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Manhattan College Volleyball Coach Mark Jones Adds Four To Incoming Class
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Coach of the Year Mark Jones
has added four players to the Manhattan College volleyball roster for the 2011 campaign.
Deandra Anderson (Durham, N.C.), Alicia Devaney (Paramus, N.J.) and Malia McGuinness
(Kailua, Hawaii) will join the team as freshmen, while Mariana Furqium (Curitiba, Brazil) comes to
Manhattan after one season at UNLV and has three years of eligibility remaining.
"Overall, I'm very satisfied with this recruiting class," Jones said. "They'll all help our program
continue in the right direction and build on last season's success."
Anderson, a 6-foot middle blocker, comes to Manhattan from Riverside High School, where she
was named the team's Most Improved Player and honorable mention all-conference in 2010.
Anderson led the squad in hitting percentage (.444) and blocks (56) while helping the Pirates win
the Pac-6 Conference title.
"Deandra's going to help us in the middle," Jones said. "She's a physical kid, which is her biggest
strength. Deandra also provides valuable added depth."
A 5-foot-10 middle blocker, Devaney attended Paramus High School and also played for the Essex
Volleyball Club. She was a First Team All-Big North and Third Team All-Bergen County selection
last season after pacing the Spartans with 124 kills and 31 service aces.
"She comes from a strong high school program. Alicia is an extremely hard worker who has a
great attitude," Jones said.
Standing at 5-foot-10, McGuinness can play both middle blocker and outside hitter. She earned
second team all-conference honors last year at the Maryknoll School in Honolulu. In addition, her
club team, the Jammers Volleyball Club, placed third in the National Division at the 2010 USA
Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships.
"Expect Malia to come in and contribute right away, either on the outside or in the middle," Jones
said. "She comes from very good club program, and her volleyball IQ is one of her greatest
strengths."
The 6-foot-1 Furquim saw limited action at outside hitter last season for UNLV. Before her arrival
in Las Vegas, she led Colegio Positivio to first place finishes in both the city and state in 2008. She
also helped Sion win city and state titles in 2007. Furquim is the first Brazilian player in program
history.
"We graduated two very good senior outside hitters, so we needed somebody experienced to come
in and provide offense right away," Jones said. "And Mariana is certainly capable of filling that role.
She's also an excellent blocker."
The four signings brings the total number of newcomers on the Lady Jaspers' 2011 roster to six.
Outside hitter Sarah Haselhorst (Naperville, Ill.) and setter Hollegn Henderson (La Canada,
Calif.) both committed to Manhattan during the NCAA's early signing period. The Lady Jaspers
also return nine letterwinners from last season's 20-14 team.
