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Benz and Snyder Named to AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region Team

Benz and Snyder Named to AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region Team
Posted: Dec 06, 2007

Dec. 6, 2007

Contact: Greg Murphy

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland State freshman Amy Benz and senior Mel Snyder have been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Midwest Region Honorable Mention Team as announced on Thursday morning.

The duo becomes the third and fourth players to earn all-region accolades from the AVCA in CSU history, joining Jamie Bouyer (2004) and Nickole Kennedy (2005) who were both first team honorees.

"This is a tremendous honor for both Amy and Mel," head coach Chuck Voss said. "It is a great way for Mel to cap her outstanding career and a wonderful way for Amy to conclude her first season at Cleveland State. Their selection to the all-region team will help raise the visibility of our program."

Benz's (Tiffin, Ohio) selection to the all-region team caps an impressive rookie campaign in which she earned first team All-Horizon League honors and league newcomer of the year accolades. Benz, who was also the Most Valuable Player of the Horizon League Tournament, led the conference in hitting percentage (.334) and blocks (1.50). She finished the season with 184 total blocks and 159 block assists, the second most in a single season at CSU in both categories.

Snyder, a two-time first team All-Horizon League selection, led the league in assists (11.94) for the second straight season and dished out a CSU single-season school record 1,469 helpers. The Amherst, Ohio native also directed the Vikings to the top hitting percentage in the league (.223). A three-year starter at setter, she finished her career third on the all-time assist list (4,076) and fifth on the service aces career list (130).

Benz and Snyder were the only two league players on the honorable mention team. Milwaukee's Leanne Felsing and Valparaiso's Angie Porche were selected to the first team. The midwest region team is comprised of schools from Conference USA, the Horizon League, the Ohio Valley Conference and the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

CSU recently completed one of its best seasons in program history, finishing with a 23-9 overall record, while claiming its first-ever Horizon League Championship title and earning a berth in the NCAA Championship for the first time in school history. The Vikings fell to Albany, 3-0, in the opening round.