Women's College Volleyball Recruiting News Today
University of Virginia Women's Volleyball
Announces Four Additions to 2010 Roster
Maes Announces Four Additions to 2010 Roster
Adams, Clark, Wildermuth and Woolridge to join Cavaliers
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Virginia head volleyball coach Lee Maes has announced the addition of four student-athletes to the Cavaliers’ squad for the 2010 season. The tandem of McKenzie Adams, Rachel Clark and Mallory Woolridge have signed National Letters-of-Intent and will have four years of eligibility, while Beth Wildermuth will join the Cavaliers this spring from Notre Dame and spend her final three years in a Virginia uniform.“We are absolutely delighted to welcome such a talented group of players to Grounds,” Maes said. “We expect this fantastic recruiting class to be ranked among the nation’s 10 best. All the recruits possess wonderful gifts and all will have an opportunity to contribute immediately next fall. We’ve not only added tremendous talent, but also enhanced our team’s depth, athleticism and size. This incoming group will complement our team makeup and build upon the foundation we have in place. They will be the nucleus of an exciting and promising future for our program.”
McKenzie Adams is a 6-foot-3 outside hitter out of Byron P. Steele High School. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Adams was ranked No. 24 on Prepvolleyball.com’s Senior Aces list. A member of the 2009 AAU All-American Team, Adams was selected as one of Prepvolleyball.com’s top-50 recruits and was a Class 4A first-team all-state selection as a senior. The 2008 MVP of the 27-4A district, Adams was a three-time all-district first-team member. She currently holds school records for career and match kills, aces and blocks, in addition to season records for kills and blocks.
“McKenzie is a rare combination of size, skill and athleticism,” Maes said. “She has already exhibited many of the tools to be an outstanding outside hitter. McKenzie has spent the past year transitioning from the middle position to the outside. We’ve been extremely pleased with her adjustment, especially in her ability to receive serve. She has developed nicely into a six-rotation player who has been instrumental in all of her teams’ successes. A terrific athlete, this 10-plus-foot jumper is a skilled attacker. She has developed nice offensive range to combat defenses designed to slow her down. We look forward to continuing her development and maximizing her versatility as a dynamic hitter and defender. She’s going to be a dominant force for us as a first year.”
Rachel Clark is a 6-foot-0 outside hitter from Los Angeles, Calif. A four-year varsity member at Bishop Montgomery, Clark earned All-Del Rey second-team honors as a freshman and sophomore, before garnering first-team accolades as a junior. She helped lead her team to the state semifinals in 2007 and was a three-time member of the USA High Performance team. Clark was named to the all-area team in 2008 and was ranked No. 58 in the Top-100 Senior Aces list byprepvolleyball.com.
“Effort, attitude, competitiveness and improvement are essential attributes of our daily gym culture; these qualities are often evident in Rachel’s performance on the court and how she lives her life off of it,” Maes said. “She is an embodiment of what ‘blue-collar’ truly means – achieving success through the merits of hard work and dependability. Rachel brings major heat as an attacker and more importantly, she brings an unrelenting competitive drive. Her mentality alone will positively impact our team. She has been the ‘go-to’ player in high school and club. Her ability and experience in shouldering a heavy offensive load as well as providing leadership will be a great asset for us.”
Beth Wildermuth will join the Cavaliers from Notre Dame, where she was a setter for the Irish through the 2008 season. A native of San Clemente, Calif., Wildermuth attended Santa Margarita High School where she was one of Volleyball Magazine’s Fab 50 Top Players in the Nation. Wildermuth was Prepvolleyball.com’s 30th-best recruit, and the nation’s fifth-best setter, coming out of high school, where she helped her team to the CIF-SS Championship her freshman year. Wildermuth was a four-time All-CIF selection and was named the MVP of the Trinity League her senior season, in addition to earning the league and high school’s Female Athlete of the Year award in 2008.
“Beth is proficient, intelligent, mature and poised,” Maes said. “These are some of the characteristics Beth possesses and demonstrates on the court and in the classroom. She brings a year of high-level collegiate volleyball experience as a setter. Beth was a very accomplished student-athlete coming out of high school and club. She’s renowned for her ability to set the ball with consistent tempo and location. She was rated as one of the top-five setters in the nation her senior year in high school. Her qualities as a player, student, and person will undoubtedly serve her well at Virginia and she will have an opportunity to lead and impact our team immediately.”
