Four Anteaters Earn All-Big West First Team Honors
April 17, 2024 | Men's Volleyball
IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine's Hilir Henno, Brett Sheward, Maxim Grigoriev and Cole Power were named to the All-Big West first team.
It's the first time since 2015 that four Anteaters were named to the first team in the same year. UCI joined Long Beach State for the most honorees with four each.
Henno earns his third first team Big West honor, joining Joel Schniedmiller and assistant coach Scott Stadick as UCI's only three-time Big West first team selections.
Henno leads the Big West in points (5.47) and is second in kills (4.72), hitting percentage (.380) and aces (.441). He was named Big West Offensive Player of the Week four times this season, including AVCA National Player of the Week on Feb. 19. The outside hitter has recorded double-digit kills in every match, including a career-high 36 kills at Hawaii, hitting .412 (36-8-68), the most kills by a Big West player this season and second most in the country. The junior fired a Big West and UCI record nine aces versus Princeton and became the Big West career leader in aces with 177 and counting.
Sheward earns his first Big West accolade as an Anteater after garnering first team recognition as a libero last season at Hawaii. The graduate student leads the Big West and is second nationally in set assists with a 10.64 average. He also ranks fifth in the Big West in digs (1.75). Sheward had a career-high 58 set assists against Grand Canyon which is tied for most by a Big West player. He recorded three double-doubles with a career-high 22 digs at Hawaii, the most digs by a Big West player this year. The setter has guided UCI to the nation's top kill average (13.34) as well as seventh-best hitting team (.330). Sheward was also named Big West Offensive Player of the Week on Mar. 4.
Grigoriev is sixth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.335), eighth in blocks (.890), 12th in points (3.06) and 15th in kills (2.27) overall. In Big West-only matches, he leads the league in hitting percentage with a .500 mark (59-10-98). He is second on the team in aces with 30, firing 15 versus Big West opponents which is second best in ace average at 0.47. The middle blocker has recorded double-digit kills 10 times, including a career-best 17 in a win over USC. The sophomore has hit over .500 seven times, including an .818 performance versus UC Santa Barbara (9-0-11). Grigoriev, the 2023 Big West Freshman of the Year, picks up his first first-team honor.
Power earns his first Big West recognition after ranking second in dig average with a 1.96 mark. The libero was named Big West Defensive Player of the Week on Feb. 19, 2024 after averaging 2.88 set assists over two matches against then-No. 5 Stanford on the road. The senior popped-up a season-high 15 digs in the win over then-No. 1 Grand Canyon. He has recorded double-digit digs on nine occasions this season.
UCI has collected 21 All-Big West accolades since 2018, 17 selected on the first-team.
It's the first time since 2015 that four Anteaters were named to the first team in the same year. UCI joined Long Beach State for the most honorees with four each.
Henno earns his third first team Big West honor, joining Joel Schniedmiller and assistant coach Scott Stadick as UCI's only three-time Big West first team selections.
Henno leads the Big West in points (5.47) and is second in kills (4.72), hitting percentage (.380) and aces (.441). He was named Big West Offensive Player of the Week four times this season, including AVCA National Player of the Week on Feb. 19. The outside hitter has recorded double-digit kills in every match, including a career-high 36 kills at Hawaii, hitting .412 (36-8-68), the most kills by a Big West player this season and second most in the country. The junior fired a Big West and UCI record nine aces versus Princeton and became the Big West career leader in aces with 177 and counting.
Sheward earns his first Big West accolade as an Anteater after garnering first team recognition as a libero last season at Hawaii. The graduate student leads the Big West and is second nationally in set assists with a 10.64 average. He also ranks fifth in the Big West in digs (1.75). Sheward had a career-high 58 set assists against Grand Canyon which is tied for most by a Big West player. He recorded three double-doubles with a career-high 22 digs at Hawaii, the most digs by a Big West player this year. The setter has guided UCI to the nation's top kill average (13.34) as well as seventh-best hitting team (.330). Sheward was also named Big West Offensive Player of the Week on Mar. 4.
Grigoriev is sixth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.335), eighth in blocks (.890), 12th in points (3.06) and 15th in kills (2.27) overall. In Big West-only matches, he leads the league in hitting percentage with a .500 mark (59-10-98). He is second on the team in aces with 30, firing 15 versus Big West opponents which is second best in ace average at 0.47. The middle blocker has recorded double-digit kills 10 times, including a career-best 17 in a win over USC. The sophomore has hit over .500 seven times, including an .818 performance versus UC Santa Barbara (9-0-11). Grigoriev, the 2023 Big West Freshman of the Year, picks up his first first-team honor.
Power earns his first Big West recognition after ranking second in dig average with a 1.96 mark. The libero was named Big West Defensive Player of the Week on Feb. 19, 2024 after averaging 2.88 set assists over two matches against then-No. 5 Stanford on the road. The senior popped-up a season-high 15 digs in the win over then-No. 1 Grand Canyon. He has recorded double-digit digs on nine occasions this season.
UCI has collected 21 All-Big West accolades since 2018, 17 selected on the first-team.
Players Mentioned
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