Tartans to Welcome Six for 2014 Season
(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University volleyball team, which earned a berth to the 2013 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship, will welcome six newcomers for the 2014 season. The Tartans will return to the court in August following one of the program's best years as the team, led by six seniors, defeated two nationally ranked opponents and finished third in the University Athletic Association when it beat #8 Washington University.
"I am so excited about our incoming class of Tartan volleyball players," head coach Kim Kelly said. "As a coaching staff we believe that each of these young women will contribute to the success of our squad in the fall and will be strong competitors for the next four years. They each have incredible accolades at the high school and club level on the court as well as in the classroom. As a volleyball program we pride ourselves in recruiting student-athletes that we believe in as students, as athletes, and as people, and these six young women are perfect examples of that."
The six newcomers hail from five different states; California, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Eliza Donohue (MB, 6'3, East Petersburg, Pa./Hempfield)
Team won three Class AAA State Championships (2010, 2012, and 2013) while appearing in four Class AAA State Championship matches...Donohue was 2012 and 2013 All-League Team and 2013 All-District and All-State Teams...senior captain in 2013...played for Synergy Volleyball and Spooky Nook Volleyball Clubs during her high school career...member of Student Academic Excellence in a Foreign Language (SAEFL) for studying four years of Latin and five years of German...National Honor Society...will be studying in Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Heather Holton (OH, 6'2, Haslett, Mich./Haslett)
Team was four-time District Champions, two-time State Quarter Finalists, two-time Regional Champions...Holton was two-time All-State Honorable Mention...three-time All-League, All-Region, and All-Conference player...seven-time Academic All-Conference...three-time Academic All-Region...two-time Lansing State Journal Dream Team Selection...Scholar Athlete Award winner...varsity captain...also participated in varsity track and field and basketball...played for Oakland Elite Volleyball Club...will be studying in Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Genevieve Parker (MB, 5'10, Orlando, Fla./The First Academy)
Team was 2011 and 2012 FHSAA Class 3A State Champions and 2013 FHSAA Class 3A State Runner-up...Parker was a two-time Female Royal Scholar Award recipient...2013 FHSAA All-District Second selection, 2011 AAU National Championship All Star...Valedictorian...National Merit Commended Scholar...AP Scholar with Distinction...Head of Class Award winner...National Honor Society...Student Government Treasurer...STEM Club President......also participated in varsity tennis...played for Sonshine Volleyball Academy...will be studying in the Mellon College of Science and majoring in physics.
Shalani Stockton (UH, 5'8, McAllen, Texas/McAllen Memorial)
2011 Rio Grande Valley Newcomer of the Year...2011 All-District Newcomer of the Year...2013 All-State Academic Team...2013 varsity captain...AP Scholar...Texas Scholar...Distinguished Achievement Program...IB Diploma candidate...played for Rio Grande Valley Juniors Volleyball and South Texas Lightening Volleyball Clubs...will be studying in Carnegie Institute of Technology and double majoring in biomedical and mechanical engineering.
Amanda Thiele (S/RS, 5'10, Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins)
Team was three-time District Champions...2012 Regional Champions...2012 State Final Four...Thiele was a two-time team MVP selection...2012 First Team All-County...2013 All-County Player of the Year...2013 Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) All-Star Team...also participated in varsity tennis...played for Tampa United Volleyball Club...will be studying in Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences and majoring in psychology and biology.
Hannah Wooten (OH/DS, 5'10, Hughson, Calif./Hughson)
Four-time HS team MVP...Four-year team captain...2012 National Beach Volleyball participant...2012 Indoor Volleyball Junior Nationals participant...Valedictorian...Four-time Scholar Athlete...Four-year member of the Honor Roll...also participated in varsity beach volleyball...played for Impact Volleyball Club...will be studying in Mellon College of Science and majoring in biology.