MERCED, Calif. – Sophomore Jared Schnake of the University of California, Merced men's volleyball team was named the California Pacific Conference Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the league office Monday evening. Schnake's weekly award is the first of his career.
Schnake tallied career-high's across the board with 16 digs, eight kills, and four service aces in the Bobcats four-set win over seventh-ranked Benedictine Mesa. He is just the seventh Bobcat ever with at least 16 digs in a contest. He also recorded a block on match point.
The Bobcats win over BenU was their first in program history and it snapped the Redhawks 34-match Cal Pac winning streak dating back to 2021. BenU had never lost a Cal Pac game since it became an official Cal Pac sponsored sport in 2021. The Bobcats win also marked their fifth nationally-ranked win in program history and their first since 2019.
Schnake and the Bobcats followed with a sweep over Park Gilbert the following night to start 2-0 in Cal Pac play for the second consecutive season.
Schnake enters the week with 10+ digs in three of the last four matches and a service ace in four straight.
The Riverside, Calif., is the Bobcats second Cal Pac Player of the Week in as many weeks. Ryan Kilgore earned Attacker of the Week on Feb. 19.
Up next, UC Merced will play at Westcliff University on Friday, March 1. First serve from the Jordan Lawley Facility in Irvine, Calif., is scheduled for 6:00pm.
