CHICAGO – Junior setter
Cameron Daniels (Omaha, Neb./Millard West) earned NAIA Men's Volleyball Setter of the Week for the second consecutive week for the No. 2 ranked Saint Xavier University men's volleyball team (5-2/0-0 CCAC) when the awards were announced by the national office Tuesday morning. Daniels is the first player in program history to come away with NAIA Player of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks. He joins NAIA All-American Aaron Kummer (2017-21), who won NAIA Setter of the Week three times in 2021, and his teammate graduate student opposite hitter
Matt Pennala (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach City/St. John Bosco), who won NAIA Attacker of the Week twice last season, to earn multiple NAIA Player of the Week awards in the same season. Daniels' teammate, senior libero
Andres Velez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/St. Francis), has also won NAIA Defensive Player of the Week twice, once in 2024 and once last season.
- Daniels helped to guide the Cougars to a pair of NAIA Top 15 victories last week at the Shannon Center as they defeated No. 11 Grand View University (Iowa) in three sets last Friday evening, followed by a three-set win over No. 15 William Penn University (Iowa) Saturday afternoon. SXU established a new program record for consecutive victories over ranked opponents as they also won two matches the week before against NAIA Top 15 teams.
- He paced the offense, dishing out 70 assists for an average of 11.67 assists per set in six sets, along with 12 digs, two blocks, two kills and a service ace. Daniels posted 39 assists, six digs and an ace in the victory over Grand View, followed by a 31-assist effort with six digs, two blocks and two kills in the win over William Penn.
- In seven matches to start the season, he has totaled 232 assists for an average of 10.09 assists per set in 23 sets. Daniels also has 10 blocks, eight kills and seven service aces. He leads the CCAC in total assists and assists per set, nationally Daniels is No. 9 in assists per set and No. 10 in total assists.
No. 2 Saint Xavier (5-2/0-0 CCAC) plays NCAA Division II Roosevelt University (Ill.) at the Shannon Center on Tuesday, February 10. The match is slated for a 7:00 pm start.
