Thursday, June 11, 2015

Claflin Volleyball Announces 2015-16 Signees

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Claflin University head volleyball coach Vernell Keitt-Capers has announced the signing of seven prospects to national letters of intents (NLI's) to play for the Claflin Lady Panthers next season. There were two fall signees and five spring signees.
Inking pacts with the Lady Panthers in the fall were Jordan Wallace and Di'Ahrah Hall. Jamie Dobson, Jhi Piper-Murles, Courtney Taylor, Kiana Ware, and Gabrielle Williams all signed NLI's this past spring.

Wallace a 6-2, middle-blocker from Charlotte, NC (Cannon High School) earned the best defensive player award and coach's award. In addition to her athletic accomplishments, she also received her schools Vulcan Materials award.

Hall, a 5-1 defensive specialist/libero hails from Blythewood, SC (Blythewood High School). She was once named the WLTX Player of the Week and was a WLTX Player of the Year nominee. Hall was named to the North-South All-Star Team of South Carolina and was a nominee for senior of the year.

A Stone Mountain, Ga. native out of Lakeside High School, Dobson (5-9, outside hitter), earned 2014 First Team All-Area 6A and All-Tournament Team honors.

Piper-Murles, a 5-6, Libero, from Irmo, S.C. (Dutch Fork High School), was named the 2011, 2012 and 2014 Best Defensive Player. She was also named the Dutch Fork Most Valuable Player in 2012. In that same year she was named an All-Region Player. In 2013 and 2014 she was named an AAU All-Region Player and in 2014 she was named the Most Valuable Player for her AAU Season. A scholar student-athlete, she received the Certificate of Academic Achievement for maintaining a 3.8 grade point average.

Taylor, a 5-11 right-side/outside hitter from Charlotte, N.C. (Mallard Creek High School) recorded 125 kills, 35 Aces, 20 digs, 12 solo blocks and 30 block assists as a senior. A well-rounded student-athlete she was the team captain and was the recipient of the Coach's Award. She was also a member of the National Honors Society and Executive Class Council.

Ware, who hails from Killen, Texas (Killen High School), is a 5-6, defensive specialist/libero. In 2014 she recorded 227 Digs, including a 30-dig outing, with 25 Aces. In 2013 she earned Second Team All-District and the Defensive MVP. She was named to the First Team All-District, All-Area Team and the varsity team most valuable player. In 2012 she was named a District Honorable Mention selectee. Academically she was a member of the National Honor Society and AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination).

The final signee, Williams hails from Powder Springs, Ga. (John McEachern High School). The 5-8, right-side hitter/setter was a member of the 2014 Area Champions and in 2013 her team finished as the Area Runner-ups.

"This recruiting class brings the skill set that will replace what we lost in the six seniors who graduated this spring," Keitt-Capers said. "I feel that each of them coupled with the returnees will help us be competitive throughout the season."

The Lady Panthers, who finished with a 23-13 overall record, captured the 2014 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Women's Volleyball Title.

COURTESY CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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