Five Bruins Recognized As OTB Honors Finalists
May 15, 2023 | Men's Volleyball
Five Bruins – Ethan Champlin, Guy Genis, Troy Gooch, Merrick McHenry and Andrew Rowan -- were recognized on Monday as Off the Block released the finalists for all 11 of its NCAA Division I-II men's volleyball national awards.
A nationwide voting committee of more than 35 NCAA Division I-II men's volleyball coaches and volleyball media determined the finalists. The top three vote-getters for each award were named finalists, and the individual receiving the most votes will be named the award winner. The award winners will be announced throughout the next two weeks.
Ethan Champlin is a finalist for the Karch Kiraly Award which is presented to the nation's best outside attacker in Division I-II men's volleyball during the regular season. He was a first-team AVCA All-America selection and a first-team All-MPSF pick in 2023 who rated 21st in the NCAA in attack percentage (.349) and 31st nationally in aces per set (0.36). Champlin recorded 14 double-digit kill matches on the season and established a new career-best with 19 kills in a win at Pepperdine. He had multiple aces in 14 contests this year, including a season-high five aces in a match versus Purdue Ft. Wayne. The junior also registered multiple blocks in 18 matches with a season-high of six at Hawai'i and against Pepperdine (h). Champlin had 14 matches with five digs or more and was one of the primary passers on the team.
Guy Genis is one of three finalists for the National Blocker of the Year Award. He tied the school record for block solos in a season with 19 and ranked fourth nationally in the NCAA in blocks per set average (1.21). Genis recorded 19 matches with at least three blocks. He was named Off the Block's National Middle of the Week and MPSF Defensive Player of the Week after totaling eight blocks in both regular season wins at Stanford. Genis was an AVCA Honorable Mention All-America selection as well as an All-MPSF Honorable Mention pick. He hit at least .500 in 14 contests on the year and had a season-best seven kills in both regular season matches against Grand Canyon.
Troy Gooch is listed as a finalist for the Steve Shondell Award as the nation's top passer during the regular season. He saw action in all 33 UCLA matches this season at libero and was named an honorable mention AVCA All-America selection. Gooch totaled 20 matches during the season in which he handled at least 15 serves without a single reception error. He was credited with at least five digs in 25 matches on the year, including racking up double-digit regular season totals of 13 at CUI and 10 digs against UC San Diego. Gooch was chosen MPSF Defensive Player of the Week after combining for 22 digs and handling all 21 serves without error in a pair of contests against Concordia-Irvine. He ranked 23rd in the NCAA in digs per set average (1.96). Gooch was selected to the UCSB Asics All-Tournament Team.
Merrick McHenry was selected as a finalist for two awards, the Ryan Millar Award for the nation's best middle attacker, and the Dain Blanton Award, which recognizes the top NCAA Division I-II men's volleyball player during the regular season of a minority ethnicity. He earned first-team AVCA All-America and first-team all-conference honors this season and was named MVP of the MPSF Tournament after hitting over .800 with 20 kills over the two UCLA matches. McHenry led the nation in attack percentage (.526) in 2023 which is the second-highest season mark in UCLA rally scoring era history. He hit at least .500 in 20 matches in 2023. McHenry totaled 12 contests with double-digit kills and 16 with at least three blocks. The Texas native posted a season-high 15 kills in a win over UC Irvine and a season-best five aces in a victory at Stanford. His season high in blocks of 12 came in a home win over Pepperdine. McHenry's total of 18 block solos on the season rate tied for third on the all-time school rally scoring era list. He was named Off the Block's Co-Middle Attacker of the Week for his play in matches against Penn State and Hawai'i in the OUTRIGGER Invitational where he was selected to the All-Tournament Team. McHenry was also chosen Off the Block's Co-Middle Attacker of the Week two additional times after leading UCLA to a pair of wins each over both UC Irvine and Pepperdine.
Andrew Rowan is a finalist for the Lloy Ball Award which honors the nation's best setter during the regular season. He was selected the AVCA Newcomer of the Year (first Bruin since 1997 to earn the award - Brandon Taliaferro) and the MPSF Freshman of the Year for 2023. Rowan was also an AVCA first-team All-America selection and a first-team All-MPSF pick after helping UCLA post the top hitting percentage (.382) in the nation. Rowan paced all MPSF players with 50 aces on the season and had multiple aces in 17 matches with a best of six against UC San Diego. He registered at least one ace in 20 of the final 22 matches of the season and was ranked 12th in the nation in aces per set (0.46) and ninth in set assist average (10.14). The Orange County product set the Bruins to at least a .400 hitting percentage in 14 contests and recorded multiple blocks in 17 matches. He was named Off the Block's National Setter of the Week for his role in helping UCLA hit over .400 in both road matches at Grand Canyon. Rowan was honored as the AVCA National Player of the Week for his work in leading UCLA to a pair of regular season wins over Long Beach State (team hit a season-best .551 in one of those meetings).
Lloy Ball Award Finalists
Andrew Rowan, UCLA
Cole Bogner, Penn St.
Jakob Thelle, Hawai'i
Karch Kiraly Award Finalists
Ethan Champlin, UCLA
Spyros Chakas, Hawai'i
Jacob Pasteur, Ohio State
Ryan Millar Award Finalists
Merrick McHenry, UCLA
Toby Ezeonu, Penn St.
Simon Torwie, Long Beach St.
Steve Shondell Award Finalists
Troy Gooch, UCLA
Mason Briggs, Long Beach St.
Ryan Merk, Penn St.
National Blocker of the Year Finalists
Guy Genis, UCLA
Teon Taylor, BYU
Simon Torwie, Long Beach St.
Dain Blanton Diversity Award Finalists
Merrick McHenry, UCLA
Jaylen Jasper, Pepperdine
Jacob Pasteur, Ohio State
