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A nationwide voting committee selected eight college men’s volleyball players to the Off the Block All-Independent Team that was unveiled Wednesday.
The All-Independent Team recognizes the best players during the regular season from NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball teams that are competing without a conference affiliation. The four independent teams this season are Alderson Broaddus, Coker, Lincoln Memorial and Queens.
Lincoln Memorial led all teams with three All-Independent Team selections. Coker and Queens had two players earn the honor, while Alderson Broaddus had one player make the team.
A voting committee comprised of head coaches from all four independent teams determined the All-Independent Team. The eight players who received the most votes, regardless of their position, were placed on the All-Independent Team.
Off the Block is a website that launched in 2011 and is the nation’s leader in college men’s volleyball coverage.
Along with presenting the All-Independent Team, Off the Block presents the Independent Teams Player of the Year and the Independent Teams Freshman of the Year. The college men’s volleyball website also presented the Independent Teams Player of the Week throughout the regular season.
All four independent teams will conclude their seasons competing at the IVA Tournament that begins Friday in Philippi, West Virginia.
2018 All-Independent Team
Setter: AJ Risavy, Lincoln Memorial
Opposite: Evan Cory, Lincoln Memorial
Opposite: Joao Victor Santos, Coker
Outside attacker: Francisco Cabrera, Alderson Broaddus
Outside attacker: Stephen Porras, Coker
Middle attacker: Pedro Carvalho, Lincoln Memorial
Middle attacker: Aleksandar Perisic, Queens
Libero: Conner Nagaki, Queens
Francisco Cabrera, Alderson Broaddus
Cabrera led Alderson Broaddus and was in the nation’s top 40 with a 3.05 kills per game average, including having a season-high 19 kills in a five-game loss to Coker in March. In addition, Cabrera was in the top 10 for all players on independent teams with a 1.71 digs per game average and had double-digit digs in four regular season matches.
Pedro Carvalho, Lincoln Memorial
Carvalho along with being a Independent Teams Player of the Week two-time recipient leads the nation with a 1.49 blocks per game average, including having four matches with at least 10 blocks. The middle attacker also led all players on independent teams with a .420 attack percentage and had double-digit kills in two regular season matches versus independent teams.
Evan Cory, Lincoln Memorial
Cory, a three-time recipient of the Independent Teams Player of the Week, was second among all players on independent teams and in the nation’s top 30 with a 3.39 kills per game average. The sophomore also had double-digit kills in 18 matches and had at least one ace in all but six matches this season as he helped the Railsplitters earn the No. 1 seed for the IVA Tournament.
Conner Nagaki, Queens
Nagaki led all independent team players and ended the regular season third in the nation with a 2.86 digs per game average. The freshman libero also had double-digit digs in 10 matches for the first-year program, including a season-high 19 digs in a four-game victory against Limestone in April.
Aleksandar Perisic, Queens
Perisic was in the nation’s top 10 with a 1.16 blocks per game average, including having a season-high eight blocks to help Queens beat North Greenville in the program’s inaugural match in January. The freeman middle attacker also was a two-time recipient of the Independent Teams Player of the Week.
Stephen Porras, Coker
Porras was in the nation’s top 50 averaging 2.94 kills per game and had at least 15 kills in four of Coker’s six final regular season matches. He also was in the nation’s top 20 with a 0.43 aces per game average, including having three aces in a five-game victory against Alderson Broaddus in March.
AJ Risavy, Lincoln Memorial
Risavy guided the Lincoln Memorial offense to the best attack percentage for an independent team at .220 and was second among all independent players averaging 8.59 assists per game. The freshman setter also had a 1.44 digs per game average and helped the Railsplitters end the regular season 5-1 against independent teams.
Joao Victor Santos, Coker
Santos ended the regular season 12th in the nation with a 3.72 kills per game average and had at least 20 kills in four matches, including a season-high 26 kills in a near upset against Limestone in February. The opposite also is fifth in the nation with a 0.56 aces per game average and had a season-high five aces in matches against Lincoln Memorial, Belmont Abbey and Queens during the regular season.