Mallory Woolridge is a 6-foot-3 middle blocker from Richmond, Va. A four-year letterwinner at Deep Run High School, Woolridge earned a No. 10 ranking on prepvolleyball.com’s 2010 Top-10 Senior Aces list. A three-time All-Colonial District selection, including twice being named to the first team, Woolridge was also selected as the Colonial District Player of the Year and Central Region Player of the Year in 2009. She helped guide Deep Run to back-to-back AAA State Championships, as well as the Central Region Championship, in 2006 and 2007, and was named a top-50 recruit byprepvolleyball.com.
“Home is where the heart is for Mallory,” Maes said. “A local product, Mallory’s decision to stay home is a testament to the pride she has for the commonwealth, her family and UVa. It’s also an acknowledgement of the responsibility she will have as a leader and role model in the community for young aspiring players. One of the finest athletes in the country, Mallory has an impressive vertical jump, touching 10-feet-8. She is the type of person who realizes she is blessed with natural physical gifts; yet, knows her gifts require work to become great. Mallory dreams big and her work in improving her skills were evident in her selection and participation with the USA Junior National Team this past summer at the World Championships. We love her tremendous desire to improve. Her qualities make her an easy fit in our program. Mallory will be an imposing player at the net as an attacker and blocker. We are excited to continue her development and assist her in becoming one of the best players in the nation.”
This group marks the second recruiting class under Maes. The inaugural class of Tobi Farrar, Rachel Gray and Jessica O’Shoney pulled in a No. 15 national ranking – a first-ever national honor for Virginia.
Head Volleyball Coach Anne Kordes Receives Five Commitments for 2010
Two local players among the five Midwest volleyball recruits
ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis head volleyball coach Anne Kordes announced today that five student-athletes have committed to play for the Billikens starting next season. The players who have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University and compete for SLU are Lauren Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind. / Brownsburg), Andrea Beaty (Pacific, Mo. / Washington), Emma Goldschmidt (O’Fallon, Ill. / O’Fallon Township), Hannah Kvitle (Quincy, Ill. / Quincy Senior) andKelsey Toebben (Jefferson City, Mo. / Helias). Each player will have four years of eligibility beginning with the 2010 season.
“We are so excited about this extremely versatile and athletic class,” Kordes said. “Each of them will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact, and they will help us continue to play a fast offense. They are all highly competitive, and they know that we love to challenge ourselves here at SLU. This class will help take our program to new heights. Our goal is to be a top-10 program, and we are knocking on the door.”
Baumet was ranked among the Top 100 Senior Aces by PrepVolleyball.com in 2009 in addition to being nominated as the Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year. The 6-foot-1 outside/right-side hitter earned 2009 All-State first-team laurels after averaging 4.74 kills, 0.92 blocks and 0.80 service aces per set. As a senior, Baumet helped lead the Bulldogs to the Indiana High School Athletic Association Class 4A sectionals and was named to the 2009-10 Under Armour Girls’ High School All-America Watch List. The two-time All-Conference selection also guided the Circle City 18 Purple club squad to the 2009 National Junior Classic crown and a fifth-place finish at the 2009 Junior Olympics.
“Lauren has played all three positions across the front, and she’s been getting more and more time in the back row,” Kordes said. “She has a great vertical, a strong snap, and one of the most dominant jump serves that we’ve come across at the high-school level. Lauren is competitive, and she’s got speed and athleticism that will enable her to help us on either the left or right side.”
Beaty, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter, earned a spot on the 2009-10 Under Armour Girls’ High School All-America Watch List and was chosen as one of the top 250 recruits for the 2010 season by PrepVolleyball.com. She garnered Missouri High School Volleyball Coaches Association (MHSVCA) Class 4 All-State first-team accolades as a senior after capturing second-team honors her junior year. Beaty, who was awarded Academic All-State honors four times, guided her team to a 29-3 mark in 2009 while averaging 3.18 kills per set. She played for the Team St. Louis club team in addition to the Rockwood Thunder 161 club squad with fellow Billiken signee Kvitle.
“Andrea has been a six-rotation player ever since she started playing, so she’s got a great sense of the game,” Kordes said. “She understands the game of volleyball so well that when you watch her it’s like watching a veteran out on the court. Andrea has made a name for herself in the St. Louis area. We’re delighted that people who have followed her career to this point will be able to continue to do so, because she’s going to have an incredible career at SLU. Andrea’s work ethic and competitive fire will most certainly help her serve as a leader in our program.”
Goldschmidt is a 6-foot right-side hitter who was also named to the 2009-10 Under Armour Girls’ High School All-America Watch List prior to her senior campaign. She led the Panthers to a program-best 28-10-1 mark in 2009 and their first regional volleyball crown in 17 years. Goldschmidt turned in team highs of 4.34 kills and 3.90 digs per set and 188 blocks as a senior. In 2008, she garnered a spot on the Belleville News-Democrat Large-School All-Area second team and captured All-Conference second-team honors. As a sophomore, Goldschmidt established OTHS single-season records with 163 kills and 525 attempts and played in a school-record 84 sets. Goldschmidt, who played club volleyball with the Southwest Illinois 17 Smack squad, is a SLU legacy. Her father, two uncles and an aunt were members of the Billiken baseball and volleyball teams, respectively.
