Recipients unveiled for Off the Block National Weekly Awards

Photo courtesy of North Greenville athletics

Off the Block announced on Tuesday the recipients of the National Position Player of the Week Awards and the National Freshman of the Week.

The National Position Player of the Week Awards recognize the libero, middle attacker, opposite, outside attacker and setter who had the best performances in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball during the week. In addition, the National Player of the Week is presented to the top freshman from the week in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball.

The Off the Block staff determines each award recipient. The winners are announced every week during the regular season on the Off the Block website, offtheblockblog.com.

While there are other weekly national awards in college men’s volleyball, these are the only position-based and freshman-based weekly awards.

Off the Block at the end of the season presents the Lloy Ball Award to the nation’s top setter, Bryan Ivie Award to the nation’s top opposite, the Karch Kiraly Award to the nation’s top outside attacker, the Ryan Millar Award to the nation’s top middle attacker and the Erik Shoji Award to the nation’s top libero. It also presents the Freshmen All-American Team at the end of the regular season.

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Off the Block is a national award winning website that launched in 2011 and is the nation’s leader in college men’s volleyball coverage.

Off the Block Weekly National Award recipients

National Setter of the Week: Sergio Carrillo, North Greenville
National Opposite of the Week:Omari Wheeler, Quincy
National Outside Attacker of the Week: Nic Cavallaro, Queens
National Middle Attacker of the Week: JP Payne, Queens
National Libero of the Week: Michal Podgorzak, Limestone
National Freshman of the Week: Taylor Phillips, Tusculum

National Setter of the Week: Sergio Carrillo, North Greenville
Carrillo led all players with a career-high seven blocks in a season-opening four-game victory against Tusculum on Thursday. He also guided the offense in the win to a .289 attack percentage, including a .533 attack percentage in the final game.

National Opposite of the Week:Omari Wheeler, Quincy
Wheeler finished with a match-high 17 kills on a .455 attack percentage in a sweep against Indiana Tech on Wednesday to open the college men’s volleyball season.

National Outside Attacker of the Week: Nic Cavallaro, Queens
Cavallaro had a combined 29 kills on a .302 attack percentage in a two-match series split against Saint Francis, including a match-high 15 kills in a five-game victory on Friday. In addition, Cavallaro led all players with four aces and added eight digs in that season-opening win.

National Middle Attacker of the Week: JP Payne, Queens
Payne ended with a match-high seven blocks as Queens defeated Saint Francis in five games on Friday to open a two-match series. He also added five blocks along with seven kills on a .462 attack percentage in a four-game loss to the Red Flash on Saturday.

National Libero of the Week: Michal Podgorzak, Limestone
Podgorzak led all players with 10 digs as Limestone swept Saint Francis in its season opener on Friday.

National Freshman of the Week: Taylor Phillips, Tusculum
Phillips had a match-high 12 digs in a three-game loss to Campbellsville, the No. 2 nationally ranked team in NAIA, on Saturday. The libero in his college debut also had a team-high eight digs as Tusculum lost to North Greenville in four games on Thursday.