AU's Snider Named AVCA Division II Midwest Region Freshman of the Year; All-Region Teams Announced

Click here for the AVCA All-Midwest Region Awards

LEXINGTON, Ky.-- Ashland University's Brittney Snider was named the Division II Midwest Region Freshman of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Snider finished the season with 504 kills, 26 service aces and 295 digs.The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference landed six athletes to the all-region team.

Hillsdale College led the way with three players named to the all-region team. Along with AVCA All-Midwest Region honors, sophomore outside hitter Ashlee Crowder was also named the GLIAC Tournament MVP in 2009, leading the Chargers to their first-ever conference tournament title. Her 491 kills were third-most in a single season in school history, and she finished second in the GLIAC in kills and kills per set. Fellow sophomore Clara Leutheuser was one of the most efficient offensive and defensive players in this region in 2009. She finished the season leading the GLIAC in both blocks per set and in hitting percentage. Rounding out the list for Hillsdale is junior libero Syndey Dow. Dow led the GLIAC with 560 digs this year and was named to the GLIAC All-Tournament Team. She was the 2009 GLIAC Libero of the Year, the first player from Hillsdale to ever earn the honor.

This marks the second-straight year that Saginaw Valley State University's Kait Harris has been named to the All-Midwest Region Team by the AVCA. Harris finished her career in a Cardinal uniform with her second season in a row in which she posted over 1,000 assists.

Junior Rebeccah Rapin of Grand Valley State University earned the honors after leading GVSU in kills, solo blocks, and total blocks. She ranks fourth in the GLIAC in blocks per set (1.09), sixth in hitting percentage, and eighth in kills per set (3.14). This is the third straight season Rapin has surpassed 300 kills, giving her 977 putaways during her three-year career.

Ferris State University's Arielle Goodson earned all-region accolades for the first time in her career.  The junior middle hitter turned in her most productive campaign this fall as she led Ferris State in kills (376), total blocks (120), block solos (44), and block assists (76) in 30 matches. The 6-2 Goodson also posted 3.27 kills per set while producing a .244 attack percentage and 38 digs in 115 sets this 2009 season.