“We are excited about Emma because she continues to grow, even since she committed to SLU,” Kordes said. “Emma is that go-to player who can handle any situation that is put in front of her. She is one of the most incredible leaders in this class, and I see that leadership role falling to her due to her strong sense of maturity and the confidence she exudes. Emma is a left-handed hitter who will help us on the right side. My goal is for her to be a six-rotation player.”
Kvitle piloted the 2009 Quincy Senior squad to a 36-5 mark, a fourth-place finish at the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 4A state tournament and a No. 77 ranking in the most recent PrepVolleyball.com Century Club National Top 100. Individually, the 5-foot-11 setter is among the top 10 on the IHSA career assists list and was named one of the top 250 recruits for the 2010 season by PrepVolleyball.com. Kvitle, a three-time All-Conference selection and team MVP, captured Quincy Herald-Whig Player of the Year plaudits and Champaign News-Gazette All-State special mention honors in 2008. She also played for the Rockwood Thunder 161 and St. Louis CYC 17’s Green club teams. Kvitle comes from an athletic family as her sister, Emily, is a member of the Mississippi volleyball team and her grandfather, Emil Verban, was a Major League Baseball All-Star selection from 1945-47.
“Hannah had one of the best high school seasons of all these recruits, leading her team to the final four,” Kordes said. “She is a bundle of energy and filled to the brim with a passion for volleyball. We are going to train Hannah to be our starting setter from day one. She will see a lot of reps and will be open to feedback from the moment she steps on campus. Hannah will learn a lot from practice and just being on the court.”
Toebben, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker, was named to the 2009 MHSVCA Class 4 All-State second team after helping the Crusaders to a 36-2-1 record and the state championship quarterfinals. As a junior, she broke the Helias single-season marks for solo blocks (40), block assists (72) and total blocks (112). Toebben, a two-time All-District and All-Region designee, improved her block assists mark to 74 as a senior and established season records for kills (229) and hitting percentage (.486). Prior to her senior year, she earned a spot on the 2009-10 Under Armour Girls’ High School All-America Watch List. Toebben played club volleyball with the Central Missouri 17-1 Surge.
“Kelsey kind of flew under the radar during the recruiting process, but she is a tremendous competitor and will be able to dominate from the middle-blocker position,” Kordes said. “She has one of the longest wingspans of any player we’ve ever recruited and she’s quick, which will make her one of the best blockers to ever come through this program. Kelsey will be hard to keep off the floor because she is so good.”
University of Maryland Women's Volleyball Adds Two Signees for 2010
Terrapins ink OH Mary Cushman, MB/RS Carlisle Abele.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – University of Maryland head volleyball coach Tim Horsmon has announced the signing of two talented high school volleyball players for the 2010 season in 6-foot outside hitter Mary Cushman and 6-foot-4-inch middle blocker/right side Carlisle Abele.
The 2008 New York Gatorade Player of the Year out of Irondequoidt High School in Rochester, N.Y., Cushman is one of the most highly-rated signees in program history, coming in at No. 56 in the nation by prepvolleyball.com. Hailing from Mountain Brook High School in Birmingham, Ala., Abele gives Maryland a big athlete with ability to play in the middle or left and right side.
Coming on the heels of last year’s class that included current freshman standouts like Sam Rosario, Remy McBain and Kara Bates, Horsmon praised Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Tami Ores for her hard work on the recruiting trail.
“Tami continues to show that she’s one of the best recruiters in the country. She continues to bring in great classes and we’re going to continue to do that,” Horsmon said. “You put the last two classes together and we’re starting to fill out our personnel and a team full of classes that are going to be able to play. As they continue to develop and get stronger, you’re going to be looking at a group that’s going to be really competitive within, which will help our practices, as people are going to have to really compete to get on the court.”
Horsmon on Mary Cushman: “Mary Cushman is a kid that was being recruited by most of the top programs in the country. She is a physical kid. She plays hard and has an unbelievable personality on and off the court. I think she has leadership ability and she’s going to be somebody that people are drawn to. I think she’s going to be an unbelievable player. She’s unbelievably athletic and her entire skill set is solid and I think she’s going to be ready to compete right away when she gets here.”
