Volleyball Voices

Liberty Volleyball Announces Pair of Signings

 

 

Liberty Volleyball Announces Pair of Signings

 

        LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty volleyball head coach Shane Pinder and his coaching staff have announced the addition of two middle blockers to the Lady Flames’ 2013 roster. Susan Babcock and Nzea McQuitrey, both from North Carolina, have signed national letters of intent to attend Liberty for the 2013-14 academic year.

        “We’re excited about both additions to the program,” Pinder said. “With Loren Thomas graduating, we are bringing in two middles. It gives us great depth in the middle, which we haven’t had at that position in the last few years.”

 

Susan Babcock (MB, 6-3, Pfafftown, N.C.)

        Susan Babcock joins the Lady Flames following a successful career at Ronald Reagan High School. During her career, she helped her team win three straight conference and tournament championships. She was a two-time all-conference selection and named Flow Athlete of the Week this past year.

        Babcock’s most recent club volleyball experience came with the Triangle Club in Raleigh, N.C., making their highest team as a senior. She previously played for SetPoint and Piedmont Volleyball Clubs. Her older sister, Meghan, is a sophomore on Liberty’s swimming team.

        “Susan is a really athletic kid for her size,” said Pinder. “She’s a great blocker, and is going to be a great addition to our program in terms of size, speed and athleticism. We’re really excited about what she’s going to bring to the net in terms of physicality and ability to end plays right away. She’s a kid that has really bought into our vision, and is going to make an immediate impact on our roster.”

        “Susan’s skill improvement over the past four years has been remarkable,” said George Folger, head volleyball coach at Reagan High School. “Susan is very passionate about volleyball and will make an immediate impact at Liberty.”

 

Nzea McQuitrey (MB, 6-3, Raleigh, N.C.)

        Nzea McQuitrey was a three-year letterwinner during a standout career at Sanderson High School in Raleigh, N.C. She was named CAP-8 All-Conference as a junior and senior. McQuitrey received the Outstanding Offensive Player Award and CAP-8 Academic Achievement Award during 2011.

        McQuitrey played for CCVC Club for two seasons and spent four years playing for Club Red.

        “Nzea is 6-3, with long arms,” noted Pinder. “She’s an explosive jumper and is very athletic. She has the ability to explode from pin to pin with a lot of speed. Nzea is going to impact the roster from a blocking standpoint, and has a really big upside offensively. She’s a great slide attacker and can hit first-tempo balls really well. When she’s in motion, she’s really good because of her speed.”

        “Nzea is an awesome young lady,” said Coach Rita Stubbs of Club Red Volleyball. “I am excited that all of her hard work has paid off. She will be in full control of her destiny."

 

        When Babcock and McQuitrey enter Liberty next fall, they will be joining the two-time defending Big South tournament champions and six-time defending conference regular-season champions. Liberty (25-7) won its conference-record seventh Big South volleyball title on Sunday, downing Coastal Carolina in the championship match.

        The Lady Flames have qualified for the 2012 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship. The full bracket will be announced on Sunday at 4 p.m., with the selection special aired nationally on ESPNU.

 

- LibertyFlames.com -

 

 

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NCAA Volleyball: Kristina Hernandez Announces Recruiting Class

 

 

NCAA Volleyball: Hernandez Announces Recruiting Class

Hempstead, NY – Hofstra University Volleyball Coach Kristina Hernandez today announced the signings of two student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to play volleyball at Hofstra beginning in the Fall 2013.    Hernandez adds a setter and libero to her squad, two positions that will need to be filled as starters Catalina Charry and all-time digs leader Kylee Maneja will graduate in May.   Sophia Black (Seattle, WA), a libero, will join the Pride from Garfield High School in Seattle where she has been a three-time team Most Valuable Player and four-time All-King County selection. As a junior in 2011, Black was the King County Defensive MVP. As a member of the Washington Volleyball Academy, she helped her team to a fifth-place finish at 2011 Nationals and a second-place showing in the Copa Minas Brazilian Tournament.   Setter Hannah Klemm (Berlin, Germany) comes to Hofstra from SLZB in Berlin. Klemm helped her squad to JtfO championships in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and to a first place finish at the 2010 School World Championships in China. She has also been a part of four consecutive Berlin championship teams (2008-11) and a German championship in 2008. “We are very excited about the addition of Hannah and Sophia to our program,” commented Hernandez.  “They are both great competitors and push themselves to work hard every day.  Sophia reads the game defensively at a very high level and I am excited to see what she can do for us. Hannah is capable of running a fast offense and has the determination in a setter that we are looking for.  Sophia and Hannah are great fits for our program.”  The 2012 edition of the Hofstra Volleyball team advanced to the NCAA Tournament yesterday with a thrilling five-set win over Delaware in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship match.  The Pride will head to the NCAA Championship with a record of 21-13.

