HORIZON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
Semifinals | Saturday, November 19 | 3:00 p.m. | Woodling Gymnasium
Championship | Sunday, November 20 | 2:00 p.m. | Woodling Gymnasium

HORIZON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT CENTRAL | CLEVELAND STATE MATCH NOTES 

QUICK SETS
After capturing their second straight Horizon League Regular Season Championship earlier this season, the Cleveland State volleyball team will try to win its fourth Horizon League Tournament title, as the Vikings are set to host the 2016 Horizon League Tournament this weekend. The Vikings, who earned the top seed in the upcoming tournament will begin play with a semifinal contest on Saturday, November 19. The two winners of Saturday's semifinals will then play for the Horizon League Title on Sunday, November 20.

ENTERING THE TOURNAMENT…
The Vikings own a 23-5 overall record, and posted a 14-2 mark in Horizon League regular season contests…Cleveland State has won 14 of its last 15 matches, including a stretch of 13 straight victories…The Vikings enter the tournament as the top seed and will begin play in the semifinals. 

HORIZON LEAGUE REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONS!
With the 3-0 sweep of Youngstown State earlier this month, the Cleveland State volleyball team clinched the 2016 Horizon League Regular Season Championship. This marks the fourth time that the Vikings have been regular season champs (2009, 2012, 2015), and the second straight season that the Vikings earned the title. Cleveland State finished the regular season with a 14-2 mark in league action, setting a program record for league wins in a season.

LEAGUE TOURNAMENT HAS FAMILIAR HOME IN CLEVELAND
This will be the fourth time that CSU has hosted the Horizon League Championship over the last eight years, also doing so during the 2009, 2012 and 2015 seasons. Over the past 10 years, Cleveland State is one of two league teams to host the tournament multiple times (Milwaukee).

CSU IN THE HORIZON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
This will be the seventh time under head coach Chuck Voss that the Vikings will enter the Horizon League Tournament as a top-two seed, and the fourth time that CSU will be the No. 1 seed. Over the past 17 years, Cleveland State has advanced to the championship match of the Horizon League Tournament seven times (2015, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2004) claiming the title during the 2007, 2012, and 2015 seasons. With their bye into the semifinals this year, the Vikings have now reached the semifinals 12 times, and hold an overall record of 16-13 in Horizon League Championship action.

20 WINS AND COUNTING
Earlier this season the Vikings notched their seventh 20-win season under head coach Chuck Voss and their 16th 20-win season in program history. Entering the Horizon League Tournament, CSU stands at 23-5 this season, and is one of two league teams to break the 20-win plateau this year. The 23 wins is tied for the second highest single-season win total at Cleveland State over the past 30 years, and is just three wins shy of tying the single-season win total record under Voss (26 wins during the 2009 & 2015 seasons).

VOSS NAMED HORIZON LEAGUE CO-COACH OF THE YEAR
For the fifth time in his tenure, Cleveland State head coach Chuck Voss was named the Horizon League Coach of the Year earlier this week. Voss picked up co-coach of the year honors after leading the Vikings to their fourth Horizon League Regular Season title, with a program record 14-2 mark in league play. On the year, Voss has led CSU to a 23-5 record – the seventh 20-win season under his guidance. Voss eclipsed the 300-win mark earlier this season and became the all-time winningest coach in program history.

FIVE VIKINGS EARN POSTSEASON HONORS
The Vikings were well represented in this year's postseason honors from the Horizon League, as Grace Kauth, Gina Kilner and Sara Skeens picked up major awards, and Alexis Middlebrooks and Aaliyah Slappy both earned all-league accolades. This marks the 10th straight season that a Viking has earned All-League honors, while it is the 10th time out of the last 11 seasons that CSU has had a representative on the All-Freshman Team.

…GRACE KAUTH | SENIOR | OUTSIDE HITTER
Kauth was named the Horizon League Player and Offensive Player of the Year, along with earning a spot on the All-League First Team. Kauth is the fourth Viking to earn Player of the Year honors, and the first since the 2012 season. She also became the sixth Viking to be a three-time All-League First Team honoree, and has now picked up a postseason honor from the Horizon League during all four years of her collegiate career. Entering the Horizon League Tournament, Kauth is one of only two players in the league to have at least 375 kills and 275 digs on the season, and ranks second in the Horizon League averaging 3.61 kills per set.

…GINA KILNER | JUNIOR | SETTER
Kilner was named the Horizon League Setter of the Year - becoming the first Viking to earn the accolade - while also picking up First Team All-League honors for the first time in her career. Kilner has tallied 1,125 assists this season, ranking second in the league averaging 10.71 helpers per set, and has helped the Vikings to a league-best .255 hitting percentage.

