Josh Aruya Award Defensive Player of the Week Week Of 3/31/2025 Sport Men's Volleyball School UC Santa Barbara Year Sophomore Position Middle Blocker Hometown Mission Viejo, Calif. High School Mission Viejo HS After a stout presence at the net in a trio of UC Santa Barbara victories, Josh Aruya has been tapped Big West Defensive Player of the Week. This is a first career weekly award for the sophomore. On Tuesday against Cal Lutheran, Aruya finished with a season-high seven blocks (one solo, six block assists) and six digs with eight kills on nine swings with no errors to hit .889 in the five-setter. In the nailbiter win at No. 8 CSUN on Friday, the middle blocker paced the team with six blocks, including one that gave the Gauchos their clinching point in a 31-29 fourth set win. In Saturday’s rematch against the Matadors, the product of Mission Viejo, Calif., had four blocks and seven kills on another errorless outing (7-0-8).