 

Sarita Mikals Inks NLI with Houston Volleyball

 

 

Sarita Mikals Inks NLI with Houston Volleyball

Outside Hitter from Colleyville Heritage HS to Join Cougars in 2013

 

HOUSTON — The University of Houston Volleyball program has inked its first 2013 Cougar as Colleyville, Texas native Sarita Mikals signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Houston family during the NCAA Early Signing Period.

 

“Sarita is a six rotation player who is a creative scorer,” head coach Kaddie Platt said. “She will be used on both pins giving us some flexibility in our offense.  We are excited about her commitment to the Houston Family!”

 

SARITA MIKALS

Colleyville, Texas | Colleyville Heritage HS | Outside Hitter | 6-0

 

NOTABLES

·      Two-year letterwinner for the Colleyville Heritage Panthers

·      Helped team to a 46-2 record during senior season (2012)

·      Led team to a District Championship title and second place finish in the Regional Quarterfinals

·      Helped team to a 33-2 record during junior season (2011)

·      Led team to a District Championship title

·      Named District Hitter of the Year (2012)

·      Earned First Team All-District(2012)

·      Honored on the Second Team All-District Team (2011)

·     Played for head coach Jamie Deturck in high school

·      Member of the National Honor Society, Ambassador Program

·      Named to the A/B Honor Roll

 

Mikals is the daughter of Dan and Lisa and has two siblings, brother Daniel and sister Alannah.

 

STAY CONNECTED

Follow Houston Volleyball on Twitter @UHCougarVB and “Like”/HoustonCougarVolleyball on Facebook.

 

 

 

Italian-Born Setter Signs NLI With Oregon State Volleyball

 

 

Italian-Born Setter Signs NLI With Oregon State Volleyball 

 

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State volleyball head coach Taras Liskevych announced Monday that Italy native Carlotta Oggioni has signed a national letter of intent to join the program starting with the 2013 season.

 

Oggioni hails from Rome and plays in the setter position. She has competed with the Italian junior national team and is currently a member of the Riso Scotti Volley Pavia club team, which plays in the second division in Italy.

 

“We are very excited about having Carlotta here because she has played at a high level and plays in one of the best leagues in the world,” Liskevych said. “She will add a dimension to our team because of her volleyball skill and background. We really feel she will be a great addition to our program. She is an experienced setter and one who will help take us to the next level, particularly in terms of the nuances of our offense.”

 

Oregon State returns home this week for the last two matches of regular season play. The Beavers host USC Tuesday night at 8 p.m. PT in a match scheduled for Pac-12 Oregon. OSU then hosts Oregon in the Civil War presented by Pacific Source, Your Local Ford Stores, Wells Fargo and McDonald’s. That match starts at 8 p.m. Friday and will also be televised on Pac-12 Oregon.

 

The Beavers will honor their five seniors – Ashley Eneliko, Martie Massey, Megan McBride, Alyssa O’Neil and Camille Saxton – at the Civil War match.

 

For more information on the Oregon State volleyball team, follow the club’s official Twitter account at Twitter.com/BeavsVolleyball or by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateVolleyball.

 

 

 

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Utah Volleyball Adds Pair of Middle Blockers

 

 

Utah Volleyball Adds Pair of Middle Blockers
Koenig and Trueman to join Utes for 2013 season.

SALT LAKE CITY - A pair of middle blockers have signed National Letters of Intent to join the University of Utah volleyball team for the 2013 season, head coach Beth Launiere announced. Alyssa Koenig and Carly Trueman will don the crimson and white for the Utes next fall.

