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A nationwide voting committee selected three finalists for the inaugural national award presented to the best libero in college men’s volleyball.
Off the Block announced Tuesday that IPFW libero Luis Bertran, Stanford libero Evan Enriques and Hawai’i libero Kolby Kanetake were named finalists for the 2016 Erik Shoji Award.
The Erik Shoji Award, named after the former four-time Stanford All-American libero, is given to the nation’s best libero in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball during the regular season.
Bertran finished the regular season leading the MIVA and in the nation’s top 10 with a 2.60 digs per game average. The senior also had double-digit digs in 16 matches and set the IPFW career record for digs as he helped the Mastodons earn a postseason berth.
Enriques was in the nation’s top 10 and had a MPSF-best 2.59 digs per game average during the regular season. The sophomore also had double-digit digs in eight conference matches, including a career-high 18 digs against Long Beach State in February, as the Cardinal earned the No. 4 seed in the MPSF Tournament.
Kanetake was second in the MPSF and among the national leaders averaging 2.34 digs per game. In addition, Kanetake had double-digit digs in 10 regular season matches to help the Rainbow Warriors earn a berth in the MPSF Tournament.
The voting committee for the Erik Shoji Award was comprised of about 25 college men’s volleyball head coaches and volleyball reporters from around the nation.
The overall winner of the inaugural Erik Shoji Award will be announced Thursday, April 28.
The Erik Shoji Award is one of several end of season awards presented by Off the Block. Among the other national awards includes the Lloy Ball Award to the nation’s top setter, the 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, the Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Server of the Year and the Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Blocker of the Year.
Off the Block is a national award winning college men’s volleyball website that launched in January 2011.
ERIK SHOJI AWARD FINALISTS
(listed alphabetically)
Luis Bertran, IPFW
Evan Enriques, Stanford
Kolby Kanetake, Hawai’i
Others receiving votes:
4. Meshach McKnight, Emmanuel
5. Kekaulike Alameda, Barton
6. Davis Gillett, UCLA
7. Johnny Gomez, George Mason
8. Andrew Sato, Long Beach State
9. Erik Arroyo, Alderson Broaddus
10. Gabe Woffindin, St. Francis
T-11. Parker Boehle, UC Santa Barbara
T-11. Michael Schneck, Erskine
T-11. Joshua Ayzenberg, Sacred Heart
T-13. Dillon Hoffman, UC Irvine
T-13. Erik Sikes, BYU