Smart, strong and athletic are the adjectives that best describe starting setter Mel Snyder. In her first full season last year, Snyder emerged as one of the top signal callers in the Horizon League. This season, with a bevy of new hitters surrounding her, she will be relied on even more in a leadership role as co-captain.

Career

Ranks seventh in assists (1,380).

2005 - Sophomore Season

Directed the Vikings to a school-record and Horizon League-best .239 hitting percentage in her first season at setter...1,302 assists rank second on school season charts, while her 11.94 apg was second in the Horizon League...posted career-highs of 66 assists and 17 digs in league semifinals against Wright State (11/19)...added seven kills against the Raiders to nearly complete her first triple-double...tallied a career-best eight kills, with 44 assists and 14 digs against Bowling Green (10/25)... recorded 13 kills, 126 assists and 27 digs in pair of regular season wins over Wright State (10/21 & 9/24)... notched eight double-doubles on the year, good for third on the team.

2004 - Freshman Season

Ranked sixth in the Horizon League in aces (0.37)...recorded 125 digs...tallied a career-best five aces against UIC (10/22)...posted 15 digs against Butler (10/1)...notched 22 assists versus Manhattan (9/11)...played in 26 matches, mostly as a defensive specialist...saw limited action at setter.

High School

Led Steele High School to three consecutive undefeated league seasons...team earned district and sectional titles and a berth in the region semifinals in 2003...second team all-state selection at setter as both a senior and junior...conference MVP and Lorain County Miss Volleyball as a senior...also earned conference MVP honors as a junior... three-time all-conference, all-district and all-county selection...averaged 10.5 assists per game and 2.44 digs per game in 2003...academic all-district and all-county...also lettered one year in swimming.

Personal

Born December 4, 1985 in Elyria, Ohio...daughter of Mark and Lynda Snyder...has a younger brother, Matt...earned CSU's Athletic Academic Excellence Award in 2005 & `06...middle childhood education major.