"Both of our recruits are tremendous athletes who play high above the net," Utah head coach Beth Launieresaid. "Carly is extremely quick and a great jumper, while Alyssa is long and athletic. They will join a program that has a long list of national-caliber middle blockers and will help carry on the tradition of Utah as one of the top blocking teams in the country.

"We're excited to get them both in our gym. You need great athletes to compete in the Pac-12 and we feel Carly and Alyssa will be very successful at this level."

Alyssa Koenig
(MB / 6-2 / Arroyo Grande, Calif. / Arroyo Grande HS / 805 Elite Volleyball Club)

Koenig, a 6-2 Arroyo Grande, Calif., native, attends Arroyo Grande High School and has been a first-team all-league selection as an outside hitter each of the last two seasons after earning second-team honors as a sophomore in 2010. She was a four-year letterwinner for coach Ernie Santa Cruz at Arroyo Grande High School and posted 219 kills, 143 digs and 36 aces this season as a senior.

Koenig played for the 805 Volleyball Club and was a member of the 2009 and 2012 undefeated league champions.

Koenig is a member of the National Honor Society, Link Crew, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is the ASB Senior Class Officer and also competes in track and field in the high jump and triple jump. The daughter of John and Deborah Koenig, she intends to major in Interior Design at Utah and plans on eventually owning her own business. She has two siblings, Brandon and Kayla Young.

Carly Trueman
(MB / 6-1 / Tucson, Ariz. / Tucson High Magnet School / Zona 18-1 Volleyball Club)

Trueman, a 6-1 Tucson, Ariz., product, pounded down 258 kills (3.2 per set), 90 digs, 84 blocks and 37 aces during her senior year and was named team MVP while serving as team captain at Tucson High Magnet School for coach Wendy Escarega-Parra. Trueman was second on the team in kills during her junior season. She played club volleyball for Zona 18-1 as well.

Trueman also played on the basketball team and enjoys dirt biking riding, snowboarding, fishing and hiking. Both of her parents, Ursula Kramer and David Trueman, are engineers who graduated from the University of Utah. She has one brother, Alex.

The Utes will enter their third season in the Pac-12 Conference next fall with all seven of their starters returning and 11 letterwinners coming back to the team.

 

- UU -

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USC Volleyball Women of Troy Sign Ebony Nwanebu and Elise Ruddins

USC Volleyball Women of Troy Sign Ebony Nwanebu and Elise Ruddins

The USC women’s volleyball team will add a pair of highly-touted hitters to its roster in 2013 

 

 

LOS ANGELES – The USC women’s volleyball team signed Ebony Nwanebu (Lovejoy HS | Lucas, Texas) and Elise Ruddins (Aliso Niguel HS | Laguna Niguel, Calif.) to National Letters of Intent head coachMick Haley announced on Thursday, Nov. 15. The Women of Troy will add the pair of highly-coveted pin-hitters to their 2013 roster.

 

“We are absolutely thrilled to have signed both of these young ladies,” said Haley. “We view them as two of the absolute best players in the entire country and feel that each of them is able to come inhere and have an immediate impact on our program. It is something special to be able to have two players of this caliber arrive in the same recruiting class. Both Elise and Ebony are players who can play all six rotations and different positions in each rotation. I think it gives us some flexibility that we don’t believe anybody in the rest of the country will have, next year. We are very excited to welcome them to the Trojan Family and can’t wait to see them on campus.”

 

Ruddins is a 6-3 middle blocker who played for Michael Soylular at Laguna Beach Volleyball Club and prepped at Aliso Niguel High School with head coach Peter Butler. She was rated No. 2 among high school recruits as PrepVolleyball.com’s No. 2 Senior Ace. As a junior, Ruddins served as her team’s captain and was named Most Valuable Player of the South Coast League. She was also selected for All-County, All-CIF DII and All-State Team honors. She was also chosen for All-League honors as a sophomore. She most recently helped her club to a third-place finish at the 2012 Las Vegas Classic and first-place finishes in the SCVA Regionals and the 2011 Fiesta Classic.Ruddins is also an accomplished soccer player. She is the niece of USC All-American setter Kim Ruddins (1981-85), a two-time Olympian (1984, ’88) whose No. 3 jersey hangs in the rafters of the Galen Center.

