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selections.  He has also served as a coach at the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships and camps. 

Matthew joins the Carthage coaching staff for the 2026 campaign. A four-year starter at Queens University in Charlotte, Matthew Pilch established himself as a consistent offensive force and team leader. During his sophomore season, he was twice named IVA Offensive Player of the Week and also earned Off The Block National Attacker of the Week honors. That same year, he was selected to the First Team All-IVA after ranking among the top 25 nationally in points, kills per set, and hitting percentage. A two-year team captain in his junior and senior seasons, Pilch led by example with his competitive mindset and commitment to excellence both on and off the court. Matthew is heavily involved in all aspects of the program, including recruiting, practice planning, player development, and academic mentorship.