Grand Canyon University Athletics
Ben Ponnet was named the AVCA National Player of the Week.
Ponnet Is GCU's First National Player of the Week
4/16/2013 7:17:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
Ben Ponnet’s performance in a pair of Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association victories over Lindenwood last week was not only good enough to win MIVA Offensive Player of the Week; it also earned him the Sports Imports/AVCA Division I-II Men’s National Player of the Week.
The honor was announced today by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Ponnet is the first player in the program’s five-year history to earn the national award.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet and I’m trying not to let it sink in until after the playoffs,” said Ponnet. “That’s the most important thing right now.”
GCU travels to Ohio State Saturday for a MIVA Quarterfinal match.
“It’s still a great honor and to be the first from GCU to get it is pretty nice,” added Ponnet of the award. “At the end of the day, volleyball is a team sport. It’s nice to get recognized, but it’s a team effort. It’s the team that wins and it’s the team that goes to the playoffs.”
A 6-4 junior outside hitter from Merchtem, Belgium, Ponnet also became the first player in program history to reach 1,000 career kills. He did it by tying his career-high of 23 kills in a 3-1 win over Lindenwood Thursday. He backed up that performance with a 22-kill effort in a 3-2 win over the Lions Saturday.
In Thursday’s win he hit .326 and added eight digs and three blocks. He hit .333 on Saturday and added six digs. He averaged five kills, 1.56 digs and 6.25 points per set. He enters Saturday’s MIVA quarterfinal at Ohio State with 1,040 kills for his career.
“I’m very excited for Ben to get honored and be recognized as the best player in the country for last week,” said GCU coach Jeremy Price. “He’s a great representative of Grand Canyon volleyball. I hope this is the first of many players of the week produced by Grand Canyon volleyball.”
AVCA RELEASE
The honor was announced today by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Ponnet is the first player in the program’s five-year history to earn the national award.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet and I’m trying not to let it sink in until after the playoffs,” said Ponnet. “That’s the most important thing right now.”
GCU travels to Ohio State Saturday for a MIVA Quarterfinal match.
“It’s still a great honor and to be the first from GCU to get it is pretty nice,” added Ponnet of the award. “At the end of the day, volleyball is a team sport. It’s nice to get recognized, but it’s a team effort. It’s the team that wins and it’s the team that goes to the playoffs.”
A 6-4 junior outside hitter from Merchtem, Belgium, Ponnet also became the first player in program history to reach 1,000 career kills. He did it by tying his career-high of 23 kills in a 3-1 win over Lindenwood Thursday. He backed up that performance with a 22-kill effort in a 3-2 win over the Lions Saturday.
In Thursday’s win he hit .326 and added eight digs and three blocks. He hit .333 on Saturday and added six digs. He averaged five kills, 1.56 digs and 6.25 points per set. He enters Saturday’s MIVA quarterfinal at Ohio State with 1,040 kills for his career.
“I’m very excited for Ben to get honored and be recognized as the best player in the country for last week,” said GCU coach Jeremy Price. “He’s a great representative of Grand Canyon volleyball. I hope this is the first of many players of the week produced by Grand Canyon volleyball.”
AVCA RELEASE
Tuesday, June 09
Tuesday, June 09
Monday, June 08
Saturday, June 06