 

“Elise is a true impact player who was moved from middle to the outside,” said Haley. “She was highly effective coming off of one foot and can make a difference in any of the six rotations. It’s unfortunate that she was injured earlier this year because we would have loved to see her get selected for the Under Armour All-American match. We are very excited to have a player of her quality join our team.”

 

Coinciding with her signing, Nwanebu was named a first-team Under Armour All-American on Wednesday. The 6-4 outside hitter played at Texas Advantage Volleyball Club under head coach Ping Cao and prepped at Lovejoy High School under head coach Ryan Mitchell. She is PrepVolleyball.com’s No. 7 Senior Ace and has twice been named to theLoneStarVolleyball.com All-Texas first team. Nwanebu recently led her club to a silver-medal finish at the Junior National Championships and was selected to the all-tournament team. She has also helped her high school to a pair of Texas State titles in the 3A division and was named the tournament MVP as a sophomore. In 2009, she was a PrepVolleyball.com National Freshman of the Year finalist and has been a regular face at the USA High Performance Camps. Nwanebu has previously earned All-America honors from MaxPreps and PrepVolleyball.com and was chosen by the Texas Sports Writer’s Association as a Co-Player of the Year in addition to the numerous accolades throughout her accomplished club and high school career.

 

“Ebony is a very dynamic young player,” said Haley. “She can not only play on the outside and in the middle, but she has one of the most devastating serves from the end line, she can pass, and is going to be a player that will impact all parts of the game from all over the court for us.”

 

The Trojans (24-4, 12-4 Pac-12) have four regular-season matches left on the schedule and will close out play at the Galen Center with top-ranked Stanford (24-2, 16-0) in town for a Thursday match at 7 p.m. PT and California (14-12, 8-8) on Friday at 7 p.m. The USC-Cal match is Senior Day for the Women of Troy who will honor middle blocker Natasa Siljkovic, defensivespecialist Erin Yoder, and opposite hitter Katie Fuller in pre-match ceremonies.

UW Badgers Volleyball Team Signs Three for 2013 including Lauren Carlini Nation’s No. 1 Recruit

UW Badgers Volleyball Team Signs Three for 2013 including Lauren Carlini Nation’s No. 1 Recruit

 

 

MADISON, Wis. – Three athletes, including the nation’s No. 1 recruit, have signed National Letters of Intent to play volleyball at the University of Wisconsin beginning in 2013, head coach Pete Waite announced today.

 

The Badgers signed the top recruit in Lauren Carlini, a 6-2 setter/ hitter from Aurora, Ill. Waite also inked Tori Blake, a 6-3 middle blocker from Midland, Mich.; and Haleigh Nelson, a 6-3 middle blocker from Cary, N.C.

 

“We are really excited to be announcing our class of 2013,” said Waite. “They fill a variety of needs for us and they have some impressive resumes. We’re looking forward to having them on campus with us and playing for the Badgers.  I know that this group is going to do some amazing things during their careers.

 

“All three players have great attitudes and strong grades.  I think they’re a perfect fit for our program and we’re looking forward to having them with us.”

 

Carlini was ranked as the No. 1 recruit nationally by PrepVolleyball.com. She was recently named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Under Armour All-America first team. Carlini was a member of the USA Youth National Team in 2010 and 2011, competing in the 2011 Girls’ Youth World Championship in Turkey.   She was also named the most valuable player of the 2011 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships.

 

She has earned four AAU All-America awards, leading her Sports Performance club team, under directors and coaches Rick and Cheryl Butler, to numerous top-10 finishes.

 

“Lauren is an impressive player who has the skills to make a major impact on our program,” said Waite. “She’s a phenomenal setter who can raise the level of those around her. She has the size and jump to be an excellent player at the net, and her defensive skills are as good as any.”

 

Carlini played her high school volleyball at West Aurora High School for head coach Kari Nicolson. She was named the 2012 Chicago Sun Times Player of the Year and is the first player to be named the captain of the Daily Herald all-area team three times. Carlini is a four-time unanimous all-conference pick and led her team to the 2012 Dupage Valley Conference title in 2012.

