Memphis standout becomes XU Gold Nuggets' third signee

CLAUDIA HAYWOOD
photo from the signing ceremony (via Facebook)

NEW ORLEANS — Claudia Haywood, a 5-foot-11 middle blocker from Memphis, Tennessee, and Cordova High School, is Xavier University of Louisiana's third women's volleyball signee for the 2012 season.

Haywood signed an XU scholarship Friday afternoon at her school.

As a senior in 2011, Haywood led Cordova's Lady Wolves to a 19-10 record, a district championship and the Class AAA city championship. She was selected the outstanding player of the city championship match. Haywood also was named to the Memphis Commerical Appeal's Best of the Preps Division 1 team. She was all-district her final two seasons, and she had 30 kills in a five-set match as a senior.

"I'm excited to welcome Claudia to our family," XU coach Christabell Hamilton said. "She is strong at the net and will contribute to our offensive game. She is the second middle blocker we've signed in her class, so the level of competition in our gym will be intense and high, just the way I like it."

Haywood was a four-year varsity starter and played her first two seasons at Southwind High School before transferring to Cordova. She played four seasons of club volleyball, the first two with the Memphis Juniors, then two more with Memphis Volleyball Academy. She helped MVA qualify for the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships in 2011.

Haywood will be a biology/pre-medical major at Xavier.

Middle blocker Jodi Hill of Prairieville, La., and Dutchtown High School signed with Xavier on Feb. 16, and outside hitter CeCe Williams of Houma, La., and Vandebilt Catholic High School signed on Wednesday.

Xavier was 23-7 in 2011, won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and qualified for the NAIA National Championship.

2012-13 Xavier women's volleyball signees
Name Pos. Ht. Yr.* Hometown High School (College)
Claudia Haywood MB 5-11 Fr. Memphis, Tenn. Cordova
Jodi Hill MB 5-9 Fr. Prairieville, La. Dutchtown
CeCe Williams OH 5-6 Fr. Houma, La. Vandebilt Catholic
* classification at Xavier in 2012-13



Clips from Xavier University of Louisiana Head Coach Christabell Hamilton Volleyball Clinic at American Samoa, March 2012.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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