2023 Heart Men’s Volleyball All-Conference Teams Announced
The Heart of America Athletic Conference is pleased to announce the 2023 Heart Men's Volleyball All-Conference teams and major award winners.
The award winners feature players from across one of the premier men's volleyball conferences in the NAIA and are listed as First Team, Second Team and Honorable Mention All-Conference.
The individual awards and All-Conference teams were selected by the Heart men's volleyball head coaches.
Below please find the list of 2023 individual award winners:
2023 Heart Men's Volleyball Player of the Year – Joao Friedrich – Park University
Friedrich, who is a junior from Joinville, Brazil was selected the Heart Attacker of the Week three times this past season and leads the No. 3 nationally ranked Pirates, averaging 3.93 kills per set.
2023 Heart Men's Volleyball Attacker of the Year – Joao Friedrich – Park University
Friedrich and the Pirates captured their first-ever Heart regular season championship this season, after going 17-1 in Heart play. They have earned the No. 1 seed in this week's Heart Men's Volleyball Conference Tournament. On the season, he has 240 total kills and 58 service aces.
2023 Heart Men's Volleyball Defender of the Year – Tiago Almeida – Mount Mercy
Almeida finished the 2023 regular season with 225 total digs, averaging 3.21 digs per set, to rank first in the Heart. He and the No. 12 nationally ranked Mustangs earned the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Heart Conference Tournament.
2023 Heart Men's Volleyball Setter of the Year – Eduardo Faquin – Park University
Faquin is in his first year with the Pirates, as the freshman led Park in assists with 652 and averaged 9.59 assists per set. He also had 102 digs, averaging 1.50 digs per set.
2023 Heart Men's Volleyball Freshman of the Year – Samuel Essilfie – Park University
The freshman opposite from Tema, Ghana had a terrific first season with the Pirates, averaging 3.55 kills per set, with his 227 total kills in 2023. He also had 43 total blocks and 104 digs.
2023 Heart Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year – Michael Talamantes – Park University
Coach Talamantes has guided the Pirates to back-to-back NAIA National Semifinal appearances at the NAIA Men's Volleyball National Championships in 2021 and 2022 and when the sport was in NAIA National Invitational status, the Pirate head coach led Park to three NAIA Men's Volleyball National Championships in 2012, 2014 and 2017. In 2023, the Pirates enter the postseason 23-1 overall and went 17-1 in Heart conference play.
2023 Heart Men's Volleyball First Team All-Conference
2023 Heart Men's Volleyball Second Team All-Conference
2023 Heart Men's Volleyball Honorable Mention All-Conference
