Contact: Alex Mielcarz, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, ajmielcarz@noctrl.edu
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Jan. 26, 2026) – Chris Mactal was named the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week for the period between Jan. 19 and Jan. 25 this afternoon after two five-block efforts against Concordia University Chicago and Benedictine University. The award marks Mactal's first career weekly distinction.
In Tuesday's four-set victory over Concordia Chicago, Mactal had one solo stuff and assisted on four others. He repeated that stat line in Thursday's loss to Benedictine. Both performances tied for the second-most blocks in a match this week among CCIW defenders.
Mactal finished second in the CCIW in total blocks this week and led the conference in blocks per set (1.25).
On the season, Mactal averages just over one block per set (1.077), the 24th-best mark in the nation and the second-best in the CCIW.
Mactal also hit incredibly well on the week, notching eight kills to the tune of a .583 hitting percentage on Tuesday, and adding six more kills while hitting at a .500 clip on Thursday.
This is the first weekly award earned by a Cardinal this season, and the first since Tyler Donovan's setter of the week nod in April of last spring.
Mactal and the Cardinals begin a three-match week tomorrow against Concordia University Wisconsin at 7 p.m. North Central will then host the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and No. 9 California Lutheran University in a triangular on Saturday at noon.
