Lady Blues add five to volleyball squad

For immediate release - April 28, 2004

Washburn volleyball head coach Chris Herron announced the addition of five players that will join the Washburn volleyball team for the 2004 season.

Anna Byers from Beattie, Kan., Becky Kipper from Spokane, Mo., Monica Miesner from Florissant, Mo., Ashley Reider from Lansing, Kan. and Jamie Sleichter from Carbondale, Kan. will be on the Washburn volleyball roster next fall.

"We addressed some immediate needs with the addition of these five players," said Herron. "We had an outstanding senior class last fall and I feel like we’ve done a good job of trying to replace those players."
The five additions will join fall signees Erica Cowhick (Shawnee Heights HS) , Mandi Cox (Central Heights HS) Ashley Ruzick (St. Thomas Aquinas HS) as newcomers to the volleyball squad next fall.

PLAYER BREAKDOWN
Anna Byers (Beattie, Kan./Pittsburg State University) • 6-1 • Middle Hitter — Byers is a transfer from Pittsburg State that sat out last season at Washburn due to transfer rules. She is a 2002 graduate of Marysville High, where she led the North Central Kansas League with 7.33 kills per game to earn unanimous all-league honors her senior year.
Herron on Byers: "Anna has been working out with our team in the spring and has made great improvement on her transition skills. She will compete for one of the middle hitter positions."

Becky Kipper (Spokane, Mo./Jefferson College) • 6-1 • Middle Hitter — Kipper is a transfer from Jefferson College, where she earned all-conference honors two seasons. Graduated from Spokane High in 2002 where she earned all-conference and all-region honors two seasons and was an honorable mention all-state pick as a senior. She was also named to the All-Ozarks team as a senior.
Herron on Kipper: "We fell that Becky will have immediate impact to our program. She is an outstanding blocker that has a high touch point and is coming from a high level of junior college competition."

Monica Miesner (Florissant, Mo./Trinity Catholic High School) • 5-11 • Outside Hitter — Miesner is a senior from Trinity Catholic High School, where she earned first team all-conference, all-district and all-region honors her junior and senior seasons. Was named to the St. Louis All-Metro second team and named the conference Player of the Year her senior season.
Herron on Miesner: "Monica is an outstanding volleyball player offensively and defensively. She is an intense competitor that will be a great player in the MIAA the next few years."

Ashley Reider (Lansing, Kan./Lansing High School) • 5-9 • Outside Hitter — Reider is a senior at Lansing High School, where she earned all-league honors the past two seasons and was an all-state selection as a junior. Was named to the Sabetha All-Tournament team as a senior.
Herron on Reider: "Ashley has a great work ethic and has proven herself in a very successful high school program."

Jami Sleichter (Carbondale, Kan./Kansas State) • 5-7 • Libero/Defensive Specialist — Sleichter is a transfer from Kansas State, where she played two seasons and made five starts as a freshman. Was an all-league and all-state two seasons at Santa Fe Trail High School. She was also named to the state all-tournament team as a junior. Was an honorable mention all-state selection in basketball and three-time all-state selection in softball.
Herron on Sleichter: "Jami brings a lot of energy to our program. She is an outstanding defensive player and has a volleyball background where she has shown that she knows what it takes to win."