Tuesday, November 20, 2007 , Updated
SMU volleyball signs three for 2008 freshman class
Three athletes have signed national letters of intent to play volleyball at SMU in the 2008 season, announced head coach Lisa Seifert. Two are in-state signees, while the third hails from Oklahoma.
The new class includes Dana Powell and Jessica Oliver, two outside hitters listed at 6'0" and 6'1," respectively, and a setter, Kelli Becerra, listed at 5'9".
Powell, an outside hitter, will come to SMU from Cascia Hall Prep in Tulsa, Okla. where she led her team in kills. Her senior season, Powell amassed 482 kills (3.89 per game), 390 digs and carried a .384 hitting percentage. After her outstanding performance in 2007, Powell was named to the Oklahoma All-State team, as voted by the Oklahoma Coaches Association and was selected as her school's Team MVP for the year.
Oliver, also an outside hitter, will join the Mustangs from Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, Texas. A two-time first-team All-State pick, Oliver compiled 685 kills and 130 blocks her senior season. Oliver was also named offensive MVP for her district in 2006 and 2007. She was also named first-team all-district and TAPPS Offensive Player of the Year following her senior season.
Becerra, a setter from McNeil High School in Austin, racked up 1055 total assists in 2007, averaging over nine assists per game. She also managed 91 kills, 67 aces and averaged 2.45 digs per game. Becerra was a first-team District 14-5A selection and served as co-captain of her squad for the last two years. Over her three-year varsity career at McNeil, Becerra averaged 7.95 assists per game and amassed almost 3000 total assists.
"The 2008 recruiting class is a very exciting one," said Seifert. "They will make an immediate impact on our program. I expect all three to see significant playing time in their freshman seasons."
Source: SMU
