Illinois Wesleyan athletes recognized in CCIW men’s volleyball weekly honors
Opening week of the 2026 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) men’s volleyball season saw strong performances from several student-athletes, as the league office announced its Student-Athletes of the Week on Monday.
Illinois Wesleyan University secured two out of three weekly honors. Freshman hitter Aydin Provost and sophomore setter Ethan Kuziela were recognized for their efforts, while Loras College junior Roman Rothermel was named for his defensive performance.
Aydin Provost made an impact in his first four collegiate matches, totaling 51 kills over 15 sets with an average of 3.40 kills per set and a .345 hitting percentage. He also contributed 11 blocks, 29 digs, and six service aces for a total of 63 points. Provost started his college career with nine kills and six blocks against Concordia Chicago and followed up with an 11-kill, 11-dig double-double in a five-set win over Wisconsin–Stevens Point. He ended the week by breaking Illinois Wesleyan’s three-set match record with 21 kills against Lakeland, hitting .531—ranking as the sixth-best single-match percentage in program history. His performance tied him for third-most kills in a match by a Titan and helped Illinois Wesleyan tie its best start to a season.
Ethan Kuziela directed the Illinois Wesleyan offense through four matches, where the team hit .258 overall. He tallied 129 assists (8.60 per set) and added 37 kills on a .325 attack percentage, along with 26 digs, 11 blocks, and three service aces for a total of 46 points. Kuziela opened the week with his first collegiate double-double—15 kills and 24 assists—in a four-set victory over Concordia Chicago. Over the weekend, he set new program records: first with a career-high 39 assists in a five-set win over Wisconsin–Stevens Point, then setting the three-set match record with 37 assists against Lakeland.
Roman Rothermel from Loras College earned defensive recognition after recording a career-high seven blocks—including two solo stops—in Loras’ season-opening sweep of Benedictine. His play anchored a defense that limited Benedictine to a .056 hitting percentage. Rothermel currently leads the CCIW with an average of 2.33 blocks per set. Offensively, he added six kills on eight attempts (.625 hitting percentage) and finished with 10.5 points, making key plays throughout each set.