Ohio State outside Szerszen named 2017 MIVA Player of Year

Make it one more Player of the Year award added the list of accomplishments of Ohio State outside attacker Nicolas Szerszen.

Szerszen was named the 2017 MIVA Player of the Year on Thursday to become the 10th player in the conference’s 56-year history to win the award multiple times.

The All-American finished the regular season in the top five of the MIVA with both a 3.74 kills per game average and a .389 attack percentage. Szerszen, the 2016 AVCA National Player of the Year, also had a MIVA-best 0.65 aces per game average as No. 2/2 Ohio State went undefeated in conference play.

The defending NCAA Champion Buckeyes led all teams with five players earning All-MIVA honors. In addition, Ohio State coach Pete Hanson was voted the 2017 MIVA Coach of the Year.

Along with Ohio State winning two of the conference’s top three individual awards, Lewis outside attacker Ryan Coenen and Ball State outside attacker Matt Szews were named the Co-MIVA Freshman of the Year.

Lewis had four players named to the First-Team All-MIVA, while Ball State had three players earn all conference honors.

MIVA Awards
2017 MIVA Player of the Year: Nicolas Szerszen, Ohio State
2017 MIVA Co-Freshman of the Year: Ryan Coenen, Lewis; Matt Szews, Ball State
2017 MIVA Coach of the Year: Pete Hanson, Ohio state

All-MIVA First Team
Setter: Christy Blough, Ohio State
Setter: Matt Yoshimoto, Lewis
Opposite: Miles Johnson, Ohio State
Opposite: Mitch Perinar, Lewis
Outside attacker: Ryan Coenen, Lewis
Outside attacker: Nicolas Szerszen, Ohio State
Outside attacker: Matt Szews, Ball State.
Middle attacker: Jeff Jendryk, Loyola
Middle attacker: Matt Walsh, Ball State
Libero: Michael Simmons, Lewis

All-MIVA Second Team
Setter: Connor Gross, Ball State
Opposite: Ben Plaisted, Loyola
Opposite: Maalik Walker, McKendree
Outside attacker: Collin Mahan, Loyola
Outside attacker: Cullen Mosher, Grand Canyon
Middle attacker: Driss Guessous, Ohio State
Middle attacker: Jarrod Kelso, Quincy
Middle attacker: Wyatt Patterson, McKendree
Middle attacker: Drake Silbernagel, Grand Canyon
Libero: Gabriel Domecus, Ohio State

MIVA All-Freshmen Team
Setter: Ian Cowen, Loyola
Outside attacker: Kyle Bugee, Lewis
Outside attacker: Ryan Coenen, Lewis
Outside attacker: Matt Szews, Ball State
Outside attacker: Pelegrin Vargas, Fort Wayne
Middle attacker: Sam Schindler, Lindenwood
Libero: Nick Lavanchy, Ball State

All-MIVA Honorable Mention
Setter: Pasquale Fiduccia, McKendree
Setter: Michael Milstein, Grand Canyon
Opposite: Brendan Surane, Ball State
Outside attacker: Pelegrin Vargas, Fort Wayne
Middle attacker: Maxime Hervoir, Ohio State
Middle attacker: Connor Hipelius, Lindenwood
Middle attacker: Sam Schindler, Lindenwood
Middle attacker: Brendan Schmidt, McKendree
Middle attacker: Jacob Schmiegelt, Lewis
Libero: Sky Engleman, Grand Canyon