arslan blake all american avca

Women's Volleyball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Arslan, Blake Named AVCA Honorable Mention All-Americans

LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the second year in a row the Gannon volleyball team is heading to the Elite Eight. And for the second year in a row the Golden Knights will be led by a pair of All-Americans after the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced its 2022 All-American teams on Tuesday afternoon.
Junior Madde Blake (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central) and freshman Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey) were named to the AVCA Division II honorable mention All-American Team. It comes after Lauren Sampson and Ashley McClung earned honorable mention All-American honors last year.

Blake and Arslan have led Gannon to a 29-5 record and the Atlantic Region championship. Winners of 17 straight matches, the Golden Knights are the number five seed in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight and will face fourth-seed Cal State LA in the quarterfinals on Thursday, December 1. The match gets underway at 8:00 p.m. ET at the Royal Brougham Pavilion in Seattle, Wash. 

Blake was perhaps Gannon's best all-around player, excelling at hitting, digging, serve receiving, and serving. The 6'0" outside hitter from Crystal Lake, Ill. ranks second on the team with 350 kills, 419.5 points, and 384 digs. She also leads the team with 55 aces. She has had 14 double-doubles this season with at least 10 kills and 10 digs in a match. Blake earlier was named to the All-PSAC West Second Team, and she earned the PSAC Tournament MVP award after helping Gannon win three consecutive matches. She also was named to the CSC Academic All-District team.

Arslan, a 5'8" setter from Ankara, Turkey, filled arguably Gannon's greatest needed heading into the season while assuming the setter duties. She has 1,230 assists, a total that ranks seventh in a single season in Gannon history and No. 17 in NCAA Division II this season. Using her outstanding jump set, she has had at least 30 assists in a match 27 times, has reached 40 assists 11 times, and has 50 assists in a match three times. She had 100 assists in the final two matches of the Atlantic Regional with 54 in the semifinals and 46 in the championship match. She is also solid defensively with 298 digs. Arslan was picked as the Atlantic Region Freshman of the Year and the PSAC West Freshman of the Year.
 
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Players Mentioned

Madde Blake

#11 Madde Blake

OH
6' 0"
Junior
Early Childhood Education
Bengisu Arslan

#10 Bengisu Arslan

S
5' 8"
Freshman
Athletic Training and Kinesiology

Players Mentioned

Madde Blake

#11 Madde Blake

6' 0"
Junior
Early Childhood Education
OH
Bengisu Arslan

#10 Bengisu Arslan

5' 8"
Freshman
Athletic Training and Kinesiology
S