Week ending January 18, 2026
The 2026 NCAA Division III men’s volleyball season is officially underway, and standout performances from coast to coast have produced the first weekly award winners of the new campaign. Here is a breakdown of some of the players who earned recognition in the inaugural week of action.
National Spotlight: UC Santa Cruz Surges Up the Rankings
Senior outside hitter Riley Norman of UC Santa Cruz powered the Banana Slugs to an impressive start at the 2026 Slug Slam, helping UCSC knock off a pair of top-ten ranked opponents. Norman, a 2024 AVCA Second Team All-American, recorded 13 kills and 10 digs in a four-set victory over No. 2 New York University on Sunday, capping a weekend that saw the Banana Slugs improve to 4-0.
UC Santa Cruz entered the season ranked No. 10 in the InsideHitter.com preseason ranking but is expected to climb significantly after their statement wins. The Banana Slugs have yet to be pushed to a fifth set this season. Norman, who set the program record with 36 kills in a single match against St. John Fisher in 2024, appears poised for another standout campaign.
Conference Players of the Week
NJAC / CUNYAC: Marcus Pardasie, NJCU (Jr., OH)
Junior outside hitter Marcus Pardasie made an emphatic opening statement in NJCU’s new conference home. In the Gothic Knights’ season-opening 3-1 victory over Widener, Pardasie paced the team with 18 kills while hitting .342. He added two service aces and contributed defensively with five digs and a block assist.
The Paramus, N.J. native earned dual honors for his performance, being named both the NJAC Player of the Week and the CUNYAC Player of the Week. Pardasie, who was named AVCA Division III National Player of the Week last March, enters 2026 as a two-time First Team All-NJAC and First Team All-Skyline selection. NJCU, now competing in the CUNYAC after leaving the Skyline Conference, was voted the preseason favorite by league coaches.
The Gothic Knights improved to 2-0 after rallying from a two-set deficit to defeat Purchase College 3-2 on Tuesday, with Pardasie recording 17 kills at a .452 clip.
Empire 8: Nazareth Sweeps Weekly Honors
AJ Burda (Sr., S) and Sean Frawley (Fr., RS) led Nazareth to a 2-0 opening week, earning the Empire 8 Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week honors, respectively.
Burda totaled 91 assists across victories over Eastern (five sets) and Wilkes (three sets), orchestrating the Golden Flyers’ attack at an impressive .354 team hitting percentage. The senior setter from Fairport, N.Y. averaged 11.5 assists per set while adding nine digs and six kills. Burda led Nazareth with 712 assists last season.
Frawley burst onto the scene with 23 kills at a .365 hitting percentage in his first two collegiate matches. The freshman right-side hitter from Liverpool, N.Y. contributed 15 digs and two service aces, tallying 25 total points. His 12-kill, eight-dig performance in the five-set victory over Eastern set the tone for what promises to be an exciting rookie campaign.
Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League: Karl Both, Trine (Fr., MB)
Freshman middle blocker Karl Both earned MCVL Offensive Player of the Week after powering Trine to a victory over St. Vincent. The Chicago native delivered a pair of crucial blocks to break a 25-all tie in the fourth set, securing the win for the Thunder.
Both finished with 12 kills on .500 hitting with seven blocks and a service ace. Through the opening week, Both leads the MCVL with 18 total blocks (1.0 per set) while hitting .437. Trine will face Illinois Wesleyan and No. 10 Aurora this weekend in a challenging tri-match.
Continental Volleyball Conference: Dante Palombo, Juniata (So., MH)
Sophomore middle hitter Dante Palombo was named CVC Athlete of the Week after leading the Eagles to a 2-0 start with victories over Trine (3-0) and St. Vincent (3-0). The Pittsburgh native averaged 3.17 kills per set while posting a remarkable .773 hitting percentage. Palombo, the 2024 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette boys volleyball player of the year, appeared in 17 matches as a freshman last season, hitting .444. Juniata, ranked No. 3 in the preseason AVCA poll, appears primed for another deep run after reaching the NCAA semifinals in 2025.
Freshman setter Duncan Sturt was named “Newcomer” of the week in the CVC. Duncan stepped up off the bench and provided 58 assts, 8 blocks and 4 digs while sparking a reverse sweep of Arcadia and matchup in against MIT in a loss.
Great Northeast Athletic Conference: Elms College Sweeps Awards
The Blazers dominated the GNAC weekly awards, with three players earning recognition after a 2-0 start:
Nick Uschmann (Jr., OH) was named Offensive Player of the Week. The Agawam, Mass. native, a 2025 GNAC Second Team All-Conference selection, powered Elms’ attack in victories over Sage (3-0) and Curry (3-1).
Chris Bousquet earned Defensive Player of the Week honors for anchoring the Blazers’ back row.
David Dzhenzherukha was selected as the Setter/Rookie of the Week after an impressive debut for Elms.
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference: Buffalo State Makes History
Gavin Wilczewski (OH) and Kaden Strong (MB) led Buffalo State to a historic 4-0 start at the Hobart Tournament, earning AMCC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors, respectively.
The Bengals’ opening weekend included victories over No. 25 Misericordia and No. 26 Hobart, propelling Buffalo State forward in the national rankings. The reigning AMCC champions, who went undefeated in conference play during their first year in the league, picked up right where they left off.
Strong, a key returner from Buffalo State’s championship team, led the squad with 71 total blocks last season while hitting .371.
New England Volleyball Conference: Nyko Whitaker, Curry (Fr.)
Freshman Nyko Whitaker of Curry College was named the NEVC Rookie of the Week after an impressive debut for the Colonels in their first season as conference members. Curry, which joined the NEVC in 2026 after their inaugural varsity season, showed early promise with Whitaker leading the way.
Award Winner Summary
| Organization | Award Type | Player | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| NJAC | Player of the Week | Marcus Pardasie | NJCU |
| CUNYAC | Player of the Week | Marcus Pardasie | NJCU |
| Empire 8 | Player of the Week | AJ Burda | Nazareth |
| Empire 8 | Rookie of the Week | Sean Frawley | Nazareth |
| MCVL | Offensive Player | Karl Both | Trine |
| CVC | Athlete of the Week | Dante Palombo | Juniata |
| GNAC | Offensive Player | Nick Uschmann | Elms |
| GNAC | Defensive Player | Chris Bousquet | Elms |
| GNAC | Setter/Rookie | David Dzhenzherukha | Elms |
| AMCC | Offensive Player | Gavin Wilczewski | Buffalo State |
| AMCC | Defensive Player | Kaden Strong | Buffalo State |
| NEVC | Rookie of the Week | Nyko Whitaker | Curry |
Information compiled from official conference releases and athletic department announcements. All statistics and awards verified through January 21, 2026. Send any other missing awards for verification to insidehitter@gmail.com.