The Loyola University Chicago men's volleyball program has been no stranger to winning, especially under head coach Shane Davis -- who led them to back-to-back national titles in 2014 and 2015.
Davis is back after a 10-month stint away from collegiate coaching, and so are high expectations for the Ramblers.
"It was an easy decision for me," Davis said. "It was, how fast can we make the decision? Where do I sign? And let's get going."
Davis got back into collegiate coaching to lead his alma mater for the second time.
"It means everything to be back, excited to be back," Davis said. "[I] obviously chose this place for a reason when I was 18 years old to be a player here, and then having the opportunity to coach the Ramblers at 23 years old."
The Ramblers legend became the winningest head coach in program history over a 12-year stint that included those back-to-back national championships in 2014-2015.
Davis spent the next eight seasons as Northwestern's women's head coach before returning to Loyola, a program that has always been special to him.
"My sister also played volleyball here. My sister-in-law went to school here. I coached my brother-in-law here at Loyola. It's just been kind of a family affair. I met my wife while I was here at Loyola," said Davis, "and so it just means everything."
Being coached by Davis also means something to this year's team, which is off to a dominating start -- including fifth-year all-American Parker Van Buren, who is currently ranked top five in the country in points per set and kills.
"Those two national championships are kind of a reason I came here in the first place, so having him back in the gym was something I was really looking forward to," said Van Buren, an outside hitter, "and he's definitely lived up to the hype, I would say."
"He's obviously super talented, knows what he's doing," said Loyola setter Ryan McElligott. "I think it helps a lot that he was a setter, so his insight to the game has been huge for me."
Respect the head coach is garnering from his players this season has gone both ways.
"The work ethic is there. The heart is there. The passion is there for the sport," said Davis, "and hey come in and they work every single day, and they get better every day."
Getting better every day for this talented team, could mean reaching their goal of trying to get back to where Davis has been twice before.
"There a lot of good teams in the MIVA this year. It's been shaken up time and time again -- different teams, different names -- but MIVA champ first, then national championship is our ceiling I think," Van Buren said.