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Off the Block announced on Monday 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.
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: Cole Bogner, Penn State
National Opposite of the Week: Andrew Kohut, Belmont Abbey
National Outside Attacker of the Week: Cole Schlothauer, Loyola
National Middle Attacker of the Week: TJ Murray, Lewis
National Libero of the Week: Cole Pender, UCLA
National Freshman of the Week: Trey Cole, Pepperdine
National Setter of the Week: Cole Bogner, Penn State
Bogner had 30 assists and guided the offense to a .481 attack percentage in a sweep against No. 13 Ohio State on Friday to open a two-match non-conference series. In addition, Bogner in the finale had a team-high five digs and helped the Nittany Lions. hit .324 to complete the series sweep.
National Opposite of the Week: Andrew Kohut, Belmont Abbey
Kohut ended with a match-high 25 kills on a .321 attack percentage and added 12 digs as Belmont Abbey defeated Queens in five games on Thursday. In addition,Kohut led all players with both 10 kills and three aces in a sweep against Tusculum on Saturday.
National Outside Attacker of the Week: Cole Schlothauer, Loyola
Schlothauer led all players with 18 kills on a .500 attack percentage and had a team-high eight digs as Loyola swept NJIT on Friday. He also had a match-high 21 kills on a .357 attack percentage in a five-game victory against Saint Francis on Saturday to help Loyola remain undefeated.
National Middle Attacker of the Week: TJ Murray, Lewis
Murray finished with a match-high 11 kills and contributed 10 kills while hitting .333 as No. 4/4 Lewis rallied from a two-game deficit to beat NJIT in five games on Saturday. The middle attacker also had nine kills on a .615 attack percentage and added four blocks in a sweep against Saint Francis on Friday.
National Libero of the Week: Cole Pender, UCLA
Pender ended with a match-high 11 digs as No. 9/9 UCLA swept No. 10/10 Grand Canyon in its season-opener on Friday.
National Freshman of the Week: Trey Cole, Pepperdine
Cole in his college debut had a match-high 18 digs as No. 7/7 Pepperdine defeated No. 12 Concordia-Irvine in five games on Monday. The libero also added five digs in a sweep against Concordia-Irvine on Wednesday.