HONORS
Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 21, 2024)
Mountain West Freshman of the Week (Sept. 23, 2024; Oct. 21, 2024; Nov. 25, 2024)
2024 Mountain West All-Academic Team
SPRING 2025: Was chosen to compete at the USA Volleyball Women’s National Open event in Colorado Springs, Colorado, along with current Aztec teammate Taylor Underwood.
2024 SEASON (As A Freshman): Made a huge impact in her first year on The Mesa, helping the Scarlet and Black secure a spot in the Mountain West Championship… Anchored an Aztec defense that ranked fourth in the conference in both digs (13.83/set) and opponent hitting percentage (.198)… Appeared in all 30 matches, averaging 3.50 digs per set, which ranked seventh in the Mountain West… Collected 417 digs overall, becoming the first Aztec player to surpass 400 scoops in a season since Devyn Pritchard (546)… Also ranked fourth on the team with 135 setting assists (1.13/set) and was slotted fifth with 25 service aces (0.21/set)… Earned three Mountain West Freshman of Week honors and was named conference Defensive Player of the Week concurrently on one of those occasions… Totaled 10 or more digs in 23 matches, surpassing 20 in that category six times… Received all-tournament recognition at the season-opening Idaho State Classic, where she led the Aztecs with 40 digs and 3.64 digs per set in three matches vs. the host Bengals, CSUN and Seattle University (9-1-24)… Served up a career-high three aces and contributed 11 digs in a 3-2 thriller over Portland State at the SDSU Invitational (9-6-24)… Garnered her first MW Freshman of the Week accolade after helping the Aztecs to a pair of dramatic five-set victories over the host Zags and Eastern Washington at the Gonzaga Invitational… Averaged 3.70 digs per set (37 overall) in those two matches and led an SDSU defense that limited the opposition to a combined .188 hitting percentage for the event… Posted 20 digs against Gonzaga (9-20-24) before recording 17 the following day vs. EWU (9-21-24)… Finished with 21 digs, six assists and two aces in a narrow five-set defeat at New Mexico (9-28-24)… Totaled 23 digs, nine assists and a pair of service aces in another 3-2 setback two weeks later at Fresno State (10-12-24)… Collected MW Defensive Player and Freshman of the Week honors after contributing to a pair of home victories over eventual conference champion Colorado State and Wyoming… Totaled 35 digs (4.38/set), 11 setting assists (1.38/set) and two aces, helping the Scarlet and Black defeat the Rams and Cowgirls in successive matches since 2012… Led all players with 17 digs while racking up seven setting assists, one service ace and her first collegiate kill in the Aztecs’ stunning reverse sweep vs. CSU (10-17-24)… Returned two days later to post 18 additional digs (6.00/set) in a 3-0 whitewash of Wyoming, which was tied for the fourth-best total in a three-set match for the season in the league, as SDSU swept the Cowgirls for the first time since 2011 (10-19-24)… Notched her first career double-double with 20 digs and 10 assists in a narrow five-set defeat at home to Fresno State (11-7-24)… Established a career best with 24 digs in the Aztecs’ pivotal four-set triumph over San José State, adding six assists and one service ace (11-9-24)… Received her third MW Freshman of the Week honor of the year after helping SDSU complete a pair of 3-0 sweeps of New Mexico and Air Force to close out the regular season… Totaled 17 digs (2.83/set), 14 assists (2.33/set) and four aces in six sets across the two matches… Contributed to an Aztec defense that limited the Lobos and Falcons to a combined .146 hitting percentage for the week… Posted seven digs, eight assists and one ace vs. UNM (11-21-24)… Tied her collegiate best with three aces against Air Force, finishing with 10 digs and six assists (11-23-24)… Helped the Scarlet and Black to a 3-1 victory over Fresno State in the first round of the Mountain West tournament after racking up 10 digs, four assists and one kill (11-27-24)… Ended the year with seven digs and one assists vs. Colorado State in the conference semifinals (11-29-24)… Landed on the Mountain West all-academic team following the fall semester.
PRIOR TO COLLEGE: Graduated in 2024 from Hudsonville (Mich.) High School, where she won four varsity letters for head coach Stephanie Chenlo… Helped her prep team post a combined 141-16-1 record over her final three seasons, including a 42-1 mark against league competition, highlighted by a trio of Ottawa-Kent Red conference championships… Was also a member of three Eagles squads that qualified for the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Division I state championships, including a Final Four appearance during her sophomore campaign in 2021… Garnered second-team AVCA All-America accolades following her senior season after leading Hudsonville High to a 45-3 overall record, as the Eagles finished with a No. 1 state and No. 19 national ranking, according to MaxPreps… Also earned all-state, all-region and all-conference honors after racking up 635 digs (5.3/set) during the 2023 campaign… Collected 1,890 digs (4.00/set) and 194 service aces (0.40/set) during her career, according to MaxPreps… Excelled in the classroom as well, meriting academic all-state recognition and National Honor Society membership… Also drew interest from Marquette, Rice, Navy, Miami (FL) and Duke during the recruiting process.
PERSONAL: Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan… Daughter of Steve and Danielle Bender… Her father played basketball at the University of Toledo, while her older sister Carlina competed in volleyball at Eastern Michigan… Has one other sister, Milana… Enjoys snowboarding, aquatic sports and beach volleyball… Lists Victoria Browne as her favorite athlete… Plans to major in business management at San Diego State.