A Senior Salute
12/3/2002 9:43:58 AM | Volleyball
Senior Abby Van Mater continues a Syracuse volleyball tradition by combining four years of hard work both on and off the court. A native of West Chester, PA, Van Mater has been an integral part of the team for the last four years.
During her senior season Van Mater served as a co-captain, leading her team to a 19-12 record. She finished her career eighth on Syracuse’s all-time solo blocks list with 64. For the 2002 season, Abby led the team with 75 total blocks.
On Nov. 3, Van Mater set a school single-match record with an .846 hitting percentage against Providence. The middle blocker recorded 11 kills on 13 attempts with no hitting errors. She was named to the all-tournament team at the Syracuse Invitational Tournament in the beginning of the 2002 season after posting six kills on 11 attacks with only one error for a .455 hitting percentage against Buffalo.
As a junior, Van Mater received the team’s most improved player award having led the team with 79 blocks. She also established a career high with 16 kills against Buffalo. In her sophomore season, Van Mater was ranked tenth in the BIG EAST for blocks per game in conference matches with a 1.19 average.
For her academic efforts, Abby was named to the Verizon Academic All-District Volleyball Second Team in the fall of 2002. A marketing major, Van Mater is a six-time member of the Syracuse Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and a two-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star.
