AMHERST, N.Y. - Daemen College men's volleyball student-athletes Zach Schneider (Lockport, N.Y.) and Michael Krueger (Canonsburg, Pa.) and head coach Don Gleason have each earned recognition from Off the Block, a website dedicated to the coverage of men's collegiate volleyball. Schneider and Krueger were each named to the 2021 Off the Block All-Independent Team, while Gleason was selected as the Off the Block Independent Teams Co-Coach of the Year. 

With Gleason pulling strings from the bench, Schneider and Krueger played integral roles in leading Daemen to an unbeaten season. The Wildcats, who played a reduced schedule due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, finished 10-0 in just the program's third year of existence. Dating back to the 2020 season, Daemen has won 12 straight and 17 of their last 19 matches. 

The All-Independent Team recognizes the best players during the regular season from NCAA Division I-II men's volleyball teams that are competing without a conference affiliation. The eight independent teams this season were Daemen, Alderson Broaddus, D'Youville, Limestone, Lincoln Memorial, St. Francis Brooklyn, Tusculum and Queens (N.C.). It marks the fourth year that Off The Block has presented an All-Independent Team.

Schneider, a 6-foot-6 sophomore outside hitter, earns All-Independent Team honors for the second straight season. In eight matches this season, Schneider totaled team-highs in kills (83) and service aces (19) and led the team in both kills per set (2.96) and service aces per set (0.68). He added 33 digs and 13 blocks this season. In 26 career matches, Schneider has produced 3.10 kills per set with a .264 hitting percentage. 

Krueger earns his first All-Independent Team recognition, joining Schneider and former teammates Zach Yerington and Jahari Winkfield who had earned the accolade previously. The junior setter ran an efficient Daemen offense that produced a .329 team hitting percentage - fourth best among all Division I-II teams this season. For his part, Krueger averaged 8.17 assists per set and added 34 digs and 18 blocks. His 237 assists increased his three-year career total to 1,360 in 48 matches.

Schneider and Krueger were joined on the All-Independent Team by Lincoln Memorial's AJ Risavy, Justin Charfenaker and Pedro Carvalho, Limestone's Geraldo Rivera, Jon Igo and Michal Podgorzak, and Queens' Tristan Santoyo and JP Payne. 

Gleason, who shared Coach of the Year honors with Lincoln Memorial's John Cash, has been Daemen's head coach since the program's inception. After leading the Wildcats to six wins in their inaugural season, Gleason has presided over the program's rise as they doubled that win total in 2020 and kept that momentum rolling, despite the circumstances of the pandemic, with the unbeaten 2021 campaign. In his first three seasons, Gleason holds a 28-24 overall record. 

Daemen College features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

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