Lady Blues sign nine for initial volleyball class

May 9, 2002

 

Washburn Volleyball Head Coach Chris Herron announced nine initial signings in his first recruiting class at the helm of the Lady Blue program.

Alecia Barron (Topeka, Kan./Benedictine College), Callie Bjelland (Grantsburg, Wisc./Grantsburg High School), Kandice Connell (Claflin, Kan./Barton County Community College), Mary Fisher (Wichita, Kan./Benedictine College), Megan Houk (Valley Center, Kan./Cowley County Community College), Wendy Kobberman (Topeka, Kan./Arkansas Tech University), Anna Neufeld (Silver Lake, Kan./Benedictine College) Paige Ralston (Topeka, Kan./Benedictine College) and Ann Weygint (Lawrence, Kan./Benedictine College).

ÒWeÕre happy with the kids coming to Washburn; They are a very talented group of athletes,Ó Herron Said. ÒThe challenge will be to make sure that team chemistry is good. We will have good depth at every position.

ÒWe are also very excited about the local ties this group has to the Topeka area.Ó

Herron expects to sign two more players for the fall season, which opens Aug. 30 at the University of South Carolina-Spartanburg Tournament.

PLAYER BREAKDOWN

Alecia Barron (Topeka, Kan./Benedictine College) ¥ 5-4 ¥ Defensive Specialist Ñ Barron is a junior transfer from Benedictine College, where she earned honorable mention Heart of America Athletic Conference honors in 2001. Played at Hayden High School, where she earned all-city, All-Centennial League and honorable mention all-state honors as a senior in 1999.

Callie Bjelland (Grantsburg, Wisc./Grantsburg High School) ¥ 5-6 ¥ Setter Ñ Bjelland will be a freshman at Washburn, after earning all-conference honors three seasons and All-State Division III honors last year as a senior at Grantsburg High, which finished 2001 as undefeated state champions. She was also named the Burnett Sentinel Area Player of the Year and finished her career as GrantsburgÕs all-time leader in assists and service aces.

Kandice Connell (Claflin, Kan./Barton County Community College) ¥ 5-4 ¥ Defensive Specialist Ñ Connell is a sophomore transfer from Barton County Community College, where she helped the Cougars to a sixth place finish at the NJCAA national tournament in 2000 by tallying 246 digs. A 2000 graduate of Claflin High, where she earned all-area and All-Central Prairie League honors all four seasons and was named to the Kansas Sports Magazine honorable mention all-state team her junior and senior seasons.

Mary Fisher (Wichita, Kan./Benedictine College) ¥ 5--10 ¥ Opposite Hitter Ñ Fisher is a junior transfer from Benedictine College, where she hit .377 with 502 kills to earn first team all-conference, first team All-Region V and honorable mention All-American honors as a sophomore. She was named Heart of America Conference Player of the Week three times and Region V Player of the Week twice in 2001. She was also runner-up in the conference Player of the Year voting. A 2000 graduate of Bishop Carroll High, where she earned Class 5A All-State first team honors in 1999.

Megan Houk (Valley Center, Kan./Cowley County Community College) ¥ 5-11 ¥ Outside Hitter/Middle Hitter Ñ Houk is a junior transfer from Cowley County Community College, where she earned All-Jayhawk Conference East honors and team Most Valuable Player honors two seasons for the Lady Tigers. She is a 2000 graduate of Valley Center High, where she was an All-Chisolm Trail League selection and received the Best Female Athlete Award.

Wendy Kobbeman (Topeka, Kan./Arkansas Tech University) ¥ 5-7 ¥ Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist Ñ Kobbeman is a sophomore transfer from Arkansas Tech University, where she collected 246 digs and 25 service aces in 31 matches. She is a 2001 graduate of Shawnee Heights High School, where she earned all-city and Class 5A All-State honors her junior and senior seasons, helping the T-Birds to two 5A state championships.

Anna Neufeld (Silver Lake, Kan./Benedictine College) ¥ 6-0 ¥ Middle Hitter Ñ Neufeld is a junior transfer from Benedictine College, where she was a first team All-Heart of America Conference selection by pounding out 423 kills and a .350 hitting percentage. She was also a second team All-Region V selection. A 2000 graduate of Silver Lake High School, where she earned all-state second team honors and was a Kansas Volleyball Association all-star. Was named to the 3A State All-Tournament team, helping the Eagles to a state title in 1998.

Paige Ralston (Topeka, Kan./Benedictine College) ¥ 5-10 ¥ Middle Hitter/Right Side Ñ Ralston is a sophomore transfer from Benedictine College. She is a 2001 graduate of Hayden High School, earning all-city and All-Centennial League honors her junior and senior seasons. The Wildcats were Sub-state champions and finished third in Class 4A her senior season in 2000.

Ann Weygint (Lawrence, Kan./Benedictine College) ¥ 5-9 ¥ Middle Hitter Ñ Weygint is a junior transfer from Benedictine College, where she was a two-year starter and hit .258 with 289 kills and 78 blocks in 2001. A 2000 graduate of Lawrence High, where she was an All-Sunflower League second team selection and team captain her senior year.