LEXINGTON, Ky. - Last week the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced their NCAA Division III All-Americans for the 2022 season. Among the honorees were a pair of Falcons with
Mason Nissley earning his second-straight First Team honor and
Matt Knab picking up an Honorable Mention nod.
For both Nissley and Knab, their All-American accolade for the 2022 season was the second of their career after the pair was named First Team after the 2021 campaign.
Mason Nissley dominated defenses all season long from the outside hitter position averaging 4.87 kills per set on the season, the top mark in the country and third in Division III volleyball. He collected a total of 331 kills across 68 sets played while hitting at a .324 clip. While his kills were down slightly from last season (370 in 65 sets in 2021), Nissley hit 24 points higher in 2022. He also collected 47 service aces and 81 digs this season. His 0.69 aces per set are the 11th most in the country this season. This season, Nissley played at least two sets in 20 different matches. In all 20 of those matches, Nissley collected double-digit kills going for a season-high 27 kills in a five-set loss against Stevens on Apr. 2.
Setter
Matt Knab earns his second career All-American honor in 2022 with an Honorable Mention nod. Knab's leadership on the court goes well beyond the box score, but the stats alone show a pretty convincing argument that he is one of the best setters in the country. Knab facilitated an offense that finished the season with a .317 hitting percentage, the fifth-highest mark in the country. Knab dished out 668 assists on the season, averaging 10.12 assists per set, also the fifth highest mark per set in the country. He also shows his ability to score points from the service line and at the net. He picked up 39 kills with a .229 hitting percentage while finishing ninth in the country in service aces per set at 0.73. On the block, Knab finished the year with 42 total blocks.
With Nissley and Knab's honors this season, Messiah has now earned five All-American honors in program history with all five honors earned in the last two seasons.
