Kuziela Tabbed AVCA National Player of the Week

Sophomore earns first national honor of career, second in program history

2/17/2026 12:30:00 PM

AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. - After a sensational week leading the Illinois Wesleyan University men's volleyball team to a 3-0 week with multiple records broken along the way, sophomore Ethan Kuziela (Chicago, Ill.-Marist) was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III National Player of the Week, announced by the league Tuesday, Feb. 17.

The setter collects the first national honor of his career, and just the second in program history. He joins Brenden Reutter, who brought in the first national accolade for the Titans Feb. 11, 2025. The award comes a day after Kuziela was named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Setter of the Week for the second straight week and third time this season.

Kuziela orchestrated the IWU offense to a 3-0 week that saw the Titans achieve their program-best start at 12-3 on the season, already tying the most wins in a season in program history while rewriting the record book in many ways.

Over three matches, Kuziela posted two triple-double performances, narrowly missing a third, tied for the most assists in a four-set match, and guided a Green and White offense to two straight matches of setting the school record for team kills in a contest. For the week, Kuziela recorded 42 kills, an average of 3.23 per set on a .387 clip, 96 assists, averaging 7.38 per set, 35 digs, an average of 2.69 per set, four blocks, and an ace. The setter helped set an IWU attack that hit .257 for the week.

Kuziela put up career-highs of 18 kills on a .533 clip and 14 digs, to close out his second career triple-double with 34 assists in the four-set win at Concordia University Wisconsin Thursday night, Feb. 12. The 34 helpers tied IWU's record for assists in a four-set match, while the setter led IWU to a program-record 68 kills in the contest. Continuing his stellar week, Kuziela registered his second consecutive triple-double with 12 kills, 33 assists, and 13 digs, along with a block, in the five-set victory over Wisconsin Lutheran College Saturday, Feb. 14. The setter once again led a Green and White offense to a program-high, as the Titans finished with 76 kills. Kuziela closed out the week with 12 kills, 29 assists, eight digs, and two blocks, narrowly missing his third straight triple-double, as IWU defeated Westminster College Saturday afternoon.

Kuziela and the Titans open conference action at No. 3 Carthage College Thursday night, Feb. 19. Action is slated to begin at 7 p.m. inside Tarble Arena.

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