Ohio State’s men’s volleyball team showed hints of greatness throughout the entire 2016 season. One weekend in February, the Buckeyes defeated the 2015 national champion Loyola and national runner-up Lewis in consecutive, straight-set matches. When those two teams traveled to Columbus a month later, the Buckeyes beat them again.

Ohio State defeated UC Irvine, Long Beach State and Penn State in consecutive matches in mid March. And on May 7, the Buckeyes got the W that really mattered. They defeated BYU in straight sets in the national championship match inside Penn State’s Rec Hall.

The BYU Cougars, with their huge front line anchored by super sophomore Ben Patch, were heavily favored in the title match after winning their semifinal over Long Beach State in four sets.

Early in the first set, it looked like the ranking that put BYU at No. 1 and Ohio State at No. 3 was correct. BYU earned six set points, but each time, Ohio State rallied back, eventually turning the tide in their favor and gaining the 32-30 victory.

In the second set, an 8-3 run for the Buckeyes put them ahead once again at the end of the match, securing a 25-23 win to send them into the break up 2-0.

By the third set, Ohio State has gained the confidence and momentum it needed to dominate BYU, and the Buckeyes won the program’s second-ever national title, and first since 2011, 25-17.

Next year, the men’s national championship will be played at Ohio State, and the Buckeyes will lose only outside hitter Christian Franceschi from their starting lineup. One has to wonder, is it too early to start thinking about a repeat?