Horsmon on Carlisle Abele: “Carlisle’s upside is tremendous. As a long, lean kid with a really great arm swing who jumps well with god skills, she can probably play a lot of positions for us. We’ll try her in the middle and on the right side and depending on how strong she gets and how she adapts, you could even see her playing some left side if need be. Her size and athleticism gives us a completely different look up front and allows us to be a lot more aggressive blocking and attacking.”
– TERPS –
Marshall University Women's Volleyball Signs Six Players for 2010 Season
Head Coach Mitch Jacobs Inks Five Top-250 Prep Volleyball Players
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall University volleyball team recently announced the signing of six volleyball players to join the Thundering Herd for the 2010 season. Five-of-the-six student-athletes have been named top-250 prospects by PrepVolleyball.com. The six players are Dorothy Rahal, Laura Der, Desiree Wilkerson, Kaitlin Holm, Sacha Byous-McConnel and Lexy Kessel.
Dorothy Rahal (Venice, Fla./Venice HS)
The 5-foot-7 defensive specialist from Venice, Fla., is a senior at Venice HS, where they advanced to the final four of the 5A Florida State Championship. The Indians have captured the district championship all four years Dorothy Rahal has been a member of the team.
As a senior, she earned second team All-State 5A honors, was named to the 2009 Under Armor Watch List and earned MVP team honors in 2008. She recorded a career-high 33 digs in a match this season. As a freshman, Rahal garnered the Renaissance Eagle Award by maintaining a 3.8 grade point average.
“Dorothy is a dynamic athlete and one of the strongest liberos in the South-East region,” head coach Mitch Jacobs said. “She is going to start with us this spring, since she will enroll early. That [defense] is an area of issue for us coming out of this season. Ryanne Milligan has done a great job; however we lack depth at the libero and defensive positions.”
Laura Der (Clarksville, Ind./Floyd Central HS)
The Clarksville, Ind., native is a 5-foot-9-inch outside hitter who played at Floyd Central HS her senior season. Prior to playing at Floyd Central, Laura Der took the court for Providence HS for three years.
As a senior for the Highlanders, Der led the team to a 35-4 record and helped them advance to the Indiana state semifinals. In her final high school campaign, she totaled 347 kills and 257 digs. She was a first team All-State selection on three occasions, an academic All-State selection as a senior, named to the Indiana All-Star team, a member of the National Honor Society and garnered AAU All-America honors. She was a member of the MidAmerican Volleyball Association (MAVA) club team, while winning a JVDA National Championship in 2009 with the Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Academy (KIVA) club squad.
“One of things I have to worry about with Laura and Dorothy on the floor at the same time is the number of concussions we might end up with,” Jacobs said with a laugh. “Der brings a tremendous toughness factor and the same kind of caliber of desire to get after a ball and play like our Katy Schad.”
Desiree Wilkerson (Louisville, Ky./duPont Manual HS)
A four-year player at duPont Manual HS in Louisville, Ky., Desiree Wilkerson joins the Herd as a middle blocker. As a senior at duPont Manual, Wilkerson earned second team All-State along with being named to the All-Region team. She was a two-time All-District selection and helped lead the Lady Crimson to a JCPS Championship and District Championship all four seasons she was on the team. She was teammates with Der on the KIVA club team that captured the 2009 JVDA National Championship.
“Desiree is a very quick and very fast athlete,” Jacobs said. “She will be game ready in the middle when she gets here because she can go pin-to-pin fast and gets good penetration on the block. She gives us a real speed presence in our freshman class.”
Sacha Byous-McConnel (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Los Osos HS)
Sacha Byous-McConnel hails from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., where she has played middle blocker and outside hitter for two seasons at Los Osos HS. Prior to playing for the Grizzles, the 6-foot-2-inch Byous-McConnel played two years at Western Christian HS. She is a two-time first team All-League selection and played for Laguna Beach Volleyball and TCA Club West club teams. Last season, Byous-McConnel collected an impressive .520 attacking percentage. She was named to the Senior Aces top-150 list by TCA.
“Sacha gives us an athlete with tremendous potential,” Jacobs said. “She is strong, quick, and has been training with TCA. She is our first California player since I’ve been coach here and Marshall made perfect sense for her academic needs.”
Kaitlin Holm (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers HS)
An outside hitter and middle blocker from Fort Myers, Fla., Kaitlin Holm will join the 2010 MUvolleyball squad. Holm hails from Fort Myers HS, where she was a two-year starter on the volleyball team. She has twice garnered second team All-State honors, while being a three-time first team All-Area selection along with being named an AAU All-American. In her senior season at Fort Myers, Holm collected 297 kills, 68 total blocks and 41 service aces. As a member of the USA South club team, the squad placed fourth in a regional qualifier and third in the Denver Qualifier.
