Three setters named finalists for annual Lloy Ball Award

A nationwide voting committee selected Ohio State setter Christy Blough, Stanford setter James Shaw and Long Beach State setter Josh Tuaniga as finalists for the annual Lloy Ball Award.

The Lloy Ball Award, which is named after the former IPFW All-American and U.S. Olympian setter, is presented to the nation’s best setter in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball during the regular season.

Blough was second in the nation averaging 11.29 assists per game and guided the Buckeyes’ offense to the nation’s second-best attack percentage at .357. In addition, the junior had more than 100 digs and helped Ohio State won the MIVA regular season championship for the first time since 2012.

Shaw returning to court after missing most of last season with an injury led Stanford to a .344 attack percentage, third best in the nation, and was among the national leaders averaging 10.06 assists per game. The 2014 Lloy Ball Award finalist also had 32 aces and had at least five kills in 14 regular season matches to help the Cardinal earn the No. 4 seed in the MPSF Tournament.

Tuaniga finished the regular season leading the MPSF and third in the nation with an 11.12 assists per game average. The setter also guided the 49ers’ offense to the nation’s fourth best attack percentage at .331 and helped Long Beach State be nationally ranked in the top five throughout the regular season.

The voting committee for the Lloy Ball Award was comprised of about 25 college men’s volleyball head coaches and volleyball media members from around the nation.

The overall winner of the Lloy Ball Award will be announced Monday, April 25.

This is the third year that Off the Block has presented the Lloy Ball Award. Former USC All-American setter Micah Christenson won the inaugural award in 2014 and Christenson and former Pepperdine All-American setter Matt West were co-winners last year.

The Lloy Ball Award is one of several end of season awards presented by Off the Block. Among the other national awards includes the Karch Kiraly Award to the nation’s top outside attacker, the Bryan Ivie Award to the nation’s top opposite, the Erik Shoji Award to the nation’s top libero, the Ryan Millar Award to the nation’s top middle attacker, 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 2011.

LLOY BALL AWARD FINALISTS
(listed alphabetically}
Christy Blough, Ohio State
James Shaw, Stanford
Josh Tuaniga, Long Beach State

Others receiving votes:
T-4. Peter Hutz, Loyola
T-4. Micah Ma’a, UCLA
6. Leo Durkin, BYU
7. David Grandy, Erskine
T-8. Taylor Hammond, Penn State
T-8. Jonah Seif, UC Santa Barbara
10. Daniel Ford, St. Francis