The career season for UC Irvine libero Shane Aitken now includes another national honor.
Off the Block announced Tuesday that a nationwide voting committee selected Aitken as the winner of the 2026 Steve Shondell Award.
The Steve Shondell Award is presented to the nation’s best passer in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball during the regular season. The award is named after the Hall of Fame coach and former Ball State setter Steve Shondell.
Aitken had 609 service receptions and a 94.9 percent successful passing rating to help the Anteaters finish among the national leaders with a .302 attack percentage. The libero also did not commit a reception error in the team’s victory against Ball State in the NCAA Tournament semifinals.
The voting committee for the Steve Shondell Award was comprised of college men’s volleyball head coaches and volleyball reporters from around the nation. The top three vote-getters were named finalists for the Steve Shondell Award.
Aitken garnered 27 votes, while Penn State libero Ryan Merk and UCLA outside attacker Sean Kelly finished tied for second place with six votes.
This is the seventh year that Off the Block has presented the Steve Shondell Award.
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.
2026 Steve Shondell Award voting results
1. Shane Aitken, UC Irvine – 27 votes
T-2. Ryan Merk, Penn State – 6 votes T-2. Sean Kelly, UCLA – 6 votes
4. Patrick Rogers, Ball State – 5 votes
T-5. Ryan Barnett, Pepperdine – 2 votes
T-5. Christopher Connelly, UCLA – 2 votes
T-5. Kellen Larson, Long Beach State – 2 votes
T-8. Yadiel Diaz, McKendree – 1 vote
T-8. Nico Paula, Lewis – 1 vote
T-8. Jacob Reilly, Pepperdine – 1 vote