“Kaitlin has been a middle blocker at the high school and club level, but we are looking for her to play on the outside or the right side for us,” Jacobs said. “She’s a good jumper and at 6-foot-2 she gets up high and has a very heavy arm.”
Lexy Kessel (Ripley, W.Va./Ripley HS)
Lexy Kessel will join the Marshall volleyball program as one of the top volleyball players in the state of West Virginia. The Ripley, W.Va., native played four years at Ripley HS where she earned numerous accolades and records. At Ripley she set school records in career kills (1,749), single-season kills (701), career digs (1,658), single-season digs (742) and hitting efficiency (.371).
Kessel was a two-time Mountain State Athletic Conference (MSAC) Player of the Year recipient, two-time first team All-State selection, three-time MSAC first team selection, twice was name captain of the all-conference squad and was named a Wendy’s High School Heisman for West Virginia.
“It really made my day when Lexy told me she wanted to be a part of Marshall volleyball,” Jacobs said. “She is a fantastic kid and is always playing as hard as she can on the court. I think she is the most talented player in the state of West Virginia in the senior class. She is going to play in a defensive specialist role, which is going to help us continue to get deeper at that position. It will enable us to move Milligan back to the setter position full time.”
“The greatest thing about this whole class is that they are good kids and they come from great hard working families and they all understand the idea of hard work,” Jacobs said. “As long as they come in with that mentality to be a part of this program and make a difference before they leave, this could be the best recruiting class that we have ever signed.”
Prep Volleyball Standout Kristina Graven Inks National Letter of Intent with Cal Poly
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Head volleyball coach Jon Stevenson and the Cal Poly Athletics Department confirmed recently that 6-0 outside hitter Kristina Graven (Mitty HS / San Jose, CA) has signed a National Letter of Intent with the expectation of joining the Mustang program for the 2010 campaign.
Graven, prepvolleyball.com’s 28th-ranked senior player in the class of 2010, is the highest-rated athlete to have signed with the Cal Poly program during Stevenson’s five seasons. Currently averaging 4.11 kills per set and hitting .423 during her senior season, Graven has helped Mitty HS – ranked as the nation’s No. 1 program by ESPNRise.com and MaxPreps.com – to a 33-0 record entering Wednesday’s Central Coast Section Division II playoff match against St. Francis HS (Mountain View, CA).
En route to helping Mitty HS to a 42-1 mark and the California Interscholastic Federation Division II state championship as a junior last season, Graven recorded 3.00 kills per set, 49 aces and posted a .399 hitting percentage in being named to the All-CCS and All-West Catholic Athletic League first teams.
Graven, a two-time all-tournament team selection at the prestigious Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions, drew All-CCS third team and All-WCAL honorable mention praise as a sophomore in 2006 for a Mitty HS squad that posted a 36-4 mark and reached the championship match of the CIF Division II state tournament. Mitty, 142-7 and without a WCAL defeat during Graven’s four-year tenure, also finished as state runners-up during her 2006 freshman season.
A 2008 appointment to the United States Girls’ Youth National Team, Graven – a three-year honor roll member at Mitty HS – was selected to the USA Volleyball High Performance Select A1 roster in 2006 and 2007. Graven is also a member of the Vision Volleyball Club, which she assisted to the 2007 Junior Olympic championship and a bronze medal showing at the 2009 event.
Cal Poly (8-20, 4-11) completes its 2009 campaign Friday, Nov. 20 against Cal State Northridge at 7 p.m. inside Mott Gym. Prior to the match, Cal Poly will honor its lone graduating senior player, setter Hailey Fithian.
University of Central Arkansas Volleyball Women Sign Four Recruits
CONWAY, Ark - University of Central Arkansas head volleyball coach Steven McRoberts has signed four players to NCAA National Letters of Intent. Marissa Collins of Pearland, Texas, Karlie Giesler of St. Charles, Ill., Kyle Hartman of Phoenix, Ariz. and Jessica Nagy of Carleton, Mich. will join the Sugar Bear program during for the 2010 season.
"Overall, I am extremely pleased with our fall recruiting class," McRoberts said. "We are getting bigger, but we are still recruiting players that can run our system, which is a faster offense. All of these players will really make our practices competitive and they will push our upperclassmen for playing time right away. They want to come in and help us win back-to-back championships."
Collins, a 5-10 setter, was a TGCA All-State selection from Pearland High School. She was selected to the All-Greater Houston Area second team and Texas Sportswriters All-State honorable mention as a junior. She was also a first team all-district and all-academic selection. Collins was voted as the District 22-5A Newcomer of the Year in 2008 and was selected for Lonestar Volleyball All-Texas Special Recognition as a senior. She was the Houston Chronicle Player of the Week twice and Academy Sports Player of the Week twice in 2009. Collins played club for Absolute Volleyball Academy.