 

She was named to all-state teams by the Chicago Tribune and Champaign News-Gazette. Carlini was named an ESPN Player on the Rise and Max Preps Player of the Week in 2011-12.

 

Blake will graduate from high school early in December and join the Badgers for the 2013 spring semester.  She was ranked 89^th nationally by PrepVolleyball.com after playing at Midland High School and Michigan Volleyball Academy. Blake is a top-10 finalist for Miss Michigan Volleyball and earned AVCA Under Armour All-America honorable mention honors.  Blake’s club team earned two top-20 national finishes for coach Jesse Ortiz. 

 

As a junior, Blake set school records for block solos, block assists and total blocks and was named a third-team all-state selection. She was a two-time all-conference and all-region selection for head coach Tim Zurell as well as a member of theMidland Daily News Dream Team. Blake aided the Chemics to three conference championships with the team winning the regional title in 2012.

 

She is also an outstanding track athlete, finishing second in the high jump at the state championship as a junior. Blake is a member of the National Honor Society and is a three-year member of the honor roll.

 

“Tori’s athleticism is what caught our eyes,” said Waite. “She has fast feet, long arms and a good jump.  As a middle blocker she’s quick side to side and gets up well on the block. Her potential as a player has only begun to be tapped and we expect that she’ll become a strong college player.” 

 

Nelson joins Carlini on the AVCA Under Armour All-America first team. She recently guided Cardinal Gibbons High School to its fourth-straight 3A state championship, earning most valuable player honors as a senior. Nelson was named the 2012 Carolina 6 Conference Player of the Year for head coach Logan Barber. She was a three-time all-conference selection.

 

Nelson also plays with Triangle Volleyball Club under coach Mike Schall. She was named the 2011 winner of the Triangle Award for leaderships. She was named a top-10 star at the 2012 Lone Star Classic and earned all-tournament honors at the Carolina Region championship.

 

An excellent student, Nelson has a 4.25 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society.

 

“Haleigh first caught our eyes at nationals in the summer of 2012,” said Waite. “We immediately saw a player with good size and range who moved well along the net.  The more we looked into her, the more we liked her strong high school background, her enthusiasm and her determination.

 

 

UTSA Volleyball Team Signs Macie McKay to National Letter of Intent

UTSA signs McKay to National Letter of Intent

SAN ANTONIO – UTSA head coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff announced Monday that Macie McKay (San Antonio, Texas/Smithson Valley HS) has signed a National Letter of Intent and will join the Roadrunners for the 2012 season.

McKay, a 6-foot middle hitter, guided Smithson Valley High School to four consecutive playoff appearances. She was a three-time all-district honoree at middle hitter and earned academic all-district honors in 2011. She also played for the San Antonio Force Volleyball Club and was a member of the 2012 Junior Olympic Qualifying Team.

"I'm excited to get a very talented player from the San Antonio area to join our program," head coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff said. "Macie adds some depth to our middle hitter position. She is a very versatile athlete and can provide a lot of offense."

McKay joins May signee Kristen Booker (Houston, Texas/North Shore HS) and November signees Jordan Kotara (Poth, Texas/Poth HS), Annie Kunes (Fontana, Wis./Big Foot HS) and Kylie Schott (Cypress, Texas/Cy-Fair HS).

UTSA, which posted a 22-11 record last fall, advanced to the Southland Conference Tournament Championship Match for the second consecutive year. Five Roadrunners were named All-Southland, including redshirt junior Setter of the Year Kelsey Schwirtlich and sophomore Newcomer of the Year McKenzie Adams.

The Roadrunners will compete in the Western Athletic Conference this fall.

LMU Volleyball Inks a Pair for 2012 - Kathleen Luft and Hannah Tedrow

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LMU Volleyball Inks a Pair for 2012 - Kathleen Luft and Hannah Tedrow

 

The LMU volleyball program, led by Head Coach Tom Black, has inked a pair of standout student-athletes that will join the team in the fall.  Kathleen Luft and Hannah Tedrow have both committed to joining the Lion program for the 2012 season.

