Recipients unveiled for Off the Block National Weekly Awards

Off the Block announced on Monday the recipients of the National Position Player of the Week Awards.

The National Position Player of the Week Awards recognize the libero, middle attacker, opposite, outside attacker and setter who had the best performances in NCAA men’s volleyball during the week.

The Off the Block staff determines each award recipient. The winners are announced every week during the regular season on the Off the Block website, offtheblockblog.com.

While there are other weekly national awards in college men’s volleyball, these are the only position-based weekly awards.

Off the Block at the end of the season presents the Lloy Ball Award to the nation’s top setter, Bryan Ivie Award to the nation’s top opposite, 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.

Off the Block is a national award winning website that launched in 2011 and is the nation’s leader in college men’s volleyball coverage.

Off the Block Weekly National Award recipients

National Setter of the Week: Logan Taylor, North Greenville
National Opposite of the Week: Nathan Zini, Saint Francis
National Outside Attacker of the Week: Spyros Chakas, Hawai’i
National Middle Attacker of the Week: Merrick McHenry, UCLA
National Libero of the Week: Mason Brings, Long Beach State

Logan Taylor, North Greenville
Taylor had 63 assists and guided the offense to a .306 attack percentage as North Greenville defeated Erskine on Saturday. The setter also helped the team hit .292 and added two blocks in a four-game victory against Belmont Abbey on Tuesday.

Nathan Zini, Saint Francis
Zini led all players with a season-high 22 kills on a .529 attack percentage in a four-game victory against Charleston on Saturday to complete the two-match series sweep. The opposite also had a match-high six aces and 15 kills on a .314 attack percentage in the series-opening week against Charleston on Friday.

Spyros Chakas, Hawai’i
Chakas led all players with a season-high 23 kills on a .733 attack percentage as No. 3/3 Hawai’i swept No. 5/4 Stanford on Friday. The outside attacker also had 15 kills on a .367 attack percentage and a season-high eight digs in a four-game victory against the Cardinal on Wednesday to open the two-match series.

Merrick McHenry, UCLA
McHenry had 10 kills on a .444 attack percentage along with five blocks and a season-high seven digs as No. 4/4 UCLA defeated No. 1/1 Long Beach State on Friday to split their home-and-home series. The middle attacker also had 11 kills on a .600 attack percentage and a team-high six blocks in a the series-opening loss to the Beach on Friday

Mason Brings, Long Beach State
Briggs finished with a match-high 11 digs and committed one reception error in a four-game victory against No. 4/4 UCLA on Friday. The libero also had a season-high 16 digs in a four-game loss to the Bruins on Saturday.