ATLANTA — The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its Men's Volleyball Players of the Week on Tuesday, Feb. 17, honoring student-athletes for impressive performances in matches played last week.
Simon Falayi,
Benjamin Latham, and
Christopher Demetriou of
Central State University were recognized.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – SIMON FALAYI, CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY
Middle Blocker | Junior | Columbus, Ohio
Falayi delivered a dominant offensive performance this week, leading the SIAC in hitting efficiency and powering the Marauders to a four-set victory over the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Falayi recorded a season-high .650 hitting percentage in the win, showcasing elite efficiency and precision from the middle blocker position. He led the team in scoring with 17.5 points, providing a reliable offensive presence throughout the match. In addition to his offensive production, Falayi was a force at the net defensively, contributing six blocks and impacting both sides of the ball. On the national stage, Falayi’s consistency has been equally impressive, as he currently ranks 10th in the NCAA in hitting percentage.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – BENJAMIN LATHAM, CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY
Libero | Senior | Jacksonville, Fla.
Latham anchored the Marauders’ defense this week with two outstanding performances in the back row, consistently controlling serve receive and keeping rallies alive. Latham posted 15 digs in one match and followed with 12 digs in the next, averaging 3.85 digs per set on the week. His defensive consistency and court awareness were instrumental in extending rallies and creating transition opportunities for the Marauder offense. In addition to his volume numbers, Latham ranked among the top defenders in the SIAC this week with an impressive 86.7% dig success rate.
SETTER OF THE WEEK – CHRISTOPHER DEMETRIOU, CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY
Setter | Sophomore | Larnaca, Cyprus
Demetriou stepped into the primary setting role this week and immediately made an impact, directing the Marauders’ offense. Demetriou set the tempo and orchestrated the attack in Central State’s first Division I victory of the season against UMES, distributing the ball efficiently and putting hitters in position to succeed with his game high 44 assists. His leadership and decision-making were key in maintaining offensive rhythm throughout the match. For the week, Demetriou averaged 9.42 assists per set, demonstrating consistency, poise, and strong command of the offense.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit www.thesiac.com.