Horizon League Volleyball Players and Newcomers to Watch in 2007
Aug. 7, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - With the 2007 Horizon League Volleyball season fast approaching, here are a couple League players and newcomers to keep an eye on this season.
Horizon League Players to Watch in 2007
Michelle DeGeeter, Butler
6-1, Sr., OH-MB
Michelle DeGeeter, Butler's lone senior in 2007, has been one of the Bulldogs' best all-around players during her career. The Warsaw, Ind. native was second on the team in three primary categories in 2006, including kills (2.79), digs (2.75) and blocks (1.01) while ranking third in assists (0.44). She finished her junior year with a team-best nine double-doubles (kills and digs), including a triple-double against Loyola, while setting career-highs with 21 kills and 12 blocks.
Mel Snyder, Cleveland State
5-7, Sr., S
Mel Snyder has emerged as one of the top setters in the Horizon League over the last two seasons. Smart, strong and athletic, Snyder currently ranks third in all-time assists at CSU with 2,607. A season ago, Snyder led the league in assists (12.27 apg) en route to All-Horizon League honors. In a 3-2 win over Bowling Green last seson, she dished out a school-record 75 assists. As one of just seniors on the roster this year, she will be counted on for invaluable leadership both on and off the court.
Betty Slinger, Green Bay
5-9, Sr., S
Betty Slinger returns to the Phoenix lineup for her senior season in 2007, including her third year as the team's starting setter. She is one of just four players in school history to be named All-Horizon League at least two times in her career. Slinger proved to be an all-around threat a year ago, leading all of NCAA Division I in triple-doubles, recording 10 or more kills, assists and digs in a match on 11 occasions.
Keily Zins, Loyola
5-10, Sr., OH
Keily Zins proved to be one of the Ramblers most consistent players a year ago as she played in all 30 matches, totaling 110 games. In 2006, she led the team with 300 kills and finished third on the squad with 327 digs. Zins also reached double figures in kills in 16 matches, including each of LU's first four of the season. The Illinois native finished the season with eight double-doubles including her first career 20-20 match at Butler (Oct. 20) as she posted 22 kills and 24 digs.
Leanne Felsing, Milwaukee
6-0, Sr., S-OH
Leanne Felsing earned All-America Honorable Mention and All-League honors in 2006, averaging 1.68 kills, 3.23 digs and 10.32 assists per game to help the Panthers to the League Championship. Felsing moved into the setter role last fall and recorded 18 double-doubles, boasting a school-record seven triple-doubles in her career. The circuit's Newcomer of the Year in 2004, she notched as season-high 12 kills twice last year and leads all active Panthers in career kills (759), blocks (151) and matches played (86).
Amanda Kenny, UIC
6-1, Sr., OH
After spending the previous two seasons at the University of Dayton, Amanda Kenny proved to be a valuable contributor in her first season with the Flames. In 2006, Kenny was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer team squad after ranking second on the squad with 356 kills and 377 digs. On the defensive end, Kenny was very affective as she totaled 56 blocks. In addition, the Illinois native recorded 13 double-double matches with her first coming against DePaul on Aug. 26 where she collected 16 kills and 18 digs in the Chicagoland Challenge.
Nicole Schulz, Valparaiso
6-2, Sr., MB-RS
Middle blocker Nicole Schulz enjoyed a breakout junior season for the Crusaders last fall after seeing limited action in her first two years. Schulz eclipsed Valpo's single-season hitting percentage record by 23 points, hitting at a .334 clip for the season She registered 443 kills (3.72 per game), including a school-standard 32 kills to lift Valpo past Western Illinois (Nov. 17) in the Mid-Con Tournament. She added 30 more kills in a loss to Oral Roberts the next night (Nov. 18) to become the first-ever Crusader to reach the 30-kill mark in back-to-back matches.
Tara Geegan, Wright State
6-0, Sr., OH
Tara Geegan finished ninth in the Horizon League last season in blocks per game at 1.08 and was also one of three Raiders to post 300 or more kills in 2006 (310). She was selected as the Horizon League's Offensive Player of the Week for the week of September 18 as she hit .402 with 48 kills in being named to the Raider Challenge All-Tournament Team. Geegan was also selected to the all-tournament teams at Virginia and South Florida the revious two weeks.
Ruth Boscaljon, Youngstown State
6-3, So., MH
Ruth Boscaljon returns to the court after being named as the Horizon League Co-Newcomer of the Year and First-Team All-Horizon League. In 2006, Boscaljon appeared in all 32 matches with 30 starts and played in all 111 games. Boscaljon set the YSU freshman kills record with 363, which ranks eighth on the YSU single-season kills list. Reached double figures in kills 17 times and 20-or-more kills on four occasions. . Named to the Western New York All-Tournament Team... Hit a career-high 28 kills with a .438 hitting percentage and nine blocks against Canisius (9/1).
