NAPERVILLE — The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) announced its latest Men’s Volleyball Student-Athletes of the Week on Tuesday. This week’s honorees include a record-setting setter from Augustana and two student-athletes from Carthage, which posted a 2-0 record against nationally ranked and conference opponents.
 
Hitter: Ben Heise, Carthage
Heise helped No. 5 Carthage to victories over Illinois Wesleyan and No. 4 Cal Lutheran. Heise recorded a match-high 15 kills in each contest and hit .368 for the week. In the conference opener against the Titans, he contributed four kills during a key third-set run. Heise followed with three service aces and eight digs in the win over Cal Lutheran. For the week, he totaled 35.5 points and averaged 3.75 kills per set.
 
Setter: Colin Schaefer, Augustana
Schaefer directed an Augustana offense that averaged nearly 11 assists per set. Schaefer’s week included a record-setting performance in the Vikings’ conference-opening win over North Central, where he recorded 40 assists in a four-set victory to break the Augustana school record. He also posted a double-double in the match by tying his season high with 11 digs. Earlier in the week, Schaefer tallied 47 assists and helped guide Augustana to a .393 hitting percentage against St. Ambrose. He finished the two-match stretch with 87 total assists.
 
Defensive: Owen Hendricks, Carthage
Hendricks led the Firebirds with nine digs in the CCIW win over Illinois Wesleyan, then added 10 digs in the four-set victory over No. 4 Cal Lutheran as Carthage finished with more digs than the Kingsmen. Hendricks totaled 19 digs for the week and also contributed 11 kills and three assists against the Titans.

2026 CCIW Men's Volleyball Student-Athletes of the Week
Hitter
Feb. 24: Ben Heise, Carthage
Feb. 16: Aydin Provost, Illinois Wesleyan
Feb. 9: Ryan Bartz, Carthage
Feb. 2: Aydin Provost, Illinois Wesleyan
Jan. 26: Ryan Bartz, Carthage
Jan. 19: Aydin Provost, Illinois Wesleyan

Setter
Feb. 24: Colin Schaefer, Augustana
Feb. 16: Ethan Kuziela, Illinois Wesleyan
Feb. 9: Ethan Kuziela, Illinois Wesleyan
Feb. 2: Evan Dziadkowiec, Loras
Jan. 26: Evan Dziadkowiec, Loras
Jan. 19: Ethan Kuziela, Illinois Wesleyan

Defensive
Feb. 24: Owen Hendricks, Carthage
Feb. 16: Colin Alvers, Augustana
Feb. 9: Chris Mactal, North Central
Feb. 2: Jonathan Brown, North Central
Jan. 26: Chris Mactal, North Central
Jan. 19: Roman Rothermel, Loras