Follow
A freshman who helped lead the Coker offense this season is earning one of the top individual accolades for a player on a NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball independent team.
Off the Block announced Thursday that a nationwide voting committee selected Coker setter Brandon Ravelo as the 2019 Off the Block Independent Teams Freshman of the Year.
The Independent Teams Freshman of the Year recognizes the best player during the regular season from NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball teams that are competing without a conference affiliation. The five independent teams this season are Alderson Broaddus, Coker, Daemen, Lincoln Memorial and Queens.
Ravelo ended the regular season in the nation’s top 20 — and second among freshmen — with a 9.59 assists per game average. He guided the Cobras to hit more than .250 in seven matches, including Coker finishing with a .336 attack percentage in a victory against Emmanuel in March.
Beyond his role as a setter, Ravelo led the team with a 25 aces, with five of those aces occurring in a near upset of Limestone in April. The freshman also was among the team leaders with a 1.24 digs per game average.
A voting committee of head coaches from the independent men’s volleyball teams and Off the Block determined the Independent Teams Freshman of the Year.
Off the Block is a website that launched in 2011 and is the nation’s leader in college men’s volleyball coverage.
This is the second year that Off the Block has presented Independent Teams Freshman of the Year. Lincoln Memorial setter AJ Risavy was the inaugural winner of the award last season.
Along with the Independent Teams Freshman of the Year, Off the Block presents the All-Independent Team and the Independent Teams Player of the Year. The college men’s volleyball website also presents the Independent Teams Player of the Week throughout the regular season.