HUNTINGDON, Pa. – After helping lead the No. 6 Juniata men's volleyball team to an undefeated (4-0) weekend, including an upset of No. 1 Springfield, sophomore Joe Bortak (Jeannette, Pa./Penn Trafford) was named the Sports Imports National Player of the Week by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), the organization announced Tuesday.
"As a freshman last year, the primary thing we asked Joe to do was focus on his offensive game," said head coach Kevin Moore. "This year, he has taken on an increased role both offensively and defensively. His ability to produce despite facing increased attention from opponents, demonstrates the growth in his offensive game.
Bortak had an amazing weekend at the net. He hit .824 in the win over No. 12 Medaille and had 13 kills on 17 swings with zero errors against No. 9 New Paltz State. The middle blocker hit .600 for the weekend and had a career-high eight blocks in the win over Springfield. This is the second week in a row that an Eagle has earned national player of the week and the second time Bortak has in his career.
"The team earning consecutive national player of the week honors demonstrates our depth," added Moore. "The previous week Alex McColgin was the continental volleyball conference player of the week. Depending on matchups, any player on the court is capable of carrying the offensive load, making it very difficult for teams to match up with us."
Follow Your Eagles! Stay up-to-date on your Juniata College Eagles by logging onto www.juniatasports.net. And don't forget to follow us on twitter (@JuniataEagles) and on Facebook (Juniata Eagles).
