TRAFFORD, Pa. (Feb. 24) -- Thiel College Men's Volleyball outside hitter Ezra Oesterling (Shelocta, Pa./West Shamokin) collected his third 2026 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Offensive Player of the Week honor Tuesday evening. Oesterling also collected the honor on Jan. 20 and Jan. 27. 

He was a two-time Offensive Player of the Week last season in addition to being a six-time Newcomer of the Week.

Oesterling recorded 39 kills, averaging 3.9 per set, on .306 hitting to go with 16 digs, five aces and two blocks as Thiel went 2-1 last week with a pair of PAC victories.

In a sweep of Grove City Wednesday in a 2025 PAC Championship rematch, Oesterling led all attackers with eight kills on .294 to go with two digs and an ace and block each. In a sweep of Geneva Friday, Oesterling notched a match-best 14 kills on .345 along with six digs and an ace and dig each. Oesterling led the Tomcats with 17 kills on .282 with a match-best three aces and eight digs in a tight four-set loss to RV Buffalo State late Friday evening.

Oesterling leads the PAC and is second of all NCAA players with 227 kills on the season. Of active NCAA players, he is ninth in career kills per set (3.73) and career attempts per set (8.61). His 652 career kills are good for seventh in team history.

Men's Volleyball is back in action Wednesday evening at 7 for a home non-conference clash with No. 12 Baldwin Wallace. The Cats bested the then-No. 13 Yellow Jackets 3-1 in their meeting in Berea last season.