Ball State University Athletics
Six Men?s Volleyball Players Honored By The MIVA
April 17, 2008 | Men's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Six members of the 10th-ranked Ball State men's volleyball team were honored today as the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association announced its all-conference and specialty award selections, as voted on by the league's seven head coaches.
"I am extremely happy for the individual honors our players were able to achieve this season," said BSU head coach Joel Walton. "The number of honors and the level of achievements would not have been possible without a great effort from our team, some high-quality wins and a strong performance through the MIVA regular season."
The Cardinals tied for league-high honors with three MIVA First Team All-Conference selections, as seniors Patrick Durbin (Louisville, Ky./Trinity H.S.) and Ian Peckler (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills H.S.) were joined by junior Matt McCarthy (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.) on the league's top squad.
"I am pleased that Pat and Ian, our senior leaders, have earned top conference honors in their last season," continued Walton. "Both have been great leaders and strong players in our program."
In addition, junior Todd Chamberlain (Louisville, Ky./Trinity H.S.) and sophomore Ethan Pheister (Shorewood, Wis./Shorewood H.S.) were named to the MIVA All-Conference Second Team.
Freshman J.D. Gasparovic (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville H.S.) picked up the league's top first-year player honor, by being named the 2008 MIVA Freshman of the Year.
"J.D. has been a real pleasant surprise, stepping in for an injured Ryan Clarke," added Walton. "To be the leading blocker in our conference and the fifth-best in the nation as a freshman is a tremendous achievement."
Durbin, who earns MIVA First Team All-Conference honors for the first time in his career, enters Saturday's MIVA Tournament match-up with Quincy ranked first in the league and 13th nationally with a 4.28 kills-per-game average. After collecting 30 kills in BSU's two matches last weekend, Durbin broke into the top 20 in school annals with 865 career kills, placing him 18th on the Cardinals' all-time list.
Peckler, a first time MIVA First Team All-Conference selection after earning second team honors in both 2006 and 2007, enters the week ranked first in the league and fourth in the nation with a 3.00 digs-per-game average. BSU's all-time leader in matches with double-digit digs (50), Peckler's 1,023 career digs rank second in program history behind only Chris Beerman's (1987-1990) total of 1,047.
McCarthy, another first time MIVA First Team All-Conference selection after earning second team status in 2007, enters Saturday's contest ranked fourth in the league and ninth nationally with a .426 attack percentage. He also ranks fifth in the league and 18th nationally with a 1.20 block-per-game average. McCarthy, who has accumulated 312 career blocks, needs just two more to break into the top 20 in program history.
Chamberlain, who picks up MIVA Second Team All-Conference honors for the first time in his career, owns a 2.89 kills-per-game average this season which ranks 13th in the conference. His 251 kills entering the weekend are a career-high, as are his 50 total blocks and .251 attack percentage. Chamberlain has recorded a 3.20 kills-per-game average in league-only matches, ranking him 10th in the MIVA.
Pheister, a first time MIVA Second Team All-Conference selection, enters the MIVA Tournament ranked third in the league and ninth in the nation with a 12.17 assists-per-game average. He became the 13th player in program history to log over 1,000 career assists in BSU's win over Mercyhurst (Feb. 16). Pheister currently ranks ninth on BSU's all-time career assists list with 1,567 career helpers.
Gasparovic, who is the second Ball State player in as many years to earn the MIVA Freshman of the Year award, enters the week as the MIVA's blocking leader with a 1.46 blocks-per-game average, which also ranks fifth nationally. In 83 games this season, Gasparovic has logged a team-high 121 total blocks (15 solo and 106 assists), which is also the second-highest total in the league and the seventh-highest amount in the nation.
The Ball State men's volleyball team opens play in the 2008 MIVA Tournament as the No. 2 seed Saturday, when it hosts No. 7 seed Quincy at 7:30 p.m. in Worthen Arena.
