NAPERVILLE — Three student-athletes from two institutions were recognized in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Men’s Volleyball Student-Athlete of the Week awards announced Monday. 
 
Carthage seniors Ruben Emmerich and Ryan Morey earned the conference’s Hitter and Setter of the Week honors, respectively, while North Central fifth-year senior Mitchell Hester was selected as the league’s Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week. Carthage claimed two of the three weekly awards after a straight-set non-conference win over Dominican (Ill.) on Saturday. Emmerich and Morey each contributed to a Firebird offense that hit .427 as a team in the victory.
 
Hitter: Ruben Emmerich, Carthage
Emmerich, a senior middle blocker/opposite from Middleton, Wis., was named Hitter of the Week after recording eight kills on 10 attempts with one error for a .700 hitting percentage. He also added one ace and three blocks, including one solo, totaling 10.5 points in the three-set win.
 
Setter: Ryan Morey, Carthage
The conference’s Setter of the Week honor went to Morey following his role in directing Carthage’s offensive production against Dominican. A senior from Redwood City, Calif., Morey finished with 37 assists over three sets, averaging 12.33 assists per set. He also contributed one kill, one ace and one block.
 
Defensive: Mitchell Hester, North Central
North Central’s defensive recognition followed a record-tying effort at the net in the Cardinals’ four-set conference win over Augustana on Saturday. Hester, a fifth-year senior middle blocker from Frisco, Texas, registered a career-high nine blocks with two solo stops and seven block assists. The total matched the program record for blocks in a single match, and he recorded blocks on three consecutive points in the fourth set as NCC secured sole possession of third place in the CCIW standings.

2026 CCIW Men's Volleyball Student-Athletes of the Week
Hitter
March 16: Ruben Emmerich, Carthage
March 9: Ryan Bartz, Carthage
March 2: Ben Heise, Carthage
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
March 16: Ryan Morey, Carthage
March 9: Ryan Morey, Carthage
March 2: Ethan Kuziela, Illinois Wesleyan
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
March 16: Mitchell Hester, North Central
March 9: Ben Zima, Illinois Wesleyan
March 2: Colin Alvers, Augustana
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