Reese Devilbiss, Martin Lallemand and Samuel Clark of the Ohio State men’s volleyball team earned all-conference honors from the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA).
Devilbiss and Lallemand made the All-MIVA First Team, while Clark earned a spot on the Second Team.
Courtesy of Ohio State athletics.
A force in the MIVA and men’s volleyball in general, Ohio State has boasted multiple players on the All-MIVA First Team for six straight seasons and totaled 25 first-teamers since 2010.
In fact, the last time that the All-MIVA First Team did not include a Buckeye was 1997. Since the MIVA was founded in 1961, Ohio State has failed to have a player earn All-MIVA First Team honors in just five seasons, and only in one of the past 49 years (1961, 1962, 1965, 1971, 1997).
Devilbiss and Lallemand both ranked in the top 10 of multiple statistical categories across the MIVA. The outside hitters had led the Buckeyes to an 11-8 record in head coach Kevin Burch’s first season before it was cut short due to the coronavirus.
Devilbiss, a senior from Mount Wolf, Pa., averaged 3.22 kills/set for seventh in the conference, scored 3.68 points/set (eighth) while attacking at a .309 clip (seventh).
“Reese is the kind of guy you naturally look up to. His hard work and ethic made him someone you’d always want on your side of the court and in your gym. He would always find ways to push you beyond your limits and motivate you to excel in what you’re doing,” Lallemand said of Devilbiss. “More than that though, Reese is also an incredible guy, always fun to be around, always here to pick you up when you’re down. I will definitely miss having him in the locker room.”
A junior from Orp Le Grand, Belgium, Lallemand swung .301 (eighth) with 3.32 kills/set (fifth), .27 aces/set (eighth) and 3.97 points/set (fifth).
Meanwhile, true freshman Samuel Clark, a middle blocker from Baltimore, Md., ranked in the top 10 in blocks per set (.89; seventh).
The trio started 18 matches apiece, and Clark finished as the only Buckeye to play in all 19 contests.
What follows are the MIVA award winners and All-MIVA teams:
2020 MIVA Player of the Year: Ryan Coenen, Lewis
2020 Newcomer of the Year: Cole Schlothauer, Loyola
2020 Coach of the Year: Dan Friend, Lewis
2020 All-MIVA First Team
Ryan Coenen, Lewis – OH, Sr.
Pelegrin Vargas, Purdue Fort Wayne – OH, Sr.
Tyler Mitchem, Lewis – MB, Jr.
Kaleb Jenness, Ball State- OH, So.
Cole Schlothauer, Loyola – OH, Fr.
Reese Devilbiss, Ohio State – OH, Sr.
Wyatt Dimke, McKendree – MB, Jr.
Sam Schindler, Lindenwood – MB, Jr.
Kyle Piekarski, Loyola – MB, Sr.
Martin Lallemand, Ohio State – OH, Jr.
Diego Negron, Lindenwood – OH, So.
Noam Hannoun, Quincy – L, So.
2020 All-MIVA Second Team
Kevin Kauling, Lewis – S, Fr.
Quinn Isaacson, Ball State – S, Jr.
TJ Murray, Lewis – MB, Jr.
Blake Reardon, Ball State – OH, Sr.
Richie Diedrich, Purdue Fort Wayne – MB, Sr.
Tomas Gago, Purdue Fort Wayne – MB, Jr.
Kyle Bugée, Lewis – OH, Sr.
Ryan Serrano, McKendree – S, So.
Samuel Clark, Ohio State – MB, Fr.
Matt Szews, Ball State – OH, Sr.
Omari Wheeler, Quincy – OH, Sr.
Francisco Comas, McKendree – L, So.
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