Luft is a 6’1” outside hitter who will transfer in after spending three years, including a redshirt season in 2009, at the University of Georgia.  A native of Thousand Oaks, Calif., Luft is the daughter of LMU Assistant Athletic Director of Development, Brian Luft.  Kathleen appeared in 26 matches with 24 starts last year for Georgia, recording 285 kills, 24 aces, 108 digs and 44 blocks.  A constant on the attack for the Bulldogs, she led or tied for the team lead in kills 15 times, including posting three double-doubles over the course of the year.  As a freshman, she appeared in 30 matches with 20 starts while recording 271 kills (2.44 per set), 23 assists, 20 aces, 173 digs (1.56 per set) and 48 blocks to the tune of five double-doubles.  A consummate student-athlete, she was named to the Director's Honor Roll for spring semester as a sophomore after beingnamed to the SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll.  Before going to Georgia, Luft graduated from Thousand Oaks High School where she was a four-year letter winner.  There, she was named 2008 Most Valuable Athlete and a Star News first team selection while also garnering a first team selection from the Marmonte League.

Tedrow is a 5’8” setter from Orange Lutheran High School and the Surf City Volleyball Club.  A native of Foothill Ranch, Calif., Tedrow was a four-year varsity starter at OrangeLutheran.  A second team All-Trinity League selection as a freshman, she earned firs team selections in each of her final three seasons.  Tedrow, the MVP of the La Jolla Tournament as a senior, earned a silver medal at the Junior Olympics in 2011 en route to an All-Tournament selection.  She also garnered a silver medal at the Global National Challenge in 2010.

The 2012 LMU Lions, including Luft and Tedrow, will begin their season on August 18 when they welcome former Lions to Gersten Pavilion for the Alumnae Match at 1 p.m.
--

University of Buffalo Bulls Add Five More For 2012 Season

 

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University of Buffalo Bulls Add Five More For 2012 Season

 

BUFFALO, NY – Third-year head coach Todd Kress has announced the addition of five newcomers that will join the Buffalo volleyball program for the 2012 season.  The five additions bring Buffalo’s incoming class to six altogether.
“We have five extremely talented players coming in and joining up with Megan, who signed in November,” said Kress.  “Things really fell in place for us during the recruiting process and we believe this group will continue to help us change the culture of this program, which we started three years ago.  I am excited for them to be on campus and am really looking forward to preseason camp in August.”
Here is a look at the five newcomers:

Tahleia Bishop (Whitbey, Ontario)
Bishops is a 6-1 outside hitter that will graduate from Sinclair Secondary School in Whitby, ON.  She plays her club volleyball for the Toronto Diamonds Volleyball Club, where she is team captain.  Her club team has won three gold medals this past season and a bronze medal at the Buffalo Can-Am Tournament.  Off the court, she is a member of Youth In Action, an organization that conducts fundraising activities and increases student awareness on various social issues.

Amber Hatchett (Chicago, IL)
Hatchett hails from Chicago, IL, where she attends Frederick W von Steuben Metropolitan Science High School. She is a 5-11 middle blocker, who can touch 10-2 on her approach.  She is a great athlete that has a huge upside.  Hatchett played her club volleyball for the Wildcats Junior Volleyball Club.

Akeila Lain (Fayetteville, GA)
Lain played four years at Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, GA.  She helped her team to the Class AAA State Title her senior year as her team went 44-7 and currently holds the county record for blocks in a game and blocks in a season.  She was named to the All-Star team her senior year and was named All-Area as a junior.  Lain, who is a 6-1 middle blocker, played her club volleybal for the Orange Crush Volleyball Club in Atlanta, GA.

Kasey Hollstegge (Cincinnati, OH)
Hollstegge was a three-year varsity player at St. Ursula Academy where she was a captain her senior year.  She was named Honorable Mention Greater Girls Cincinnati her junior and senior years.  Hollstegge played her club volleyball for Sport Express Elevation and was named one of the “Best Athletes in AAU” in 2011.  Off the court she is a four-year member of the National Honor Society and also part of the Spanish Honor Society and a SUA Ambassador.

Kayla Yingling (Spring Grove, PA)
Yingling was named Class AAA All-State in Pennsylvania her junior and senior seasons at Spring Grove High School.  She competed in the Senior District All-Star Game following a final season where she was named first-team All-County.  Yingling amassed 676 digs and 57 service aces from the libero position through league and postseason play.

