Grand Canyon University Athletics
Freshman Ryan Mather was named the MIVA Defensive Player of the Week.
Freshman Mather Named MIVA Defensive Player Of The Week
1/17/2012 5:54:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
Grand Canyon University freshman middle hitter Ryan Mather was named the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Defensive Player of the Week Monday.
GCU went 4-0 last week, including a first-ever victory over a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation team, UC San Diego. The Antelopes added two wins over NJIT and another over UC Santa Cruz.
Mather leads the MIVA in blocking with a 1.55 average. He has two solos and 32 assists. For the week, Mather racked up 25 total blocks to go with 15 digs, averaging 1.56 blocks per set and 0.94 digs.
He had a career-high nine total blocks in a win over NJIT, which is a season-best for the ’Lopes and ties as the second-best single match total in program history.
He had a career-best six digs in the win over UCSD and opened the week with eight total blocks in the win over UC Santa Cruz.
Mather’s offense shined, too. He had 30 kills (1.88 per set) and a .436 (30-6-55) hitting percentage for the four matches.
GCU is well-represented on the MIVA individual leaderboard.
Junior Jordon Tarantino is right behind Mather on the block list at 1.27. Setter Keith Smith is fourth (1.18) and sophomore middle hitter Connor Dougherty (1.09) is fifth.
Libero Trent Bruns, who led the league last season and was fifth in the nation in digs, leads the league after its first week of action with 3.14 digs per set.
Smith is second in assists per set at 11.64. Tarantino is second in points per set at 4.68. Tarantino and sophomore outside hitter Ben Ponnet are No. 4 and No. 5, respectively in kills at 3.89 and 3.82. Ponnet is fifth in points at 4.16.
Team-wise, the Antelopes lead in blocks (3.25), digs (10.32) and hitting percentage by opponents (.204).
The Antelopes (4-2) look to set a new program mark for consecutive wins when they go for a fifth-straight triumph Thursday at Hope International. GCU takes on defending NAIA champion California Baptist on the road Friday.
MIVA RELEASE
GCU went 4-0 last week, including a first-ever victory over a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation team, UC San Diego. The Antelopes added two wins over NJIT and another over UC Santa Cruz.
Mather leads the MIVA in blocking with a 1.55 average. He has two solos and 32 assists. For the week, Mather racked up 25 total blocks to go with 15 digs, averaging 1.56 blocks per set and 0.94 digs.
He had a career-high nine total blocks in a win over NJIT, which is a season-best for the ’Lopes and ties as the second-best single match total in program history.
He had a career-best six digs in the win over UCSD and opened the week with eight total blocks in the win over UC Santa Cruz.
Mather’s offense shined, too. He had 30 kills (1.88 per set) and a .436 (30-6-55) hitting percentage for the four matches.
GCU is well-represented on the MIVA individual leaderboard.
Junior Jordon Tarantino is right behind Mather on the block list at 1.27. Setter Keith Smith is fourth (1.18) and sophomore middle hitter Connor Dougherty (1.09) is fifth.
Libero Trent Bruns, who led the league last season and was fifth in the nation in digs, leads the league after its first week of action with 3.14 digs per set.
Smith is second in assists per set at 11.64. Tarantino is second in points per set at 4.68. Tarantino and sophomore outside hitter Ben Ponnet are No. 4 and No. 5, respectively in kills at 3.89 and 3.82. Ponnet is fifth in points at 4.16.
Team-wise, the Antelopes lead in blocks (3.25), digs (10.32) and hitting percentage by opponents (.204).
The Antelopes (4-2) look to set a new program mark for consecutive wins when they go for a fifth-straight triumph Thursday at Hope International. GCU takes on defending NAIA champion California Baptist on the road Friday.
MIVA RELEASE
Tuesday, June 09
Monday, June 08
Saturday, June 06
Friday, June 05