Ball State University Athletics
No. 14 Men's Volleyball Places Five on All-Conference Teams
April 20, 2006 | Men's Volleyball
Muncie, Ind. - - Five members of the Ball State men's volleyball team have been named to the 2006 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association All-Conference Teams as announced today by the league office. Senior setter Dave Carlson (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids H.S.) and junior outside attacker Nick Meyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller H.S.) were named to the first team, while senior outside attacker Evan Berg (Bristol, Wis./Central H.S.), junior outside attacker Patrick Durbin (Louisville, Ky./Trinity H.S.) and sophomore libero Ian Peckler (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills H.S.) were selected to the second team.
Carlson earns first team honors for the first time in his career after playing in 23 of the Cardinals' 26 matches this season, earning 22 starts. He currently ranks third in the conference and 12th in the nation with a 12.48 assists-per-game average. With 53 assists last Saturday versus No. 10 Penn State, Carlson moved his career total to 2,052 to become just the sixth player in school history to break the 2,000 plateau.
In BSU's win over Carthage (Jan. 20), Carlson tallied a season-high 63 assists, falling one shy of his career-high of 64 set versus Ohio State (April 1, 2005). Carlson has tallied a season-high six kills in four contest this season, while hitting for a .344 (63-18-131) rate of success. He has tallied a career-best 58 total blocks (16 solo and 42 assists) for a 0.69 blocks-per-game average on the year. Carlson, who leads the Cardinals with 23 service aces, has also posted a career-best 1.85 digs-per-game average to rank 15th in the MIVA this season.
Meyer, a 2005 MIVA Second Team All-Conference selection, earns first team accolades for the first time in his career after pacing the Cardinals, ranking second in the league and eighth in the nation with a 5.40 points-per-game average. A starter in 21 of the 23 matches he has played in, Meyer also ranks second in the league and ninth in the nation with a 4.57 kills-per-game average.
The first back-to-back MIVA Player of the Week selection in school history, Meyer has smashed 934 kills over his career - - including 306 this season - - to rank second in school annals in the rally scoring era. In addition to his attacking, Meyer recorded a career-high 17 digs in BSU's win over Quincy (March 25) and currently ranks ninth in the conference and 20th in the nation with a 2.12 digs-per-game average. Meyer also ranks among the league-leaders in aces-per-game (0.33, 7th), blocks-per-game (0.93, 10th) and attack percentage (.300, 15th).
Berg, a first team all-conference selection last season, earns second team accolades for the first time in his career after playing in 23 of the team's 26 matches with 20 starts. Berg currently ranks eighth in the league and 18th in the nation with a 2.14 digs-per-game average. Berg has also tallied 155 kills on the year for a 2.09 kills-per-game average.
In four seasons with the Cardinals, Berg has amassed 704 career digs to rank seventh on BSU's career charts. His 1.82 career digs-per-game average currently ranks 11th in school annals, while his career-best 22 digs versus Lewis (May 1, 2004) tie for third on BSU's single-match charts. Berg turned in one of his best performances of the season March 18 versus IPFW, collecting season-highs of 14 kills, 39 attacks and 16 digs. Berg has tallied four block assists in three matches this season, tying his career high in the category, as well as in the total block column.
Durbin, who has started 23 of the 24 matches he has played in this season, earns second team honors for the first time in his career after ranking second on the team and sixth in the league with a 3.78 points-per-game average. Durbin also ranks among the league's top 20 players in kills-per-game (3.18, 7th), digs-per-game (1.84, 17th) and attack percentage (.256, 20th).
Over the course of the season, Durbin has recorded career-highs in kills (18), attempts (45), block assists (7), total blocks (7), assists (3) and aces (3). His 242 kills nearly triple his previous season-high mark, while his 56 total blocks (9 solo and 47 assist) double his previous season-best mark.
Peckler, an all-conference second team selection for the first time in his career, has started 24 of BSU's 26 matches as the team's libero. He currently paces the league and ranks fifth nationally with a 2.82 digs-per-game average. In the Cardinals' victory over Carthage (Jan. 20), Peckler recorded a career-high 29 digs to set the BSU single-match record. The 29 digs also rank as the most in a match nationally this season.
