Press Release courtesy of South Carolina Athletics
South Carolina sophomore Carly Schnieder earned beach volleyball’s inaugural All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year award on Thursday. The National Strength and Conditioning Association recognizes student-athletes at the Division I, II and III levels as well as high school across 22 sports. Beach volleyball was added for 2018, and Schnieder is the lone beach volleyball representative.
The award recognizes athletic accomplishments that reflect the time dedicated to strength training and conditioning, and also factors in academic strength and community service. Nominees are put up for consideration by their team’s strength and conditioning coaches.
“Carly and her teammates continue to provide many ‘firsts’ for this program,” said Keith Scruggs, the team’s strength and conditioning coach. “I always remind them that it’s not what they do, but how they do it, and Carly has been a great leader in the weight room and in the sand. I’m grateful to the NCSA for not only welcoming beach volleyball into consideration for this honor, but making Carly its first honoree.”
The Cincinnati, Ohio native is tied for the team lead with 17 individual wins so far this season, eight coming against opponents ranked in the top-20 nationally. As a freshman in 2017, she made the SEC’s Academic Honor Roll and tied the program’s record for wins by a freshman with 22.
Schnieder and the Gamecocks will be back in action next weekend with the Palmetto Invitational. The two-day home tournament runs April 13-14 and closes out the regular season. South Carolina will play at 1 and 5 p.m. each day.
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