Off the Block unveils 2023 Freshman All-America Team

Photo courtesy of the NCAA

A nationwide voting committee selected 14 players to the annual Off the Block Freshman All-America Team that was unveiled Tuesday.

The Off the Block Freshman All-America Team honors the top NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball freshmen players from the regular season. This is the 11th year Off the Block has presented the national honor, which remains the only Freshman All-American Team presented in college men’s volleyball.

Players eligible for this award must have been listed as a freshman or redshirt freshman on the active roster for a NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball team.

A voting committee of more than 30 men’s volleyball coaches and volleyball media members determined the Freshman All-American Team. A player making the Freshman All-America Team had to be among the top vote-getters and appear on at least one-fourth of all the fully submitted voting ballots.

UCLA setter Andrew Rowan received the most votes from the nationwide voting committee.

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 annually presents college men’s volleyball national awards to recognize outstanding individual performances in the sport.

2023 Off the Block Freshman All-American Team

Setter: Andrew Rowan, UCLA
Opposite: Jamal Ellis Caballo, Fairleigh Dickinson
Opposite: Ian Schuller, Lindenwood
Opposite: Theo Snoey, Stanford
Opposite: Bryce Wetjen, McKendree
Opposite: Shane Wetzel, Ohio State
Outside attacker: Isiah Fedd, Fort Valley State
Outside attacker: Dillion Klein, USC
Outside attacker: Nate Meyer, Missouri S&T
Outside attacker: Patrick Rogers, St. Francis Brooklyn
Outside attacker: Shay Spadaro, Lincoln Memorial
Middle attacker: Cameron Thorne, Grand Canyon
Libero: Ryan Merk, Penn State
Libero: Kyle Standage, Merrimack

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Jamal Ellis Caballo, Fairleigh Dickinson
Caballo led the NEC and was third in the nation with a 4.27 kills per game average and had back-to-back matches with 30 kills late in the regular season. The opposite also hit more than .300 in each of the final five matches of the season and ended the year hitting .303.

Isiah Fedd, Fort Valley State
Fedd was among the national leaders with a 3.43 attack percentage, including twice having 30 or more kills in a match. The outside attacker also led the SIAC and was ninth in the nation with a 0.49 aces per game average.

Dillion Klein, USC
Klein led USC and was in the nation’s top 25 with a 3.60 kills per game average. The outside attacker had four matches with at least 20 kills, including a season-high 29 kills in an upset win against Stanford.

Ryan Merk, Penn State
Merk was among the EIVA and national leaders with a 1.85 digs per game average, including having double-digit digs in two postseason matches. The libero also had in the final 10 matches committed three reception errors.

Nate Meyer, Missouri S&T
Meyer was in the nation’s top 15 with a 3.92 kills per game average and more than 20 kills in four matches. The outside attacker also had eight aces in the season opener against Loyola and ended the season fifth in the country averaging 0.61 aces per game.

Patrick Rogers, St. Francis Brooklyn
Rogers was ninth in the nation with a 3.94 kills per game average, including having a season-high 28 kills against D’Youville. The outside attacker also was among the NEC leaders averaging 1.69 digs per game.

Andrew Rowan, UCLA
Rowan guided UCLA to a nation-best .382 attack percentage. The setter also was in the nation’s top 15 with a 0.46 aces per game average and helped guide the Bruins to their first NCAA championship in 17 years.

Ian Schuller, Lindenwood
Schuller led Lindenwood and was in the top 15 of the MIVA averaging 3.08 kills per game. The opposite also had a season-high 18 kills and hit .351 in an upset victory against Ohio State in February.

Theo Snoey, Stanford
Snoey finished the season in the MPSF’s top 15 with a 2.67 kills per game average. The opposite had double-digit kills in 14 matches, including a season-high 21 kills on a .500 attack percentage in a victory against Lewis.

Shay Spadaro, Lincoln Memorial
Spadaro was among the team leaders with both a 2.87 kills per game average and a .334 attack percentage. The outside attacker also had a season-high 18 kills and hit .708 in a non-conference match against UC San Diego.

Kyle Standage, Merrimack
Standage led the NEC and was fourth in the nation with a 2.60 digs per game average. The libero had double-digit digs in 15 matches, including a season-high 21 digs in a victory against Central State.

Cameron Thorne, Grand Canyon
Thorne led Grand Canyon and was in the top 10 of the MPSF with a 0.84 blocks per game average. The middle attacker also had a .420 attack percentage and helped the Antelopes reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

Bryce Wetjen, McKendree
Wetjen finished in the top 10 of the MIVA with a 3.24 kills per game average. The opposite had at least 20 kills in three matches, including 22 kills on a .341 attack percentage in an upset victory against Loyola in the MIVA Tournament quarterfinals.

Shane Wetzel, Ohio State
Wetzel was among the MIVA leaders with both a 2.88 kills per game average and a team-high .332 attack percentage. The opposite also had double-digit kills in all five postseason matches, including a season-high 20 kills on a .484 attack percentage against Penn State in the NCAA Tournament opening round.

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