Lady Blues ink three in early signing period

For immediate release - Nov. 10, 2005
Washburn volleyball head coach Chris Herron announced the addition of three players that will join the Washburn volleyball team. Shannon Bechard of Sacred Heart High School, Ashley Shepard of Rossville and Kelci Wigger of Lyndon have signed volleyball letters of intent for the Lady Blues.

"We addressed our recruiting needs with three of the state's top high school players," said Herron. "Each of these kids are outstanding athletes and have been a part of very successful programs and will bring a winner's mentality to Washburn.

The Washburn Lady Blues are 33-1 and finished 15-1 in MIAA play to win their second regular season MIAA title. The Lady Blues host Emporia State 7p.m. tonight in the MIAA Tournament semifinals.

PLAYER BREAKDOWN
Shannon Bechard (Salina, Kan./Sacred Heart HS) • 6-0 • Middle Hitter — Bechard was a three-time all-league and all-county selection for the Knights, earning all-state honors as a junior in Class 2A. She led Sacred Heart to a Class 2A state title in 2004 with a 37-1 record and was named to the all-tournament team. Helped the Knights to a second place finish and at the Class 3A state tournament with a 36-2 record this fall and was named to the state all-tournament team. She led the Knights in kills, blocks, aces and hitting percentage the past two seasons and set school records with 104 blocks as a junior and 100 aces as a senior. Sacred Heart went 99-9 in the last three seasons with Bechard as a starter. Also started the last two seasons for the basketball and softball teams at Sacred Heart.
Herron on Bechard: “Shannon is an outstanding athlete that has a chance to be an immediate impact on our program. She has a good volleyball background with her uncle (Ray Bechard) coaching at KU and is an outstanding player all around.”

Ashley Shepard (Rossville, Kan./Rossville High School) • 5-10 • Outside Hitter — Shepard was a four-year starter for the Bulldogs, earning all-league honors her first three seasons, KVA All-State honors two seasons and was named to the Class 3A state tournament team this fall. Rossville finished 37-3 and placed third at the state tournament in 2005. Shepard set school single-season records with kills (387), kills per game (4.7) and aces (61) as a senior. Shepard has also been a starter for the basketball and softball teams the past three seasons at Rossville.
Herron on Shephard: “Ashley is a versitile player that we will move to outside from her middle position she has played in high school. She has a great work ethic and possesses great ball control skills.

Kelci Wigger (Lyndon, Kan./Lyndon High School) • 6-1 • Middle Hitter — Wigger led Lyndon to a 34-4 record and Class 2A state title over Moundridge in 2005. She was named to the Class 2A state all-tournament team and finished the season with 365 kills. Wigger is a four-year starter at Lyndon and led the squad to its first-ever state tournament in 2003 and 26-8 record as a sophomore by earning all-state honorable mention honors. She was a first team all-area and all-county pick as a junior in 2004, leading the Tigers to a 29-3 record.
Herron on Wigger: “Kelci's strength is her ability to block and attack and she plays great defense for a player with her height. Kelci's best days of volleyball are ahead of her. She has not yet scratched the surface on the type of player we think she can become at Washburn.