Another week of NEC weekly men's volleyball honors and University of Maryland Eastern Shore freshman Chase Valentine has secured NEC Defensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week. Valentine has now earned Rookie of the Week three times and Defensive Player of the Week four times. He also won both awards the previous week and the first week of the season.

NEC MEN'S VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Brady Stump, SFU (Sr., OH)
Farmingdale, NJ/Howell HS
Stump powered Saint Francis to a 2-0 week with a pair of straight-set victories over Catawba. The senior outside hitter totaled 22 kills (3.67 kills per set), 29.5 points (4.92 points per set) and 7 service aces (1.17 aces per set) while hitting .341 across six sets of action for the Red Flash.

NEC MEN'S VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER & ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Chase Valentine, UMES (Fr., MB)
Kaysville, UT/Davis High School
Valentine anchored the UMES front line in a 2-0 week that included a pair of wins over Roberts Wesleyan. The freshman middle blocker recorded 10 total blocks (1.43 blocks per set), including one solo block and nine block assists. He also contributed offensively with 17 kills (2.43 kills per set) and 26.5 total points (3.79 points per set), highlighted by a seven-block performance in a four-set win on Feb. 19.

In addition to Valentine, junior Andre Mills was recognized among the NEC Prime Performers.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Patrick Mullen, DAE (R-So., RS)
Mullen totaled 32 kills (3.56 kills per set) and 44.0 points (4.89 points per set), adding 9 service aces (1.00 aces per set) and 6 block assists across nine sets.

Billy Wieberg, DAE (R-Sr., OH)
Wieberg recorded 23 digs (2.56 digs per set) and added 5 service aces (0.56 aces per set) while helping Daemen to a 2-0 week.

Jamal Ellis, FDU (Sr., OPP)
Ellis Carballo finished with 20 kills (3.33 kills per set) and 25.5 points (4.25 points per set), including 4 service aces (0.67 aces per set) in FDU's split week.

Dylan McFadden, FDU (Sr., OH)
McFadden totaled 21 kills (3.50 kills per set) and 24.5 points (4.08 points per set) while hitting .370 across six sets.

Heston Cabinian, LIU (R-So., OH/RS)
Cabinian recorded 23 kills (2.88 kills per set) and 23 digs (2.88 digs per set), highlighted by a 19-kill, 14-dig performance in a five-set match against Merrimack.

Andre Mills, UMES (Jr., OPP)
Mills totaled 21 kills (3.50 kills per set) and 24.5 points (4.08 points per set), helping UMES post the league's top team hitting percentage for the week.

Chase Valentine, UMES (Fr., MB)
Valentine anchored the UMES front line in a 2-0 week that included a pair of wins over Roberts Wesleyan. The freshman middle blocker recorded 10 total blocks (1.43 blocks per set), including one solo block and nine block assists. He also contributed offensively with 17 kills (2.43 kills per set) and 26.5 total points (3.79 points per set).

Brady Stump, SFU (Sr., OH)
Stump totaled 22 kills (3.67 kills per set), 29.5 points (4.92 points per set) and 7 service aces (1.17 aces per set) while hitting .341 across six sets of action for the Red Flash.

Nathan Zini, Saint Francis (Gr., OH)
Zini totaled 20 kills (3.33 kills per set) while hitting .419 in a pair of three-set wins over Catawba.

2026 MEN'S VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS:

NEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jan. 13: Brady Stump, SFU (Sr., OH)
Jan. 20: Ike Vernon, LIU (Fr., OH/RS)
Jan. 27: Kasen Owens, MAN (So., OH)
Feb. 3: Laydon Biro, FDU (So., OH)
Feb. 10: Patrick Mullen, DAE (R-So., RS)
Feb. 17: Laydon Biro, FDU (So., OH)
Feb. 24: Brady Stump, SFU (Sr., OH)

NEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jan. 13: Chase Valentine, UMES (Fr., MB)
Jan. 20: Peter Leicht, DAE (R-So., OH)
Jan. 27: Marcellus Owens, UMES (Fr., OH)
Feb. 3: Patrick Mullen, DAE (R-So., RS)
Feb. 10: Chase Valentine, UMES (Fr., MB)
Feb. 17: Chase Valentine, UMES (Fr., MB)
Feb. 24: Chase Valentine, UMES (Fr., MB)

NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Jan. 13: Chase Valentine, UMES (Fr., MB)
Jan. 20: Ike Vernon, LIU (Fr., OH/RS)
Jan. 27: Ike Vernon, LIU (Fr., OH/RS)
Feb. 3: Tristan Rowley, UMES (Fr., OH/OPP)
Feb. 10: Tristan Rowley, UMES (Fr., OH/OPP)
Feb. 17: Chase Valentine, UMES (Fr., MB)
Feb. 24: Chase Valentine, UMES (Fr., MB)