Sunday, June 3, 2012

ASU Volleyball Adds Eleven To 2012 Squad

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - During the 2012 signing period second season Head Volleyball Coach Penny Lucas-White signed eleven student athletes that will be joining the ASU volleyball team. Lucas-White will be adding nine freshmen one sophomore and one junior college transfer to the 2012 Lady Hornets team.

Incoming freshmen Amber Bennett, Khryssnee Madison, Myla Marshall, Annii'ya Robinson, Chelsey Scott, Rachel Smith, Julia Griz, Portia Watkins, Ravenn Hill, also joining the Lady Hornets volleyball team will be sophomore Brooke Beasley and junior college transfer Latoya Ellington.

“I think it's great that we have a population coming in from all over the nation to represent Alabama State University”, Lucas-White said. “I think that indicative of the direction in were we are going, I think in order for us to grow and get better I think that we have to bring players from other regions of the countries, to best represent Alabama State. I am so excited to start the 2012 campaign and I think that all of the incoming freshmen, junior college transfer and returning players are just as excited. August isn't getting here fast enough.”

Bennett is a 6-1 middle hitter from Baton Rouge, La., and was picked to the All State Metro Volleyball Team. She was voted the MVP of district four, and tallied 309 kills, 100 digs, 88 block and 33 aces during her senior year at McKinley High School.

Ellington, the lone junior college transfer will be joining Bennett and Marshall as middle hitters. The 6 foot Gadsden State Community College transfer helped lead GSCC in qualifying for NJCAA National Tournament in 2012. She was chosen to the 2012 Alabama Community College Conference All-Region Team. Ellington averaged 3.01 kills per set and had a .450 hitting efficiency.

Marshall is a 6-0 Memphis, Tenn. native, led her Houston High School teammates with a .358 kill per game average tallying 404 kills her senior year. The District 15 MVP and All-Region athlete was selected to the 2011-12 Best of the Preps team. Marshall was also a part of her high school District 15 and Region 8 Championships.

Madison is a 5-10 outside hitter from Bosse High School in Evansville, Ind., was selected as the Courier and Press All Metro Player of the Year. She was voted to ESPN Radio Volleyball Player of the Week and was the MVP of her team leading them in kills and blocks for the past three seasons. The First Team All-Metro, First Team All City athlete also received the Kiwanis Award for the 2010 volleyball season.

Robinson is another 5-10 outside hitter that will be joining the front line with Madison and Smith. Robinson is a Phoenix, Arizona native from Desert Vista High School that also doubles as a setter. Robinson earned a spot on the 2012 Junior Nationals squad that earned the National bid for the Arizona Region.

Scott is a 5-10 outside hitter who led the 2012 Enterprise High School volleyball team to its first Elite Eight State Tournament since 2005, while winning the Area and Region Title. The Enterprise, Ala. native was a part of the All-State Team and the Dothan Eagle Super 12 team. She was the team leader both her junior and senior year in kills, blocks and aces.

Smith another outside hitter from Riverside, Calif. will be bringing in many accolades from her Martin Luther King High School experience. Smith was a 2012 third place Gold Division finalist with the Mavericks Club league. A 2011 All League Big VIII MVP also assisting her team to the league champship. In 2011 Smith was a part of the CIF SS Volleyball Championship and the Los Osos All tournament Volleyball team. She was also selected to the 2010 All Riverside County Team and the 2009 REV All Tournament Player and played on the CIF SS Volleyball Championship team.

Beasley will be transferring in from Wallace State-Hanceville after one year. The Winfield, Alabama native received honors on the First Team All-Region Alabama Community College Conference team as well as the NJCAA National Tournament team at WSH placed 12th overall. Beasley was selected as the MVP of the All Tournament Team and First Team All-Region.

Griz, a name familiar to the Lady Hornets will be joining her older sister Luiza Griz at ASU. Julia Griz, is a 5-7 defensive specialist/libero from Lakewood High School in Lakewood, Colorado. While at Lakewood the team was ranked 5th in the State of Colorado and she led her team to a Final Four State playoffs, after finishing as undefeated District Champions. She earned a spot on the 2011 and 12 Junior Nationals as the starting libero for the Denver Volleyball Club. In 2011 and 12 both teams won a National Championship bid for the Rocky Mountain Region.

Watkins joins the ASU program after a standout career at Central High School in Phenix City. The 5-9 setter was named All-Bi-City and was a two-sport star at Central, also playing on the basketball team.

Hill a 5-5 defensive specialist from Renaissance High School in Detroit, Mich. was an All City performer. She was named team Captain and was also named a Public School League Player of the Week. The Renaissance High School standout was named Detroit Public School League Proud Strong Learner of the Week twice during her career. She averaged 12 digs a game with and had a 75% passing percentage.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

No comments: