The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Sports

December 21, 2007

Cougars sign seven volleyball recruits

By Randall Jett

Mountain State University had a highly successful recruiting season in volleyball. After an outstanding 2007 season, where the Cougars finished 30-15 and garnered the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title, coach Tim Berry has added seven outstanding recruits to the program.

“It’s been good,” Berry said. “This is, without a doubt, the best recruiting class that I’ve had for MSU volleyball since I’ve started.

“We had a great recruiting class last year but we beefed up the depth of our roster and added power on the front row to our defense.”

The Cougars have signed six transfers and one freshman.

Ashton Black, a 6-foot-2 middle hitter, from Woodrow Wilson is the lone freshman added to the MSU roster.

“I look for her to really step up first year and help solidify the middle on the backside of the rotation,” Berry said.

Sophomore Alexandria Albright transfers to MSU from Concord University.

“She’s actually transferring in this spring and will play softball this spring as a freshman,” Berry said. “She’ll play volleyball in the fall as a sophomore in her second season.”

A 6-1 outside hitter, Albright of Shady Spring brings a unique feature to the Cougars. She can hit with power with either hand.

“She’s going to bring a nice left-handed attack to MSU volleyball,” Berry said. “We can develop some more plays around her being left-handed. She’s a natural right-handed player. I look for some good, strong blocking out of her along with Black.”

Anchorage, Alaska’s Jennifer Baker is a transfer student from Coastal Georgia Community College. A 5-7 junior, Baker will play in the back row as a defensive specialist.

The remaining three recruits hail from the College of Southern Maryland, a community college in La Plata.

“They wanted to play together,” Berry said. “They wanted to continue to play their college career together.”

Junior College All-American Melissa Chapman heads the group. The 5-2 junior libero is from Lusby, Md. and will step into the hole created by the graduation of NAIA record-setting libero Jennifer Sloan.

Junior defensive specialist Nicole Agambar of Huntingtown, Md. will join the Cougars as well.

“Those two will bring good ball-handling and two years of collegiate experience,” Berry said.

The final recruit is Julie McGaughran of Chesapeake Beach, Md. The 6-0 junior middle hitter provides added depth on the front row.

“She is a very quick-footed, quick-handed player,” Berry said. “(McGaughran) has good jumping ability and blocking ability.”

— E-mail:

rjett@register-herald.com

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