BUTLER TWP — Rob Snyder stepped in to coach the Butler County Community College women's volleyball team this season just to keep the team around.

Now, a national championship might be in the Pioneers' future.

BC3 (17-10) won the NJCAA Division III Region XX championship tournament in Hanover, Md., over the weekend and is headed to the national tournament Nov. 13 and 14 in Rochester, Minn.

Snyder coached the last Pioneers volleyball team to reach the nationals in 2002. That team finished fifth and no other BC3 sports team has gone to a national championship tournament.

Snyder took the reins of the Pioneers this year after no replacement stepped forward when previous coach Heather Graham resigned after getting married and moving to Arizona.

"Because we got off to such a late start, I had no chance to schedule any major weekend tournament in the regular season," Snyder said. "We weren't physically conditioned for what we went through over the weekend."

Coming from the losers bracket in the Region XX double-elimination tournament, BC3 played 12 straight hours of volleyball Saturday and played the same opponent, Lorain (Ohio), for four hours Sunday.

"My biggest concern was how we would handle that mentally," Snyder said. "We were only the No. 4 seed, but the girls didn't let that bother them.

"They knew they were going to be tired. They just overcame it."

The Pioneers defeated No. 5 seed and host team Anne Arundel 3-0 to open the tournament, then bested No. 1 seed Howard 3-1. They then lost to No. 3 seed Lorain 3-2 to fall into the losers bracket.

A 3-0 win over No. 2 seed Montgomery-Rockville Saturday was followed with wins of 3-1 and 3-2 over Lorain Sunday.

"Everything came together for this team in that tournament," Snyder said. "We've been a work in progress all year and we're definitely hitting our stride at the right time."

Sarah Beals, a freshman outsider hitter from Seneca Valley, was named tournament MVP. Joining her on the all-tournament team were freshman outside hitters Hillary Pendel (Slippery Rock) and Jamie Antoszyk (Knoch), along with freshman setter Keli Davis (A-C Valley).

"Sarah had experience with championship play at a high-level high school program," Snyder said. "That served her well in being a leader for us in the regional.

"We have a few girls from smaller high school programs who had to adjust to a different, faster style of game this year. They've come along very well," he added.

Other players on the roster — all from Butler County — include sophomores Shannon Blauser from A-C Valley, Stephanie Bonzo from Moniteau and Ashlee Gallagher from Butler, freshmen Caitlyn Cress from Butler, Tegan Schellman from Slippery Rock and Ashley Campbell from Karns City.

Butler placed fifth out of eight teams in the 2002 national tournament.

"This is a tough defensive team. Division III generally doesn't have the big power hitters up front," Snyder said. "The game is more about ball control and skill level. I have to believe our chances at nationals are as good as anyone's."