Creighton Volleyball Adds Two Local Recruits

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Creighton Volleyball Adds Two Local Recruits

OMAHA, Neb. -- A pair of Omaha Marian standouts will continue their
volleyball careers at Creighton University, as Bluejay head coach Kirsten
Bernthal Booth announced the additions of Kate Elman and Ashley Jansen on
the opening day of the spring signing period today.

The duo join fall signees Melanie Jereb (Cary, Ill.) and Lauren Smith
(Lincoln, Neb.) as newcomers who will be freshmen in the fall and have four
years of eligibility at Creighton. Elman and Jansen are expected to compete
for playing time as defensive specialists or the libero spot in the fall.

"We're thrilled with the addition of Kate and Ashley," said Booth. "Both of
them will be phenomenal additions to our backcourt, both serve receive and
defensive-wise. Perhaps more importantly they're great young women that will
bring energy to the gym and represent Creighton, the athletic department and
themselves, with class and respect."

Elman was a four-year letterwinner at Marian who set a Class A state record
for digs in a match (36) and digs per match (13.85) in a season. As a
senior, she was named first-team all-State by the Omaha World-Herald and
Lincoln Journal Star after totaling 554 digs, 45 aces and 100 assists. She
was honored as a special-mention All-American by Volleyball Magazine, and
also named to the all-tournament team at the state tournament in 2011.

Jansen averaged 6.2 assists per game as a senior to rank 11th statewide in
Class A. Jansen had 25 digs in the state semifinal and 28 more assists in
her final match, helping Marian to a third-place finish at state. She shared
setting duties with Ohio State-bound Maggie Heim much of her senior year.

Last season, the Crusaders went 34-9 and lost in the state semifinals, but
were ranked second in the state and top-50 nationally. Marian's 2009 team
finished 29-1 and ranked first in the state, and No. 12 nationally by
Prep.com. Both women were coached at Marian by Rochelle Rohlfs.

The 2012 season will mark the 10th straight year that CU will have at least
one Marian product on the roster.

Creighton went 17-14 last season and was 12-6 in the MVC. The Bluejays are
slated to return five starters in search of a second NCAA Tournament bid in
the past three seasons.

Blazer Volleyball Picks Up Four More Players For 2011

 

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Blazer Volleyball Picks Up Four More Players For 2011
UAB adds two transfers, two high schoolers to volleyball roster



BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB volleyball program added four more players to its roster this summer with the addition of two transfers and a pair of 2011 high school graduates.

Kiriana Hirini (Long Beach State) and former Hoover High School standout Bethany Stanford (West Florida) transferred into the program, while Lindsay Simmons (Danville, Ala./Danville HS) and local product Sam Skinner (Oak Mountain HS) joined the Blazers from the high school ranks.

“This group of players helps to immediately strengthen an already solid roster filled with lots of returning players,” UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith said. “We are bringing in girls who have competed at high levels of state, national and even international volleyball. These are some exciting additions who will make our entire team better.”

Hirini will join the Blazers as a transfer from Long Beach State but will have freshman eligibility after sitting out her first collegiate season as a redshirt. The 6-foot-1 middle blocker was a three-sport athlete in high school at Bethlehem College in Tauranga, New Zealand, also competing in swimming and netball, a variant of basketball.

Hirini led Bethlehem to three straight top 10 finishes in New Zealand’s Division I high school national championships, including an appearance in the finals as a senior. She played on New Zealand’s junior national teams for both indoor and beach volleyball and competed in the 2009 FIVB Junior World Championships in Turkey. Hirini also won a national club championship with the Tauranga women’s club team.

Stanford is a transfer from West Florida and will be a redshirt sophomore this fall. The 5-foot-6 defensive specialist from nearby Hoover, Ala., redshirted in 2009 before seeing action in 14 matches last fall for the Division II program.

Stanford racked up 940 career digs as a three-year letterwinner at Hoover for coach Donna Burke. She helped the Bucs’ 2006 team to a third-place finish at the state finals and was selected by the Birmingham News in 2008 as one of the top defensive specialists in the metro area.