"Marissa is what you want in a setter," said McRoberts. "She is very consistent delivering the ball and is a competitor. She and Lauren (Dear) will be good for each other when it comes to competing for the setter job next fall. She had some big programs looking at her but she came on campus and loved it and she wants to be a part of a championship environment."
Giesler, 6-0 outside hitter, was three-year starter at St. Charles North High School. She was a two-time unanimous all-conference selection and helped lead St. Charles North to two regional championship titles. As a senior, Giesler led the team in kills and service aces. She was a Chicago Daily Herald All-Area First Team honoree twice and a three-time academic all-conference selection. Giesler played club for Sports Performance.
"We are glad to get some size on the left side," said McRoberts. "Karlie is a smart player and we are going to train her to play all the way around. She chose us over UALR."
Hartman, a 6-0 middle blocker, was a three-year letterwinner for Desert Vista High School. She earned a All-State 5A1 honorable mention as a junior and has been named all-region twice. She played club for Spiral and East Valley Juniors.
"Kyle caught our eye a couple of years ago and we really like her energy and athletic ability." McRoberts said. "She has a really positive attitude and will fit in great with our core that is coming back. She still seems to be growing and she is already 6-0, so we are expecting her to be competing for a middle blocker position."
Nagy, a 6-2 middle blocker, was a three-sport athlete in volleyball and basketball and track and field at Airport High School. She was recently third in the vote for Michigan's Miss Volleyball. She was a first team all-conference and all-region selection and picked by the Detroit News as the second best player to watch in southeast Michigan. Nagy was named Athlete of the Week by the Monroe News and Fox Sports. Helped Airport to a league, district and regional championships before losing in the Class A quarterfinals as a junior. She was a Class A All-State honorable mention in 2008. Nagy played club for Toledo Volleyball.
"We started recruiting Jessica late and I think we got a steal," said McRoberts. "She has great size and can really pound the ball. We look for her to help a lot in the middle. She also had some bigger programs interested and then she hurt her knee, just like Jessica Hays, and now she is stronger than before her injury. She wants to prove that those schools made a mistake."
The Sugar Bears just finished their most successful season in school history with a 27-3 record. They won the Southland Conference regular season title with a 16-0 mark.
University of Volleyball Longhorns land five on Academic All-Big 12 Team
Texas places four players on the first team and one on the second team.
AUSTIN, Texas – The second-ranked Texas Volleyball team landed five players on the 2009 Academic All-Big 12 Team, marking the second straight season with five players on the squad. Sophomore middle blocker Rachael Adams, junior middle blocker Jennifer Doris, senior libero Heather Kisner and sophomore defensive specialist Sydney Yogi earned spots on the first-team, while senior setter/opposite hitter Ashley Engle claimed a place on the second-team.
Doris and Engle captured their second academic honors of their careers and Kisner claimed her third straight first-team accolade.
Adams, a second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District choice, leads the Longhorns in hitting percentage (.492), total blocks (77), block assists (73) and blocks per-set (1.12). The Cincinnati, Ohio, native ranks fifth in the Big 12 in blocking.
Doris, a two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection, has earned 12 starts and played in all 21 matches, ranking second on the team with 1.00 blocks per-set. The Houston, Texas, native is hitting .314 on the season with 1.26 kills per-set.
Engle, a two-time All-America selection, earned her second straight Academic All-Big 12 Second Team accolade. The senior is averaging 9.31 assists, 1.89 kills and 2.06 digs per-set this season, while hitting at a .345 clip.
Kisner, a two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District pick, has started all 21 matches as the Horns’ libero. The Sugar Land, Texas, native averages a team-best 4.04 digs and 1.14 assists per-set on the year. She has helped Texas limit its opponents to a .152 hitting percentage, a mark that ranks second in the conference.
Yogi, a stalwart in the Texas back row, has played in 17 matches in 2009. The sophomore bolsters the Horns’ defense with 2.02 digs per-set.
The 52 student-athletes named to the squad were nominated by each institution’s director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the volleyball academic all-league team consisted of 43 first team members combined with nine on the second team. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
University of Washington Women's Volleyball Signs Two Standout Preps
Parker and Nelson both led their teams to the 6A Oregon state playoffs this year.
SEATTLE – Washington volleyball head coach Jim McLaughlin has announced the signing of two standout prep players to National Letters of Intent. Outside hitters Kaleigh Nelson and Gabbi Parker, both from Oregon, will join the Husky program beginning in the fall of 2010.