…SARA SKEENS | FRESHMAN | OUTSIDE HITTER
Skeens was named the Horizon League Co-Freshman of the Year, becoming just the fifth Viking all-time to earn the accolade, and the first since the 2007 season. Skeens also earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team - the 17th Viking to do so. Entering the Horizon League Tournament Skeens is one of just three freshmen in the league to have more than 200 kills on the season, as she ranks third on the team with 239 total kills.

…ALEXIS MIDDLEBROOKS | JUNIOR | MIDDLE HITTER
Middlebrooks picked up All-Horizon League First Team honors for the second straight season, becoming one of 10 Vikings to be a two-time all-league honoree. Middlebrooks ranks second on the team averaging 2.69 kills per set, while she also ranks fifth in the league with a .316 hitting percentage. 

…AALIYAH SLAPPY | SENIOR | MIDDLE HITTER
Slappy is earning postseason honors for the first time in her career, and is the 25th Viking to earn postseason accolades under head coach Chuck Voss. Slappy has been one of the best blockers in the Horizon League, ranking fourth with a 1.10 blocks per set average. Slappy has also been one of the most efficient attackers, ranking second with a .354 hitting percentage.

HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE
Entering the Horizon League Tournament, the Vikings have notched a league-best .255 hitting percentage, while also posting a league best 13.85 kills per set. Cleveland State has tallied a .275 clip or better during 10 matches, including a season-high mark of .412 against Youngstown State (49-9-97). If the season were to end today, the .255 hitting percentage would rank second on the CSU single-season record list.

KILNER ECLIPSES 3,000 CAREER ASSISTS
Following a 48-assist performance at Green Bay last week, junior Gina Kilner eclipsed the 3,000-assist mark for her career, becoming just the sixth Viking all-time to reach the milestone. Kilner enters the Horizon League Tournament ranked sixth in the CSU Career Record book with 3,072 career helpers, and is the first Viking setter since the 2011 season to reach the 3,000-assist mark. Kilner currently ranks second in the Horizon League averaging 10.71 assists per set, and has recorded 1,125 total helpers this season.

VIKING DUO NOTCHES 300-BLOCK CAREERS
For just the fourth time under head coach Chuck Voss, two Vikings on the same team have eclipsed the 300 block mark for their careers, as Aaliyah Slappy and Alexis Middlebrooks joined the exclusive club earlier this season. Entering Saturday's semifinal contest, Middlebrooks has 338 total blocks on her career, while Slappy owns 326 total blocks. Both Vikings rank in the top-10 in the Horizon League, Slappy sitting fourth averaging 1.10 blocks per set and Middlebrooks ranking ninth with a 1.05 blocks per set average.

…IN THE CSU CAREER RECORD BOOK
Alexis Middlebrooks and Aaliyah Slappy also enter the Horizon League Tournament ranked in the top-10 in the CSU Career Record book in block assists - Middlebrooks ranking seventh with 301 and Slappy ranking ninth with 284. This marks the first time since the 2010 season that a Viking has cracked the top-10 list in block assists, while Middlebrooks is just the seventh Viking all-time to record 300 career block assists. 

KAUTH MOVES UP CAREER KILLS LIST
After combining for 25 kills in the two matches last week, Grace Kauth moved into third place in the CSU Career Record book, entering the Horizon League Tournament with 1,419 career kills. Kauth has been Cleveland State's top offensive threat this season averaging 3.61 kills per set, and has tallied double-digit kills during 22 matches. Kauth is just the fourth Viking all-time to record 1,400 kills, and the first since Kara Koch (2009-12).

…AND MOVES UP CAREER DIGS LIST
Grace Kauth also moved up the CSU Career Record book with 17 combined digs in the two matches last week, as she enters Saturday's contest ranked fifth with 1,200 career digs. Kauth, who became the sixth Viking all-time to record 1,000 career digs and 1,000 career kills earlier this season, is the only Viking to rank in the top-five in both categories. For the season, Kauth has tallied 14 double-doubles, including seven against league opponents. 

KAUTH AND GREGA NAMED ALL-ACADEMIC
The Viking duo of Grace Kauth and Shannon Grega picked up Horizon League All-Academic honors last week, Kauth earning the accolade for the third time in her career, and Grega picking up her first All-Academic honor. Kauth, a marketing major with a 3.88 GPA, and Grega, a nursing student with a 3.79 GPA, have both been named to the Cleveland State Dean's List every semester of their collegiate careers, and have picked up CSU Athletic Academic honors every year they have been eligibile. 

KAUTH NAMED SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATE
Senior outside hitter Grace Kauth was named one of 30 candidates for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate volleyball, which highlights excellence in community, classroom, character, and competition. Among her volleyball and community service accolades, Kauth holds a 3.88 GPA in marketing, and is serving as the Cleveland State SAAC President this season.