Simmons comes to UAB from Danville, Ala., where she was a three-time all-state selection at Danville High School in Alabama’s Class 3A. The 6-foot outside hitter and middle blocker helped her high school team to the state tournament five times, including three final four appearances.

Valedictorian of her class and a three-time recipient of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Academic Award, the versatile Simmons finished her prep career with 2,532 kills, 322 blocks, 354 aces and 610 digs. She was a four-time all-county, all-area and all-region selection.

Skinner, a local product from Oak Mountain High School, was the Birmingham News Metro Player of the Year as a senior in 2010. She helped Oak Mountain to back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in the state tournament over her final two years, including a runner-up finish last season as she earned all-tournament team honors.

As a senior, Skinner led all players in the Birmingham area with 808 kills. She also posted 74 blocks, 395 digs and 41 aces. As a junior in 2009, she was a 6A All-State Second Team selection by the Alabama Volleyball Coaches Association. Skinner also competed in the 2009 AAU Nationals with her team from the Birmingham Volleyball Club.

The four new additions join previously signed players Ashley Ricks (New Washington, Ind./Our Lady of Providence HS) and Mariah McCallum (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Nease HS), giving the Blazers six newcomers for the 2011 season.

Utah Volleyball Signs Lea Adolph to NLI

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Utah Volleyball Signs Lea Adolph to NLI

Utes bring in freshman libero from Waltrop, Germany.

SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah volleyball program has signed Lea Adolph to its incoming recruiting class, head coach Beth Launiere added. Adolph will be a freshman libero for the Utes in the fall of 2011.

"Lea comes to our program with a tremendous amount of experience at a high level,” Launiere said. “Not only is she a very good libero, she has a strong personality and great energy. Lea is excited about coming to the United States to play collegiate volleyball at Utah and in the Pac-12". 

 

Adolph, a native of Waltrop, Germany, attended Pascalgymnasium in Muenster. She played libero for the German Junior National Team as well as the TV Datteln, SCU Luedinghausen, and USC Muenster clubs under coach Peter Pourie.

 

Adolph was a member of some very successful teams as she helped the German Junior National Team take fourth at the 2010 Junior European Championship. Her teams also took runner-up honors at the German Junior Championships in 2007, 2009 and 2011 and also won the 2008 Bundespokal Cacup, a tournament including the state’s junior teams in Germany.

Adolph is the daughter of Juergen and Ursula Adolph.

- UU -

 

Long Beach State Women’s Volleyball Announces Addition of Two More Players

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Long Beach State Women’s Volleyball Announces Addition of Two More Players

 

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State women’s volleyball has announced the intent of two more players to join the 49ers for the 2011 season, as Tara Roenicke and Tyler Jackson will both be added to the roster.

 

                Roenicke, originially hailing from Alta Loma, Calif., comes to the 49ers as a sophomore transfer from the University of Houston, where she started in all but one match as the team’s starting setters.

 

“Tara is one of the best beach volleyball players in the country,” said head coach Brian Gimmillaro. “She’s also an accomplished indoor player, and there’s a possibility that she could help us this fall in a variety of positions.”

 

Roenicke made 1,041 assists as a true freshman in 2009 with Houston, but transferred as part of a focus on beach volleyball, where she, along with Summer Ross, make up the No. 1 ranked U21 tandem in the FIVB. The pair won last season’s FIVB U21 World Championships in Turkey, and Roenicke has won a number of other international tournaments on the sand.

 

Long Beach State continues a local pipeline from Lakewood High School with another addition from the Lancers in Jackson.

 

“Tyler is certainly one of the best players in the greater Long Beach area,” said Gimmillaro. “She can play on the right side or help us in the back row. As she adjusts and feels comfortable, she can make an impact on the team’s success right away.”

 

Jackson was a Long Beach Press-Telegram “Dream Team” selection as an outside hitter for Lakewood High School, and rounds out the 2011 additions for Long Beach State, as the 49ers have eight new faces joining the squad next season.

 

Long Beach State begins the 2011 campaign on August 20, hosting the first of two tournaments to be held at the Walter Pyramid by welcoming Prairie View A&M, UMBC, and Washington.