University of California, Merced – Morikawa and Miller Named Cal Pac Players of the Week

MERCED, Calif. – Chris Morikawa was named the California Pacific Conference Attacker of the Week and Toby Miller was named the Cal Pac Setter of the Week following a 2-0 start for the University of California, Merced men’s volleyball team in conference play, as announced by the league office.

Morikawa becomes just the third student athlete in UC Merced history to win at least six Cal Pac weekly awards, joining men’s volleyball alum Ryan Steele and women’s volleyball alum Cassandra Diaz.

Morikawa’s six weekly honors are also the most by any Cal Pac men’s volleyball player since the start of the 2021 campaign. The seniors latest honor is his first of 2023. Miller, a sophomore, earns his first career Cal Pac Player of the Week award.

Both Bobcats were key in UC Merced’s four-set win over Simpson in the Cal Pac opener and in the road sweep at Pacific Union College. UC Merced is 2-0 in Cal Pac play for the second time in the last three seasons. Overall, the Bobcats are on a four-match winning streak.

Morikawa averaged 3.86 kills per set on a .407 hitting percentage, recording double figure kills in each match. The Yorba Linda, Calif., native tied his season-high with 15 kills on a .343 hitting percentage against Simpson which also put him over 700 kills for his career. On the road at PUC, Morikawa was good for 12 kills on a .526 success rate and three service aces. His latest effort marked his second match already this season with double figure kills and a .500 success rate or better. Morikawa also had at least four digs and a solo block in each match.

Miller averaged 9.7 assists and 1.7 digs per set while also notching a solo block in each outing. The Bobcats setter began league play with a career-high 43 assists, a season-high nine digs, and tied his career-high with three kills against Simpson. Miller then added 25 more assists and quarterbacked the Bobcats offense to a .408 success rate in a sweep over the Pioneers.

Morikawa and Miller join teammates Jozef Lingenfelter and Max Niederberger as weekly award winners in the early season.

Across all sports, this duo boosts UC Merced’s total this 2022-23 athletics year to a league-best 23 Cal Pac Player of the Week selections.

Looking ahead, UC Merced hosts Pacific Union College on Saturday, February 25 at 7:00pm inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.