Ryan Wilcox, UC Santa Barbara Men’s Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week Junior • Outside Hitter • Honolulu?

• Junior outside hitter Ryan Wilcox helped power UC Santa Barbara to two victories over top-10 foes en route to Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors. The Gauchos took down No. 4 Penn State in sweeping fashion and followed it up with a 3-1 victory over No. 9 Ohio State.  

• The native of Honolulu finished the week averaging 4.7 kills per set on an outstanding .469 hitting percentage to go along with 5.5 digs per set. 

• In the sweep of the Nittany Lions, Wilcox recorded 12 kills on .611 hitting (12-1-18) with a season-high eight digs, and an ace.  

• Wilcox powered down 16 kills with four blocks, three digs and an ace against the Buckeyes, giving the Gauchos three straight wins over top-10 opponents. 

• Named Big West Freshman of the Week four times during the 2019 season, this is the first Offensive Player of the Week nod for Wilcox. 

Also nominated: Kyle Hobus (CSUN), Kyle McCauley (UC San Diego), Alex Nikolov (Long Beach State), Francesco Sani (UC Irvine)

Donovan Todorov, UC Santa Barbara Men’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week Sophomore • Middle Blocker • San Diego, Calif.?

• UC Santa Barbara sophomore middle blocker Donovan Todorov led the defensive effort for the Gauchos in a pair of victories over No. 4 Penn State and No. 9 Ohio State.  

• The sophomore middle blocker finished the week with 12 rejections at the net, or 1.7 blocks per set, and four digs. Against Ohio State, he tallied nine total blocks, tying his season high. 

• Todorov was excellent on both sides of the ball, also adding 2.3 kills per set on .565 hitting as he finished the weekend with 16 kills and 22.0 total points.  

• This is Todorov’s first career Big West weekly award.

Also nominated: Mason Briggs (Long Beach State), Matt Palma (UC San Diego)

Alex Nikolov, Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball Freshman of the Week Freshman • Outside Hitter • Sofia, Bulgaria

• Long Beach State freshman Alex Nikolov continues to lead the Beach offensive attack, picking up consecutive Big West Freshman of the Week awards in the process. 

• Nikolov finished the week averaging 5.22 kills per set on .359 hitting along with 0.67 blocks, 0.67 digs and .56 aces per set in a weekend split against No. 9 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State.  

• In the win against the Buckeyes, Nikolov recorded a career-high 24 kills on a .500 hitting clip, while adding five digs, four blocks, and two aces. He came back the next night against the Nittany Lions and posted 23 kills while adding three aces, two blocks, one dig, and one assist. 

• This is Nikolov’s third weekly honor of the season (Jan. 24 - Offensive & Freshman). 

Also nominated: Donovan Constable (CSUN), Hilir Henno (UC Irvine)

2022 Big West Weekly Award Winners