Photo by: Lucas Carter
Rivera Named First Team All-Conference
4/17/2013 1:26:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association announced its all-conference selections for the 2013 season and IPFW junior Eddie Rivera was recognized as a first team honoree.
Joseph Smalzer of Loyola was named MIVA Player of the Year, Thomas Jaeschke of Loyola was the Freshman of the Year and Joel Walton of Ball State was named Coach of the Year, by vote of the eight conference coaches.
Rivera leads the team in kills with 320 on the year, an average of 3.27 kills per set. The junior has started in all 25 matches and has recorded a double figure kill total in 19 games. He is nationally ranked 25th in both kills per set and points per set (3.81).
Rivera is a well-rounded player that also leads the team in double-doubles with four. His first double-double performance of the year came at Ball State with 14 kills and 13 digs. His second double-double came that same weekend as he ended the game at Ohio State with 17 kills and 12 digs.
Playing on a big stage is no problem for Rivera who also recorded double-doubles against nationally ranked teams in Penn State and George Mason. He put down 15 kills and 10 digs vs. the Nittany Lions and then recorded 13 kills and 10 digs against the Patriots.
Earning first team honors were: Brennan Anderson (Ohio State), BJ Boldog (Lewis), Jamion Hartley (Ball State), Michael Henchy (Ohio State), Greg Herceg (Ball State), Thomas Jaeschke (Loyola-Chicago), Kevin Owens (Ball State), Geoff Powell (Lewis), Eddie Rivera (IPFW), Tommy Rouse (Ball State), and Joseph Smalzer (Loyola-Chicago).
Earning second team honors were: Colin Hackworth (Lindenwood), Matt Leske (Ball State), Andrew Lutz (Ohio State), Ryan Mather (Grand Canyon), Jay Petty (Lewis), Ben Ponnet (Grand Canyon), Scott Siwicki (Lindenwood), John Tholen (Ohio State), and Bobby Walsh (Lewis).
The 2013 MIVA Tournament begins this Friday, April 19 with No. 2 seed Loyola-Chicago hosting No. 7 seed Quincy in a quarterfinal match. On Saturday, No. 3 seed Ball State will host No. 6 seed IPFW while No. 4 seed Ohio State is set to host No. 5 seed Grand Canyon for the other two quarterfinal matches.
The quarterfinal winners will advance to the semifinals on Wednesday, April 24. No. 1 seed Lewis will host and await the winner between Ohio State and Grand Canyon. The other two quarterfinal winners will play at the site of the higher remaining seed.
The tournament championship match will be played Saturday, April 27 at the site of the highest remaining seed. The winner of the MIVA Tournament will earn the league's automatic bid into the 2013 NCAA Men's Volleyball Championships held at the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, Calif. The two semifinal matches will be played on May 2 before the finals are set to be played on May 4.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
Thursday, February 12
Sunday, February 08
Saturday, February 07
Friday, January 23
