Ohio State senior outside hitter Nicolas Szerszen has been named the MIVA Player of the Year for the 3rd-straight season. He becomes the first student-athlete in the 58-year history of the conference to win the award 3 times.
Loyola setter Garrett Zolg was named the MIVA Freshman of the Year and Loyola head coach Mark Hulse was named MIVA Coach of the Year. The honors were voted on by the league’s 8 head coaches.
Nicolas Szerszen, who is 4 kills away from breaking Ohio State’s all-time school record in kills, has 327 this season – 3.72 per set, which ranks him 3rd in the conference and 12th in the country this season. He also has 48 aces (t-3rd in the country, 1st in the MIVA); and is 12th in the nation in points/set (4.48/set). He accomplished that all while hitting .385. Among non-middles, that’s the second-best hitting percentage in the country, behind only Long Beach St. outside hitter TJ DeFalco (.395).
Garrett Zolg, the Freshman of the Year, set Loyola Chicago to a .310 hitting percentage, which ranks them 7th in the NCAA this year (3rd in the conference). That’s up from a .270 hitting percentage last season. He’s put up 1,027 assists so far this season (10.42/set), and ranks 4th nationally in that category this season. He also had 30 kills in 48 attacks, 22 aces, and 32 total blocks.
Loyola as a team finished 22-6 this season, including 11-3 in conference play. They were just 16-12 last year, and 9-7 in the conference.
The conference also announced its All-MIVA First Team (12 players), All-MIVA Second Team (12 players), and All-Freshman Team (7 players) honors.
Honors-Per-Team
| First Team | Second Team | Freshman Team | Total | |
| Loyola | 4 | 1 | 5 | |
| Ohio State | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Lewis | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| Ball State | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Fort Wayne | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| McKendree | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Lindenwood | 2 | 2 |
Honorees
Player of the Year: Nicolas Szerszen (Ohio State)
Coach of The Year: Mark Hulse (Loyola)
Freshman of the Year: Garrett Zolg (Loyola)
2018 All–MIVA First Team
Nicolas Szerszen, Ohio St. – Sr. – OH
Sanil Thomas, Ohio St. – Jr. – S
Maxime Hervoir, Ohio St. – Sr. – OH
Garrett Zolg, Loyola – Fr. – S
Ricky Gevis, Loyola – Sr. – Opp
Collin Mahan, Loyola – Jr. – OH
Jeff Jendryk, Loyola – Sr. – MB
Matt Walsh, Ball St. – Sr. – MB
Michael Simmons, Lewis – Jr. – L
Ryan Coenen, Lewis – So. – OH
Pelegrin Vargas, Fort Wayne – So. – OH
Brendan Schmidt, McKendree – Sr. – MB
2018 All–MIVA Second Team
Blake Leeson, Ohio St. – Jr. – MB
Jake Hanes, Ohio St. – Fr. – RS
Mitch Weiler, Ball St. – Sr. – OH
Jake Romano, Ball St. – So. – S
Mitch Perinar, Lewis – Jr. – RS
Matt Yoshimoto, Lewis – Jr. – S
Tyler Mitchem, Lewis – Fr. – MB
Michael Keegan, Fort Wayne – Jr. – S
Tomas Gago, Fort Wayne – Fr. – MB
Nolan Rueter, McKendree – Sr. – OH
Ryan Vorderer, Lindenwood – Sr. – L
Adam Brewster, Lindenwood – Jr. – S
2018 All-Freshman Team
Jake Hanes, Ohio St. – RS
Garrett Zolg, Loyola – S
Ben Chinnici, Ball St. – OH
TJ Murray, Lewis – MB
Tyler Mitchem, Lewis – MB
Tomas Gago, Fort Wayne – MB
Patrick Ross, McKendree – OH
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