TRAFFORD, Pa. (Jan. 14) -- Thiel College men's volleyball middle blocker Kaleb Proudfoot (Butler, Pa./Butler) and outside hitter Ezra Oesterling (Shelocta, Pa./West Shamokin) were honored in the first ever Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) weekly awards, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon. Proudfoot was named the PAC Offensive Player of the Week while Oesterling was tabbed as the PAC Newcomer of the Week.

Proudfoot totaled 28 kills on 53 attempts with one error, posting a .509 hitting percentage, to average 9.3 kills per match in Thiel's opening weekend at Wittenburg's Kickoff Classic.

In the Tomcats' opening match on Friday against Concordia Chicago, Proudfoot tallied eight kills on 19 swings to hit .421 in the five-set victory. On Saturday, in a five-set match against Roanoke, the junior posted a .579 hitting percentage, with 11 kills, zero errors and added five total blocks (three solo, two assisted). In Thiel's final match of the weekend against nationally-ranked Wittenberg, Proudfoot hit a match leading .533 with nine kills.

Oesterling averaged 15.7 kills and 8.7 digs while hitting .216 from the outside in three matches against stiff competition at the Wittenberg Kickoff Classic. He posted double-digit kills in all three matches for the Blue and Gold. 

The high-flying freshman posted a match-leading 20 kills, hit .325 and dug four balls against Wittenberg Saturday evening. Against Roanoke earlier in the day Saturday, he logged his first collegiate double-double with a team-high-tying 11 kills and team-best 13 digs. In his collegiate debut against Concordia Chicago Friday, he had a match-best 16 kills and nine digs. 

The Tomcats went 1-2 in their opening weekend of play, collecting a five-set win over Concordia Chicago before dropping a pair of matches to Roanoke in five sets and Wittenberg in four sets.

Men's volleyball will host its annual Blue-Gold scrimmage Wednesday at 6 p.m. on Maenpa Court at Beeghly Gymnasium. Thiel returns to regular action next Tuesday, Jan. 21, when they host Buffalo State in a non-conference tilt at 7 p.m.