Offensive Player of the Week
Geste Bianchi, UC Santa Barbara | Redshirt Junior • Opposite Hitter • Laguna Beach, Calif. |
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UC Santa Barbara’s Geste Bianchi was instrumental in the team's five-set win over the No. 2 UCLA Bruins to claim Big West Offensive Player of the Week. This is Bianchi’s second such award of the season, also earning honors on Jan. 8.
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Bianchi contributed 27 kills, coming out to 5.4 kills per set, while hitting at a .333 clip, with seven errors on 60 swings. The opposite hitter was the only Gaucho to finish with double-digit digs on the way to a first career double-double, securing 11 digs.
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To round out the victorious effort Pauley Pavilion, the Laguna Beach, Calif., native also added three blocks, two assists and an ace.
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Bianchi is currently leading The Big West – and the nation – in multiple statistical categories, including attacks (10.53) kills (4.91) and points (5.72) per set.
Also Nominated: Donovan Constable (CSUN); Clarke Godbold (Long Beach State); Hilir Henno (UC Irvine); Alaka’i Todd (Hawai’i)
Defensive Player of the Week
Lazar Bouchkov, Long Beach State | Freshman • Middle Blocker • Sofia, Bulgaria |
True freshman Lazar Bouchkov was unstoppable at the net for Long Beach State to secure back-to-back Big West Defensive Player of the Week nods. - Bouchkov led then-No. 3 LBSU to a pair of sweeps over then-No. 10 Pepperdine and CUI while averaging 3.00 blocks per set on the week. Additionally, Bouchkov averaged 1.17 kills per set, while hitting .636 (7-0-11) over both matches.
- The middle blocker from Sofia, Bulgaria, put up 10 total blocks against the Waves on Friday night with four kills on .667 hitting.
- Bouchkov added eight blocks against the Golden Eagles on Saturday.
- Bouchkov is leading the NCAA in blocking average, denying 1.833 blocks per set.
- ?On Tuesdaay, Jan. 30, Bouchkov was also named AVCA Men's National Collegiate Player of the Week.
Also Nominated: Connor Campbell (UC Irvine); Jim Garrison (UC San Diego); Malcolm King (CSUN); Jack Walmer (UC Santa Barbara)
Freshman of the Week
Tread Rosenthal, Hawai'i | Freshman • Setter • Manhatan Beach, Calif. |
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Hawai’i freshman Tread Rosenthal started all three matches in UH's three-win road trip at Purdue Fort Wayne and Ball State to claim a second career Big West Freshman of the Week award.
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The setter averaged 9.82 assists per set and led UH to a .396 hitting percentage on the road trip, while also serving up four aces and averaging 1.82 digs per set
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Highlighting the week’s action in the Midwest, Rosenthal directed the team to a .487 hitting percentage in a straight-set win over PFW on Friday.
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The Manhattan Beach, Calif., native also recorded a season-high 10 digs with 33 assists in the series opener against the Mastadons.
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Rosenthal closed the weekend with 38 assists, two aces, and five digs against Ball State and directed the team to a .366 hitting percentage. The Rainbow Warriors currently lead The Big West and rank third in the nation by hitting at a clip of .371 on the season.
Also Nominated: Lazar Bouchkov (Long Beach State); Joe Wallace (UC Santa Barbara)
| 2024 Big West Men's Volleyball Weekly Winners |