Kristen Meech is the only volleyball player in school history to accumulate more than 1,000 kills and 500 blocks in the program's 36-year history. She is also the school record holder with 562 total blocks and now ranks sixth in career kills with 1,055.
For her career, she posted a .267 hitting percentage with her 1,055 kills in 2,636 attempts, playing in 409 sets from 1998-2001. Her hitting percentage ranks as the third highest in school history. Meech averaged 2.49 kills per set, 1.42 digs per set and 1.37 blocks per set. She posted a school best 435 block assists, and her 127 solo blocks are the second most in YSU history. She had 580 digs, 71 assists and 55 service aces.
As a senior in 2001, she was selected as a third-team CoSIDA Academic All-American, becoming the first ever female YSU student-athlete to receive Academic All-America accolades.
Meech was part of the program's first Horizon League team in 2001. During the year, she played in 28 matches and 96 sets. She finished second on the squad with 275 kills and had an impressive .290 hitting percentage. For the year, she had 159 digs, 116 total blocks, 24 assists and 23 services aces. She averaged 2.86 kills, 1.65 digs and 1.21 blocks per set. Meech had a season-high 17 kills at UIC and 13 digs against IPFW. YSU finished the campaign with a 10-18 record.
Leading up to her Academic All-America honor, she was a first-team Academic All-District and first academic all-league honoree.
As a junior in 2000, Meech was a second-team All-Mid-Con selection and a first-team Academic All-District selection. She had a career-best .311 hitting percentage on a career-high 322 kills.
In 29 matches, she played 101 sets, finishing with 159 digs, 116 total blocks, 15 assists and 15 service aces. She averaged 2.86 kills, 1.57 digs and 1.22 blocks per set. She smashed a career-best 23 kills against UNC-Asheville and had at least double figures in kills 18 times. The Penguins were 14-15 overall playing their final season in the Mid-Con.
In 1999 as a sophomore, Meech was a blocking machine, spearheading the finest season in school history. She finished with 207 total blocks while her average of 1.91 blocks per set was the second most in the nation that campaign. YSU was 27-5 overall and tied for the regular-season Mid-Con title with a 13-1 ledger. The Guins reached the finals of the conference tournament before falling to Oral Roberts.
Meech finished the season with a .261 hitting percentage with 256 kills, 244 digs, 19 assists and 17 aces. She averaged 2.37 kills per set and 2.26 digs to go along with her 1.91 blocks per set. One of her best performances of the year was a 10-kill, 13-dig, 10-block performance in a four-set win over ORU which helped clinch a share of the regular-season title. She had a season-best 17 kills against Princeton and finished with a career-high 16 digs against UMKC.
As a freshman in 1998, she was a big contributor with 202 kills and 116 total blocks while appearing in 104 sets. Meech had a .191 hitting percentage with 32 digs and 13 assists for the campaign. She averaged 1.94 kills per set and 1.12 blocks a set, which ranked third in the Mid-Con. She had a season-high 16 kills against Oakland.
She earned a degree in Early Childhood Education from YSU.
A graduate of Cuyahoga Falls High School, she was a two-time All-Western Reserve Conference selection as well as an all-metro pick.
Kristen Myers resides in Cuyahoga Falls with her husband, Zach, and their two children, John and James. She is currently a veterinary assistant at the Cuyahoga Falls Veterinary Clinic.
