In the award's second week of existence, libero Billy Ebel is once again the conference's defensive player of the week.
Ebel was named the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week Monday night.
The senior had a season-high 20 digs in the Ball State University men's volleyball team's four-game conference victory against Grand Canyon University on Thursday. Ebel, a preseason All-MIVA selection, also had a match-high 10 digs in a sweep against Carthage College last week.
Coach Joel Walton said he has been impressed with Ebel's defensive play throughout the first two weeks of the season.
'His teammates have put him into position to make plays and he's making those plays,' Walton said. 'He is doing great things four our team.'
This is the first year the MIVA has split its weekly awards to an offensive player of the week and defensive player of the week. In previous seasons, the MIVA would only award an overall player of the week award.
As a second-year starter, Ebel is leading the conference with a four digs per game average -- almost 0.7 digs more than any other player in the MIVA. Ebel is the first Cardinal to win back-to-back MIVA Player of the Week awards since all-conference outside attacker Nick Meyer in February 2007.'
With his performances this season, Walton said Ebel is beginning to emerge as one of the nation's elite liberos. The coach also said he thinks Ebel will continue to play at a high level in the Ball State's non-conference home matches this weekend against George Mason University and Rutgers-Newark University.
'Great players play consistently great,' Walton said. 'I'm pleased he begun the season this way and we are going to keep working with him to keep it going.'
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