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Seventeen college men’s volleyball opposites have been selected to the 2017 watch list for the annual Bryan Ivie Award.
Off the Block unveiled on Thursday the watch list for the national award that is presented to the best opposite in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball during the regular season.
Among those on this season’s watch list are five Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Preseason All-Americans, including BYU opposite Ben Patch who won the Bryan Ivie Award last season.
The watch list for the 2017 Bryan Ivie Award was determined by Off the Block using a variety of factors including player performances from previous seasons and projections on standout opposites to watch during the upcoming season.
The winner of the Bryan Ivie Award will be selected at the end of the regular season by a nationwide voting committee comprised of coaches and media members. The top-three vote-getters will be named finalists, while the player receiving the most votes will be winner of the Bryan Ivie Award presented by Off the Block.
The Bryan Ivie Award started in 2015 and was named after the former USC All-American and former member of the U.S. Men’s National Team. The naming of the award after a player was done in an effort to honor and incorporate the history of college volleyball into this award
Along with Patch, the previous winner of the Bryan Ivie Award is former Pepperdine opposite Parker Kalmbach in 2015.
This is one of five position-based awards presented in college men’s volleyball. Off the Block presents the Lloy Ball Award to the nation’s top setter, 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.
These are the only national position-based awards in college men’s volleyball. Several volleyball organizations give out national end-of-year awards such as All-American Teams, but no national award before last year was specific to a position.
Off the Block launched in 2011 and in is among the nation’s leaders in college men’s volleyball coverage.
2017 BRYAN IVIE AWARD WATCH LIST
Chris DeLucie, Sacred Heart
Kyle Ensing, Long Beach State
Ricky Gevis, Loyola
Tamir Hershko, UC Irvine
Jeff Hogan, St. Francis
Miles Johnson, Ohio State
Bruno Kretzschmar, Limestone
Vasilis Mandilaris, Barton
Ryan Moore, Lindenwood
Rajahl Moxey, Charleston
Ben Patch, BYU
Mitch Perinar, Lewis
Robert Poole, Mount Olive
Joao Victor Santos, Coker
Tanner Syftestad, UC San Diego
Matt Szews, Ball State
Stijn van Tilburg, Hawai’i
BRYAN IVIE AWARD WATCH LIST PLAYER BIOS
Chris DeLucie, Sacred Heart — DeLucie missed the final month of the 2016 regular season but still finished in the top 10 of the EIVA with both a 3.67 kills per game average and a .284 attack percentage. The all-conference selection also helped Sacred Heart finish in sixth place in the EIVA
Kyle Ensing, Long Beach State — Ensing ended the 2016 regular season among the nation’s freshmen leaders with a 3.09 kills per game average and was in the nation’s top 40 with a 1.90 digs per game average. The Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshman All-American selection also helped Long Beach State advance to the NCAA Tournament semifinals. In addition, Ensing was selected to the Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Preseason Second-Team All-American.
Ricky Gevis, Loyola — Despite missing the second half of the 2016 season, Gevis finished in the MIVA’s top 10 averaging 3.22 kills per game. He also had nine matches with double-digit kills as Loyola ended last season in second place in the MIVA.
Tamir Hershko, UC Irvine — Hershko despite missing the majority of last season with an injury still led the Anteaters with a 3.71 kills per average and added a 1.93 digs per game average. The 2015 First-Team All-American also was able to return to the court late in the season to help UC Irvine earn the final berth to the MPSF Tournament. In addition, Hershko was a 2017 Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Preseason Second-Team All-American selection.
Jeff Hogan, St. Francis — Hogan was among the EIVA leaders and in the nation’s top 30 with a 3.35 kills per game average. The all-conference selection also added more than 25 aces, 70 blocks and 175 digs to help St. Francis reach the 2016 EIVA Tournament finals.
Miles Johnson, Ohio State — Johnson was in the nation’s top 15 with a both 3.72 kills per game average and a 0.39 aces per game average last season. He also earned First-Team All-American honors as he helped the Buckeyes to their second NCAA championship in the last six years. In addition, Johnson was an Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Preseason First-Team All-American selection.
Bruno Kretzschmar, Limestone — Kretzschmar finished last season in the nation’s top 10 with a 3.92 kills per game average, including having five matches with more than 20 kills. The all-conference selection also had 31 aces and 111 digs to help Limestone qualify for the 2016 Conference Carolinas Tournament.
Vasilis Mandilaris, Barton — Mandilaris as a freshman last season was among the Conference Carolinas leaders with both a 3.22 kills per game average and a .282 attack percentage. The all-conference selection also added 116 digs and 40 blocks to help Barton advance to the 2016 Conference Carolinas Tournament finals.
Ryan Moore, Lindenwood — Moore ended last season among the MIVA leaders and in the nation’s top 30 with a 3.31 kills per game average. He also added 22 aces as Lindenwood finished in ninth place in the MIVA.
Rajahl Moxey, Charleston — Moxey led Charleston in its first season as an EIVA member with a 2.05 kills per game average. He also added more than 30 blocks as Charleston finished last season in eighth place in the EIVA.
Ben Patch, BYU — Patch returning to the court last season from two-year church mission won the 2016 Bryan Ivie Award after being in the nation’s top five with a 4.32 kills per game average and having a .379 attack percentage. The First-Team All-American also was the MPSF Player of the Year as he led the Cougars to the MPSF championship and the NCAA Tournament finals. In addition, Patch was named an Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Preseason First-Team All-American selection.
Mitch Perinar, Lewis — Perinar finished the 2016 regular season among the MIVA leaders and in the nation’s top 50 with a 3.03 kills per game average while hitting more than .300. He also was the MIVA Freshman of the Year and an Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshman All-American as he helped Lewis advance to the MIVA Tournament finals last season. In addition, Perinar earned Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Preseason Second-Team All-American honors.
Robert Poole, Mount Olive — Poole finished last season among the Conference Carolinas and national leaders with a 3.29 kills per game average. He also was in the conference’s top five with 32 aces as he helped Mount Olive reach the Conference Carolinas Tournament quarterfinals.
Joao Victor Santos, Coker — Santos ended last season in the nation’s top 15 with a 3.73 kills per game average. The Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. Freshman All-American also added 31 aces and had five matches with more than 20 kills as he helped Coker finish with the best record among independent teams.
Tanner Syftestad, UC San Diego — Syftestad had a team-high 2.84 kills per game average last season, including having eight matches with double-digit kills. The Tritons’ co-captain also added 15 aces and 44 blocks as the team ended 2016 in 12th place in the MPSF.
Matt Szews, Ball State — Szews had more than 400 kills, along with 40 aces as a high school senior and was named the 2015 Wisconsin Player of the Year. The freshman joins a Ball State team that finished last season tied for second place in the MIVA.
Stijn van Tilburg, Hawai’i — van Tilburg as a freshman was in the nation’s top 30 with a 3.32 kills per game average and had double-digit kills in 18 matches during the 2016 regular season. The opposite also was twice named the Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Freshman of the Week and helped the Rainbow Warriors earn a postseason berth.