“They are good kids in many ways. They are athletic and they have good arms,” said McLaughlin. “They both really like to compete. They’re going to fit into this program and make a commitment to becoming as good as they can become. I think we got two special kids.”
An outside hitter at 6’0” tall, Parker led Sheldon High School of Eugene to the Southwestern Conference title her junior year and was named league Most Valuable Player. Sheldon went on to finish fifth at state, best in school history. Parker was named to the All-State Second Team. One year earlier, Sheldon placed sixth at the 6A state tourney. Last weekend, Sheldon once again improved one spot on its all-time best finish, placing fourth at the 2009 state tournament.
As a member of the Webfoot club team, Parker was named Tournament MVP of the 2008 Emerald City Classic in the 16 Open division held at the University of Washington.
“The coaching staff is so kind and welcoming as well as the girls on the team,” Parker said. “I love Seattle, and the volleyball program is incredible. I couldn't ask for a better opportunity than what Washington has to offer.”
Nelson is a product of Sprague High School in Salem, Oregon. The 6’0” outside and middle hitter led the Sprague Olympians to the Central Valley Conference title and was named Conference Player of the Year as well as to the First Team for the second time. She played club ball with the Nike Northwest Juniors.
“I was looking for a great program with great coaching, and a fantastic school for my future education. I've watched Washington win a national championship under Coach McLaughlin, and I believe that they can do it again and again,” said Nelson. “Not only are they great coaches for volleyball, but I know they will teach me things that will help me be successful in life after college. I'm looking for a once in a lifetime opportunity and Washington has it. I know in my heart that this is the one of the best decision's I'll ever make and I'm very excited for the next four years to come.”
University of Texas Arlington Volleyball Adds Emily Gentle to Signing Class
November 17, 2009
ARLINGTON, Texas – UT Arlington head volleyball coach Diane Seymour announced the signing of outside hitter/middle blocker Emily Gentle (Van Alstyne, Texas – Van Alstyne HS) to a National Letter of Intent on Tuesday, which completes UT Arlington’s early signing class.
UT Arlington also signed setter Chelsea Mayor (Sugar Land, Texas – Dulles HS) to a NLI last week.
“Both of the players we signed are very good athletes and love to play the game of volleyball,” Seymour said. “They were both very eager to be a part of our program. We look forward to getting both players in the gym.”
The UT Arlington roster will look very similar next season with the departure of only one senior from this year’s squad, outside hitter/libero Teena Sobczak.
Seymour was looking for strong athletes to join her 11 returning players for next season.
“We definitely wanted to get good athletes in here,” Seymour said. “If these two don’t step on the court as freshmen, we will look for them to step in for Bianca (Sauls) and Raegan (Daniel) the following year. It was important for us to sign a couple quality kids who can hopefully get some playing time next year, will be able to pick up our system quick and will be able to step in as sophomores.”
Gentle is a two-sport standout at Van Alstyne (3A) HS, where she has lettered in volleyball and track and field. As a junior, Gentle earned first team All-District 10-3A, Tri-County and Wolfe City All-Tournament team and was a Herald Democrat All-Texomaland selection.
This season, Gentle has recorded 202 kills, 42 blocks and 103 digs as the team captain. Following the regular season, Gentle was named District Most Valuable Hitter.
“Emily has a lot of raw talent,” Seymour said. “She is close to touching 9-foot-10. She has only played one year of competitive club volleyball, so the sky is the limit for her. She is very athletic. We don’t know exactly what we will do with her until she gets here. We are looking to see if we can make her an outside hitter, but we know she can play right-side if need be.”
She helped lead her team to tournament championships at the Royse City and Pottsboro Tournament while finishing with a 32-8 overall record in 2008.
Gentle was named honorable mention All-District as a sophomore and earned a varsity letter in 2006 as a freshman. Her high school accolades also include winning the District 10-3A long jump championship and placing second in the triple jump and 200 meter last spring. She won the District 9-3A triple jump championship as a sophomore.
Seymour said there is still a chance the Mavericks could add to their roster for the 2010 season.
“We are still looking to add some defensive depth for next year,” Seymour said. “You can always find some quality walk-ons to fill in at that libero/defensive specialist position. I think losing Teena (Sobczak), we will try and find some walk-ons that can help us defensively.”
2009 UT Arlington Early Signing Class:
Emily Gentle – OH/MB – Van Alstyne, Texas/Van Alstyne HS
Chelsea Mayor – S – Sugar Land, Texas/Dulles HS
For more information on Mavericks Volleyball check out their new official website @ http://www.utamavs.com/sports/
University of Wisconsin Badger Volleyball signs three
MADISON, Wis. – Coach Pete Waite announced the signing of three players to National Letters of Intent to join the University of Wisconsin volleyball team in 2010. Annemarie Hickey, a 5-8 defensive specialist from Oswego, Ill.; Dominique Thompson, a 5-11 middle blocker from Plymouth, Minn.; and Elise Walch, a 6-5 outside hitter from Palm City, Fla., will become Badgers next season.
