IRVINE, Calif. – After leading the Gauchos to a 3-0 opening weekend, outside hitter George Bruening and setter Cole Schobel have been named as the Big West Offensive Player of the Week and the Big West Setter of the Week. 

Bruening takes the award after making 26 kills in UC Santa Barbara's win over Harvard. He became the first Big West player of the season to make 20+ kills in a match this season and holds the highest single-match kill count in the conference. He also hit .455, made 6.5 kills per set, and matched his career-high kill count. 

After UCSB's 3-0 opening weekend, he stands second in the conference for kills per set with 4.88. He totaled 49.5 points and also sits second in the conference for points per set at 4.95.

Schobel totaled 101 assists over the weekend, averaging 9.18 per set. Versus Harvard, he made 42 assists, five kills, hit .714, put up a block, and led the match in aces at four. He is second in The Big West for total assists and first for total aces. 

The honorees will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 16 at 7:00 p.m. in The Thunderdome, where they will take on The Master's University.