In a week in which Hawai’i is the new No. 1 in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball, it is also dealing with the loss of its best player.
Senior outside Spryos Chakas is out after injuring his left knee Sunday in a five-set victory over UC Irvine.
In the report, we have more on NCAA men and catch up with the Pro Volleyball Federation, which has a match Thursday when the Atlanta Vibe play at the Omaha Supernovas. They are tied at 7-3 atop the seven-team inaugural-season standings.
Hawai’i loses Chakas
Chakas, a 6-foot-4 Greek who is in his fourth year at Hawai’i, ranks fifth in the NCAA in kills per set (4.15) and this week was named the AVCA national player of the week.
From a story in the Honolulu Star Advertiser:
Chakas was swinging for match point in the fifth set aginst the Anteaters when he fell to the ground clutching at his left knee. He was carried off the court by teammates.
Chakas, a two-time AVCA second-team All-American, was a national player of the year contender.
He was named the AVCA Division I-II National Player of the Week today for the second time this season after helping Hawaii go 3-0 in the Outrigger Invitational.
“He’s been such a big part (of the program) and a level of irony he wins his second national player of the week honor today,” (UH coach Charlie) Wade said. “He’s literally one of the best players in men’s collegiate volleyball. He will be missed. It’s a devastating loss for our program. We’ve got to pick up the pieces and move on.”
We featured Chakas and former teammate Dimitrios Mouchlias in 2023:
Hawai’i (17-1) has won 16 matches in a row and plays back-to-back matches at Long Beach State on Friday and Saturday.
AVCA
TOP 25: After previously unbeaten Grand Canyon lost twice in Hawai’i, the top of the AVCA coaches poll got flipped around.
Hawai’i got 15 of the 23 first-place votes and is up two spots to No. 1. Long Beach State got the other eight votes and stayed No. 2. UCLA moved up a spot to third, and GCU dropped to No. 4. UC Irvine stayed No. 5.
Stanford, now No. 6, and BYU, now No. 7, traded places after they split their matches with each other last week.
Ohio State remained No. 8 and Pepperdine, now ninth, and Penn State, now No. 10, traded places.
No one dropped out. Click here for the complete AVCA National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Poll.
POW: The AVCA national player of the week is Hawai’i’s Chakas. Chakas, also the AVCA POW on February 11, led the Rainbow Warriors to a 3-0 home tournament by beating Lewis, GCU and UCI. He averaged 4.18 kills per set, hit .422, averaged 1.64 digs and had four aces and five blocks.
Men’s schedule
There are four men’s matches, including UC Irvine playing host to UC Santa Barbara in the Bit West. Harvard of the EIVA is at Concordia Irvine of the MPSF, Barton of Conference Carolinas is at the MIVA’s Queens, and indepent Thomas More is at the SIAC’s Central State.
Thursday, there are three MIVA matches when Ball State goes to Ohio State, Quincy is at Loyola Chicago and McKendree is at Lewis. In the Big West, CSUN is at UC San Diego and in the MPSF, USC goes to Pepperdine. The SIAC’s Kentucky State plays at the ECC’s Roberts Wesleyan.
Pro Volleyball Federation
Atlanta and Omaha play each other for the third time. Atlanta was the season opener in five at Omaha, and then the Supernovas swept at Atlanta on February 29.
The Columbus Fury and Grand Rapids Rise are tied for third at 4-4, the Orlando Valkyries are 5-6, the Vegas Thrill are 4-7 and San Diego Mojo are 2-6 …
This week’s PVF POW is Omaha’s Brooke Nuneviller, the first Supernova to be so honored. The outside hitter had a season-high 20 kills and hit a season-best .313 hitting percentage in her team’s five-set victory over Orlando on Saturday. Nuneviller also had 18 digs …
Looking for firepower? Three of top five kills leaders play for Orlando.
Leah Edmond of Atlanta still leads the league in kills with 84. Orlando’s Jill Gillen is second with 75, followed by Orlando teammate Adora Anae (69), Omaha’s Bethania De La Cruz (57) and Orlando’s Kaz Brown (56). Claire Chausee of Grand Rapids is one back at 55, just ahead of Reagan Cooper of Columbus (53) …
Brown is also the league leader in solo blocks with 37. Marin Grote of Grand Rapids has 32, followed by Omaha’s Tori Dixon (29) and Orlando’s M’Kaela White (29) and Molly McCage of Vegas (27).
Hawai’i loses star Chakas; AVCA poll, POW; Pro Volleyball Federation udpate Volleyballmag.com.
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