Off the Block announced on Monday the recipients of the National Position Player of the Week Awards.
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 men’s volleyball during the week.
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 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.
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: Nicholas Slight, Grand Canyon
National Opposite of the Week: Kory Grant, Mount Olive
National Outside Attacker of the Week: Ethan Champlin, UCLA
National Middle Attacker of the Week: Simon Torwie, Long Beach State
National Libero of the Week: Wilmer Hernandez, Purdue Fort Wayne
Nicholas Slight, Grand Canyon
Slight guided the offense to a .311 attack percentage and had eight digs in a four-game victory against No. 10/10 USC on Friday. The setter also had 44 assists and helped the Antelopes hit .381 in a sweep against the Trojans on Saturday.
Kory Grant, Mount Olive
Grant led all players with a season-high 18 kills on a .552 attack percentage and added three aces in a four-game victory against Emmanuel on Saturday. The opposite also had a match-high 12 kills and hit .588 in a sweep against Erskiine on Friday.
Ethan Champlin, UCLA
Champlin after starting at libero was moved to outside attacker midway through the third game and finished with a match-high 14 kills on a .650 attack percentage in a comeback five-game victory against No. 9/8 BYU on Saturday.
Simon Torwie, Long Beach State
Torwie finished with 13 kills and zero errors on a match-best .812 attack percentage in a four-game victory against No. 15 Lewis. The middle attacker also had a team-high six blocks and added an ace in the non-conference win.
Wilmer Hernandez, Purdue Fort Wayne
Hernandez led all players with a season-high 19 digs and did not commit a reception error as Purdue Fort Wayne defeated McKendree in four games on Friday. The libero also had 10 digs and did not commit a reception error in a five-game victory against McKendree on Saturday.