Horizon League Newcomers to Watch in 2007
Jessica Wolfe, Butler
6-0, Fr., OH
Jessica Wolfe enters her first collegiate season after concluding a decorated athletic tenure at nearby Plainfield (Ind.) High School. The outside hitter was named to the all-conference and All-Metro West teams in her final three seasons, including a nod as the Metro West Player of the Year as a senior. A three-time volleyball team MVP, Wolfe also excelled in basketball and track, setting several school records on the hardwood while qualifying for regional competition in the long jump three times.
Amy Benz, Cleveland State
6-3, Fr., MH
Amy Benz has the potential to step on the court and battle for significant playing time immediately. Benz comes to Cleveland State after three successful varsity seasons at Old Fort High School. During her high school career, she was a two-time All-Ohio selection, including a first team pick as a senior when she led Old Fort to league and sectional championships. During her three varsity seasons, she helped the team to a combined 60-14 mark (2004-06).
Carlie Willison, Green Bay
6-0, Fr., OH
Outside hitter Carlie Willison comes to the Phoenix as a highly-touted recruit after earning first-team all-state honors in Wisconsin as a high school senior. She is the first player in head coach Debbie Kirch's tenure to earn the honor. Willison helped lead her Milwaukee Pius XI squad to a Division I state tournament appearance a year ago, posting 563 kills and a .513 hitting percentage in her final prep campaign.
Ceci Mattei, Loyola
5-10, Fr., S-OH
As a member of the Puerto Rico Youth National Team and a two-time all-state selection, freshman Ceci Mattei has a strong amount of experience as she begins her collegiate career at Loyola. At the conclusion of her prep career at Alpharetta High School, Mattei was selected to participate in Georgia's Senior All-Star Game. In her senior season, she totaled 307 kills, 234 digs, 105 blocks and 97 service aces. Following the her final prep season, she was inducted into the Alpharetta High School Wall of Fame. Mattei's club team was A5 Volleyball, where she collected AAU National All-American honors.
Maddie Sueppel, Milwaukee
6-1, Fr., MH
Maddie Sueppel returns to the court in 2007 after sitting out the 2006 season with a knee injury. She had a strong career at both Cedarburg High School and with the Milwaukee Sting Volleyball Club. She earned all-state honors in both 2003 and 2004 at Cedarburg before a knee injury shortened her prep career. She was also a three-time all-North Shore Conference selection and a two-time Milwaukee Journal Sentinel all-area choice. In club play, she was a club All-American in 2004 and was selected to the Senior Aces List by Prep Volleyball.
Dana Van Syckle, UIC
5-10, Fr., S
Dana Van Syckle brings an impressive list of high school accolades to UIC and will look to help the Flames to another successful season. During her prep career at Alan B. Shepard High School in Palos Heights, Ill., Van Syckle was a four-year letter winner and helped her team to the 2005 South Suburban Blue Conference Championship. In her final high school season, she posted totals of 257 kills, 137 assists, 353 digs, 42 blocks, 58 service aces and a .426 attack percentage. In addition, she was a three-time South Suburban Blue All-Conference recipient and was named to the all-area team in 2006 and 2007.
Katie Layman, Valparaiso
6-0, Fr., MH
Middle hitter Katie Layman joins the Crusaders after she guided New Prairie High School to the Northern State Conference championships in three of her four seasons on the squad (2003, 2005, 2006). A two-time NSC All-Conference selection, Layman received First-Team All-Area honors from both the LaPorte Herald Argus and the Michigan City News Dispatch as a senior. In club play, she helped the Dunes Volleyball Club win the 2007 Asics Nationals crown.
Jessica Woods, Wright State
5-7, Fr., OH
Outside hitter Jessica Woods brings an impressive prep resume to Wright State as she was named the Gatorade Nevada Volleyball Player of the Year as she led the Warriors to their fourth consecutive 2A state championship. A First Team Nevada 2A selection as a freshman and sophomore, Woods was chosen as the Nevada 2A MVP in 2006 after sharing the award the season before. Woods concluded her Whittell career by setting school records in kills (1,267), service aces (229) and digs (862).
Abigail Drost, Youngstown State
5-11, Fr., OH
Outside hitter Abigail Drost brings a tremendous amount of experience to Youngstown State. During her high school career at Wesleyan Academy, Drost was a three-year letterwinner and served as the team captain during her senior year. She was tabbed as a three-time all-state selection, a four-time all-conference pick and was named conference player of the year three times en route to leading Wesleyan to three league championships. In addition, Drost was selected to the 2005 USA Volleyball High Performance Youth A3 Team and played on the 2004 Carolina Region High Performance Junior Team.
