Lewis outside Coenen named 2020 MIVA Player of Year

Outside attacker Ryan Coenen is earning the MIVA’s top individual award after leading Lewis to a top-five national ranking.

The conference announced Thursday that Coenen was selected as the 2020 MIVA Player of the Year.

Coenen in an abbreviated season because of the coronavirus pandemic was 11th in the nation with a 4.00 kills per game average and sixth in the conference with a .330 attack percentage. The four-time All-MIVA selection had double-digit kills in 11 consecutive matches to end the season, including a match-high 19 kills and zero errors on a .704 attack percentage in a sweep against in-state rival Loyola in February.

Coenen also was fourth in the MIVA averaging 0.36 aces per game and had a season-high six aces in a sweep against the defending ConfCarolinas champions Barton in January.

This is the second consecutive year that a Lewis player has been named the MIVA Player of the Year.

The defending MIVA champion Flyers were in first place in the conference at the time the season was canceled. In addition, Lewis was ranked No. 5 in both the national coaches poll and national media poll.

Along with Coenen earning this conference hono, Lewis coach Dan Friend repeated as the MIVA Coach of the Year.

Loyola outside attacker Cole Schlothauer also was named the MIVA Newcomer of the Year.

Lewis led all teams with four All-MIVA sections. Ball State, McKendree and Purdue Fort Wayne all had three players make an All-MIVA Team.

2020 MIVA awards

MIVA Player of the Year: Ryan Coenen, Lewis
MIVA Coach of the Year: Dan Friend, Lewis
MIVA Newcomer of the Year: Cole Schlothauer, Loyola

First-Team All-MIVA
Outside attacker: Ryan Coenen, Lewis
Outside attacker: Reese Devilbiss, Ohio State
Outside attacker: Kaleb Jenness, Ball State
Outside attacker: Martin Lallemand, Ohio State
Outside attacker: Diego Negron, Lindenwood
Outside attacker: Cole Schlothauer, Loyola
Outside attacker: Pelegrin Vargas, Purdue Fort Wayne
Middle attacker: Wyatt Dimke, McKendree
Middle attacker: Tyler Mitchem, Lewis
Middle attacker: Kyle Piekarski, Loyola
Middle attacker: Sam Schindler, Lindenwood
Libero: Noam Hannoun, Quincy

Second-Team All-MIVA
Setter: Quinn Isaacson, Ball State
Setter: Kevin Kauling, Lewis
Setter: Ryan Serrano, McKendree
Outside attacker: Kyle Bugée, Lewis
Outside attacker: Blake Reardon, Ball State
Outside attacker: Matt Szews, Ball State
Outside attacker: Omari Wheeler, Quincy
Middle attacker: Samuel Clark, Ohio State
Middle attacker: Richie Diedrich, Purdue Fort Wayne
Middle attacker: Tomas Gago, Purdue Fort Wayne
Middle attacker: TJ Murray, Lewis
Libero: Francisco Comas, McKendree