Schachtner, Snyder Recognized as U.S. Army Scholar-Athletes of the Week

Nov. 20, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS -

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University of Wisconsin-Green Bay junior Mike Schachtner (men's basketball) and Cleveland State University senior Mel Snyder (women's volleyball) have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Tuesday (Nov. 20).

Schachtner averaged a team-high 18.3 points to go along with five rebounds over three games last week, as he shot .667 from the field, .600 from three-point range, and was perfect from the free-throw line. He recorded his second 20-point scoring game of the year on Saturday (Nov. 18) at the University of Massachusetts, and was 8-for-9 from the floor against Delaware State in an 18-point effort. Schachtner currently ranks second in the Horizon League in scoring with 19.5 points per game.

In the classroom, Schachtner carries a 3.799 grade-point average as a psychology major. He was recognized by ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA as a third-team Academic All-American last year, and was named to Division I-AAA's 11-player Scholar-Athlete team in 2006-07. He also received Academic All-League honors last year.

Snyder played a vital role in helping Cleveland State to the Horizon League Tournament Championship, as she averaged 13.73 assists, 1.45 kills, and 2.18 digs per game over the tournament. She led the Vikings to a .278 hitting percentage as well. Over Youngstown State in the quarterfinals, Snyder produced 45 assists, six digs, and five kills, as CSU recorded a .320 hitting percentage. She came back in the semifinals to post 58 assists and 10 digs, while she added 48 assists, eight digs, and eight kills in the Championship match against Valparaiso.

Academically, Snyder sports a 3.81 grade-point average as a middle-childhood education major. She has been named to the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll, as well as the Academic All-League volleyball team last year.

The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards as a way to recognize outstanding academic and athletic achievement by its student-athletes. To be eligible for the honor, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or better (on a 4.00 scale), have completed at least one year at the member institution and passed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours, and perform well during the week's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.

OTHER MALE NOMINEES:

Nedim Nisic, Cleveland State (swimming, senior, 3.429, international business) helped CSU to wins over Gannon and Baldwin-Wallace in the City College Meet on Tuesday (Nov. 13) as he won the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 55.15. He came back to finish third in the 100-yard butterfly in a dual at Notre Dame on Friday (Nov. 16) with a time of 50.92.

Malcolm DeBaun, Loyola (soccer, sophomore, 3.96, biology) was a key member of a Rambler defense that allowed only eight shots in a tough 1-0 loss to Green Bay in the League Championship Semifinals.

Jake Diebler, Valparaiso (basketball, junior, 3.56, marketing) helped Valpo to a 2-0 start, as he started both games, and scored 15 points. Against IPFW, he tied for team-high scoring honors in the victory by registering 10 points, and he also distributed a career-high six assists.

OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:

Alyse Serritella, Loyola (volleyball, sophomore, 3.40, secondary education and history) averaged 24.0 digs in a pair of matches at the Horizon League Championships. She posted 19 digs in a four-game victory over Green Bay on Thursday (Nov. 15), and recorded 29 digs and an assist in a five-game loss to top-seeded Milwaukee on Friday (Nov. 16). She finished the season with 559 digs, the second-highest single-season total in Rambler history.

Angie Porche, Valparaiso (volleyball, sophomore, 3.56, psychology) was named to the Horizon League All-Tournament team after helping guide the Crusaders to the championship match. She recorded double-doubles in all three matches, giving her 16 on the season. She also registered 19 kills, 14 digs, and four blocks in Valpo's upset victory over top-seeded Milwaukee. Porche broke Valpo's single-season kills record with 572, ranking her fifth in Horizon League history.

PREVIOUS U.S. ARMY SCHOLAR-ATHLETES:

Aug. 28Nina Inic (Butler, volleyball)
Sept. 5Ryan Miller (Green Bay, cross country); Liz Fazio (Cleveland State, volleyball)
Sept. 11Chris Honig (Valparaiso, cross country); Katarina Hanackova (UIC, volleyball)
Sept. 18Malcolm DeBaun (Loyola, soccer); Betty Slinger (Green Bay, volleyball)
Sept. 25Markian Zyga (Loyola, soccer); Sara Hughes (Valparaiso, volleyball)
Oct. 2Kent Wories (Butler, cross country); Ani Michl (Valparaiso, soccer)
Oct. 9Zeke Dombrowski (Milwaukee, soccer); Lotte Rasmussen (Green Bay, soccer)
Oct. 16Kent Wories (Butler, cross country); Amanda Stinson (Green Bay, soccer)
Oct. 23Robby Leibold (Milwaukee, swimming); Alyse Serritella (Loyola, volleyball)
Oct. 30Steve Grove (Cleveland State, swimming); Genni Gardner (Butler, cross country)
Nov. 6Steve Grove (Cleveland State, swimming); Beth Steuer (Milwaukee, soccer)
Nov. 13Robby Leibold (Milwaukee, swimming); Cynthia Morote-Ariza (Loyola, soccer)