"We are extremely excited about what this class will bring to our program,” says Waite. “Each player brings great athletic talent and each of them is a great person and a great competitor. They are all leaders on their teams and each have the ability to dominate a match in their respective positions.
“All three can make an immediate impact on our program and will catch the attention of Badger fans everywhere. We are really looking forward to the day they step on the court with us for the first time."
Hickey led Joliet Catholic Academy to its second straight Illinois Class 3A state championship last Saturday. She had a match-high 13 kills and 11 digs. Under Coach Christine Scheibe, the Angels were 41-1 on the season, winning the East Suburban Catholic Conference. Hickey was named the Chicago Sun Times Player of the Year as well as the East Suburban Player of the Year. She earned two tournament MVP honors during the season and also served as team captain.
Hickey is ranked No. 94 on PrepVolleyball.com’s Senior Aces and was also a second-team PrepVolleyball.com Defensive Dandy. She was recognized as the ESPN/Rise National Athlete of the Week on Oct. 22, 2009, and was named an ESPN/Rise Top 9 selection for 2009. As a junior, Hickey was named a PrepVolleyball.com all-American and was nominated for High School Junior of the Year.
Hickey plays club volleyball with 1st Alliance under Coach Anne Mastandrea. She was named to the2009 JVDA all-tournament team, leading her club to a second-place finish in the 17-open division. Hickey also earned JVDA all-tournament honors in 2008 and was named the most outstanding attacker at the 2008 PrepVolleyball.com Classic.
“Anne is a phenomenal competitor and a player who raises the level her teammates every time she takes the floor,” says Waite. “As a smaller player, she still dominates the net with her wide variety of shots and arm speed. She’s a crafty player who has a great volleyball I.Q. and she finds ways to lead her team to the win. Anne’s tough serve and great ball control will raise the level of our back court immediately and that’s a real priority for our team. She’s the kind of player who will not be denied and she will do whatever it takes to win.”
Thompson earned all-state honors in 2009 for Robbinsdale Armstrong High School and Coach Karl Katzenberger. She is a three-time all-conference honoree and three-time team MVP. Thompson was named a third-team all-metro selection by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. She is also an all-state selection in track, earning five medals at the state championships in the sprints.
Thompson is ranked 41st on PrepVolleyball.com’s list of senior aces and is on the AVCA Under Armour All-America Watch List. A member of the M1 Volleyball Club, she was named the best attacker at the 2009 National Junior Classic in the 17-open division for coaches Brady Starkey and Thanh Pham. Her team finished fifth in the tournament and third in 2008.
Thompson is the daughter of Darrell Thompson, who played football with the Green Bay Packers for five years after a successful career at the University of Minnesota. Her mother Stephanie played volleyball at the University of Iowa.
“Dominique is an explosive middle blocker who really burst onto the scene over the last two seasons,” says Waite. “She's a prolific scorer at the net whose speed and jump will put stress on opposing defenders. She began as a basketball player and track athlete but she found her real passion was in volleyball. Dom is just beginning to tap into her talents and she's already a force to be reckoned with."
Walch is one of the highest recruited athletes in UW volleyball history. She is ranked 26th by PrepVolleyball.com Senior Aces and is on the AVCA All-America watch list. Walch has been a member of the USA Volleyball High Performance team for the last four years and was invited to the 2009 USA Junior Holiday Camp for the top 24 players in the nation.
Walch plays for Coach Marty Bielicki at Martin County High School. She had 38 kills in the regional championship match last Saturday, helping the Tigers advance to the Florida state championship for the first time in 10 years. She is a four-time all-conference selection and earned second-team all-state honors as a junior. Walch holds her school’s match, season and career records for kills and blocks.
Walch is a member of the Palm Beach Juniors Volleyball Club for Coaches Sam Skelton and Whitney Warren.
“Elise brings us some great height and power on the left-side attack,” says Waite. “She is extremely mobile and fluid for a 6-5 player and she may be the hardest hitter nationally coming out of the 2010 class. Her arsenal also includes a tough jump serve and some real heat hitting out of the back row. Elise's terminating abilities will make an immediate impact on our team and the conference. Her experience with the USA High Performance programs are preparing her to make a quick transition to the college game."
Read more college volleyball news, stories, volleyball quotes, and information on volleyballvoices.com!
