Dakota Athlete Named U.S. Girls’ Youth National Volleyball Team MVP

A Dakota High School athlete was among just 12 volleyball players in the country selected to play on the 2012 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Volleyball team. The team finished a perfect 5-0 at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Tijuana, Mexico last summer. 

Carli Snyder, a junior at Dakota, was named MVP of the team. The 16-year-old  plays on Dakota's varsity volleyball team, which is ranked second in the state. 

Snyder, an outside hitter, tried out in March and did not find out until May that she had made the USA Volleyball team roster.

“I was shocked and I cried,” Synder said about learning she made the team. “It’s really a very big honor to be representing our country.” 

There were about 200 girls at each of the 12 regional tryouts and only 24 players were chosen from that group of more than 1,000 of the best high school players in the country. From that group of 24, the 12-player team was chosen to represent the U.S., according to MI Prep Zone. 

“It is very impressive to have one of our own achieve volleyball honors at the Olympic level. We are all very proud of Carli – she works so hard to be as good as she is – we couldn’t be any happier for her to be rewarded this way,” said Dakota Coach Tracie Ferguson. 

Snyder said she will tryout again for the team, which will play this summer in Bangkok, Thailand. Until then, she will continue to help Dakota with their stellar season: overall they rank 39-3-0 and league 9-0-0. The team enters the MHSAA Class A quarterfinal Nov. 13 against Birmingham Seaholm.

After high school, Snyder is committed to play at the University of Florida. 

She credits her family, including older sister Kelsey, who also plays volleyball, with getting her involved in the sport.