CAREER
Earned two AVCA All-America honors (second team in 2024, honorable mention in 2023)...Received one Off the Block Steve Shondell Award as the nation's top passer (2023)...Named first-team All-EIVA twice (2023, 24)...Lauded as the 2023 EIVA Freshman of he Year...Won one EIVA Defensive Player of the Week award...Earned one Academic All-Big Ten honor (2023).
2024 • REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE SEASON
Awards: Named an AVCA second-team All-American...Earned first-team All-EIVA recognition...Received one EIVA Defensive Player of the Week honor (2/5).
Season: Played all 116 sets while starting all 30 matches at libero, running his streak to 61 straight starts at the position...Finished with 245 digs...Ranked first in the EIVA and 15th nationally with 2.11 digs/set...Reached double-digit digs 12 times, including a season-high 15 in a five-set match at Purdue Fort Wayne (2/3) and again in a five-set win at Saint Francis (3/16).
No. 16 Lewis (1/6): Tallied 14 digs and was a perfect 26-26 on serve receive in a five-set win. at No. 1 Ohio State (1/25): Finished with 10 digs in a four-set win. at No. 15 Ball State (2/2): Totaled 11 digs in a sweep. at Purdue Fort Wayne (2/3): Recorded a season-high 15 digs in a five-set match. at No. 16 CSUN (3/5): Chipped in with 10 digs in a 3-1 win. at Saint Francis (3/16): Matched his season high with 15 digs in a five-set win. Harvard (3/30): Totaled 11 digs in a 3-1 win. George Mason (4/12): Chipped in with 10 digs and was 20-20 on serve receive in a five-set win. Harvard (4/18): Contributed 14 digs and was a perfect 23-23 on serve receive in the EIVA Semifinal win. George Mason (4/20): Finished with nine digs and was 21-21 on serve receive in a 3-1 win to take secure the EIVA Tournament title.
2023 • REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Named an AVCA honorable-mention All-American...Earned the Off the Block Steve Shondell Award as the nation's best passer...Voted the EIVA Freshman of the Year...Landed first-team All-EIVA recognition...Made the All-Tournament Team while helping Penn State win the title at Hawaii's Outrigger Challenge...Earned a spot on the Academic All-Big Ten Team.
Season: Started all 31 matches at libero...Finished with 209 digs while leading the EIVA at 1.85 digs/set...Recorded double-digit digs six times, including a season-high 12 three times in wins over Central State (1/6), George Mason (4/7) and George Mason again (4/20).
Central State (1/6): Tallied 12 digs and was a perfect 16-16 on serve receive in a four-set win. at No. 13 Ohio State (1/7): Was a perfect 18-18 on serve receive and contributed six digs in a 3-1 win. vs. No. 8 Stanford (1/21): Totaled 18 digs and was an unblemished 22-22 on serve receive in a four-set win. No. 10 USC (2/3): Went 16-16 on serve receive and added five digs in a 3-1 win. at Saint Francis (2/11): Finished with 11 digs and was an errorless 31-31 on serve receive. at No. 1 Hawaii (3/10): Totaled seven digs in a four-set win. at George Mason (4/7): Racked up 12 digs in just three sets and didn't commit an error on his 12 serve receptions in a sweep. (4/8): Finished off an impressive weekend with 10 more digs and another errorless mark of 11-11 in serve reception in another sweep. George Mason (4/20): Tallied 12 digs in a 3-1 win in the EIVA Semifinal. Princeton (4/22): Went 11-11 on serve reception and chipped in with five digs to help Penn State win the EIVA Tournament. vs. No. 9 Ohio State (5/2): Finished with 10 digs in a 3-1 win in the NCAA Quarterfinal Round.
2022 • FRESHMAN SEASON
Season: Did not see action.
PRIOR TO PENN STATE
Named team captain for Loyola Academy in 2021...Won three regional championships with Ramblers...2020 season shortened and canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic...Earned Illinois Prep Volleyball second team all-state honors senior year...Chosen 2021 Tony Lawless Chicago Catholic League Player of the Year and team MVP...Selected to CCL All-Conference team four times...Named USA Today 2021 Illinois Player of the Year finalist...Selected to USA Boys Volleyball High Performance A1 Team in 2019-20 and 2020-21 along with Penn State teammates Ian Argento, Matt Cosgrove, and Michael Valenzi...Recognized on VolleyballMag.com's 2021 Boys Volleyball Fab 50 with Penn State classmates Matt Cosgrove and Cole Ignaszak...Played club volleyball for Future Volleyball Club in 2021...Took 12th at Boys Junior National Championship...Sharpened skills with the MOD Volleyball Club 2014-20.
PERSONAL
Parents are Robert and Anita Merk…Has two siblings, Hailey and Collin…Mother, Anita, was an All-Sunshine State Second Team honoree on the UCF volleyball team…Brother, Collin, played libero for Quincy University 2014-18 and was named team MVP as a senior…Majoring in recreation, park and tourism management.