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Off the Block selected and seeded the 65 players in a bracket, but only 32 players remain and now it is up to the fans to determine who should win the Off the Block Fan Choice Player of the Year.
The Fan Choice Player of the Year recognizes the best individual performances from NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball players during the season and gives volleyball fans from around the world the chance decide the winner through online voting.
The seven-round tournament continues Friday with second-round matches in the Ryan Millar and Matt Anderson regions.
Online voting for these second-round matches will end at 11 p.m. (EST) Friday. In addition, voting for second-round matches in the Reid Priddy and Clay Stanley regions will begin Saturday.
RYAN MILLAR REGION SECOND ROUND
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No. 1 seed Taylor Sander – BYU, outside attacker
Despite missing a month with a hand injury, Sander ended the season leading the MPSF and second in the nation with a 4.89 kills per game average. The sophomore was a First-Team All-American selection and helped BYU finish tied for second in the MPSF and reach the conference tournament semifinals.
No. 9 Brian Cook – Stanford, outside attacker
Cook was in the nation’s top 20 with both a 3.50 kills per game average and a .308 attack percentage. The sophomore also earned Second-Team All-MPSF honors as Stanford ended the year tied for second place in the conference and reached the MPSF Tournament championship match.
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No. 2 seed Futi Tavana – BYU, middle attacker
Tavana, an Off the Block Blocker of the Year finalist, was second in the nation with a 1.59 blocks per game average and set the BYU rally scoring record for career blocks. The senior was also named a First-Team All-American as BYU finished tied for second place in the MPSF and reached the conference tournament semifinals.
No. 10 seed Miles Evans — UC Santa Barbara, outside attacker
Evans was among MPSF leaders and in the nation’s top 20 with a 3.46 kills per game average. The junior also was third on the team with a 1.74 digs per game average as UC Santa Barbara finished tied for 10th place in the MPSF and did not qualify for the conference tournament.
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No. 3 seed Thomas Amberg – UCLA, middle attacker
Amberg was among the conference leaders and seventh in the nation with a 1.41 blocks per game average and was fourth in the nation with 148 blocks. The senior also was a First-Team All-American selection as UCLA advanced to the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals.
No. 11 seed Matt Leske — Ball State, middle attacker
Leske led the MIVA and was eighth in the nation with a 1.32 blocks per game average. The sophomore also was a Second-Team All-MIVA selection as Ball State finished tied for fourth place in the MIVA and advanced to the MIVA Tournament semifinals.
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No. 4 seed Evan Barry – Stanford, setter
Barry led the nation with a 12.04 assists per game average and helped guide the Cardinal offense to a .338 attack percentage — second best in the nation. The senior was named a Second-Team All-American as Stanford finished tied for second place in the MPSF and reached the conference tournament championship match.
No. 12 seed Matt Gallik – Lewis, middle attacker
Gallik was among the MIVA leaders and in the nation’s top 15 with a 1.14 blocks per game average. The senior also was named to the Second-Team All-MIVA as the Flyers won the MIVA championship and reached the Final Four for the first time in eight years.
MATT ANDERSON REGION SECOND ROUND
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No. 2 seed Brad Lawson – Stanford, outside attacker
Lawson was fifth in the nation with a 4.10 kills per game average and in the nation’s top 15 with a .327 attack percentage. The First-Team All-American selection also was one of 10 players in the nation with at least 40 aces and ended his senior season helping Stanford reach the MPSF championship match.
No. 7 seed Mike Bunting – Loyola, outside attacker
Bunting, the 2011 Off the Block Fan Choice Player of the Year, was in the nation’s top 15 with a 3.64 kills per game average. The senior also earned First-Team All-MIVA honors as the Ramblers finished in third place in the conference and advanced to the MIVA Tournament semifinals.
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No. 3 seed Maurice Torres — Pepperdine, outside attacker
Torres was eighth in the nation with a 3.98 kills per game average and tied for ninth in the nation with a 0.42 aces per game average. The junior and Second-Team All-American was also among the nation’s top 20 with a .307 attack percentage as Pepperdine reach the eight-team MPSF Tournament.
No. 6 seed Steven Hunt — Hawai’i, outside attacker
Hunt was second in the MPSF and third in the nation with a 4.15 kills per game average. The senior was also named to the Second-Team All-MPSF and was the only Warrior to earn all-conference honors as Hawai’i finished in last place in the MPSF.
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No. 4 seed Joe Sunder — Penn State, outside attacker
Sunder, the back-to-back EIVA Player of the Year, was among the conference leaders and in the nation’s top 20 with a 3.52 kills per game average. The senior Second-Team All-American selection also was in the nation’s top 10 with a .330 attack percentage. Penn State won its 14th consecutive EIVA championship and reached the NCAA Tournament semifinals.
No. 12 seed Taylor Crabb — Long Beach State, outside attacker
Crab was second on Long Beach State and in the nation’s top 50 with a 2.75 digs per game average. Crabb was a Second-Team All-MPSF selection as Long Beach State finished in sixth place in the MPSF and reached the conference tournament quarterfinals.
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No. 8 seed Ben Ponnet — Grand Canyon, outside attacker
Ponnet was among the MIVA leaders and in the nation’s top 15 with a 3.63 kills per game average and was in the nation’s top 50 in attack percentage. The sophomore also was named to the First-Team All-MIVA as Grand Canyon finished tied for fourth place in the MIVA.
No. 16 seed Steven Battaglia – Quincy, middle attacker
Battaglia was among the MIVA leaders and seventh in the nation with a .345 attack percentage while adding a team-high 0.88 blocks per game average. The sophomore was a Second-Team All-MIVA selection as Quincy ended the season in last place in the conference.