Thursday, December 3, 2015

Florida A&M Volleyball Inks Three Prime Prospects For 2016

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University head volleyball coach Tony Trifonov announced this week the signing of three prime prospects to National Letters of Intent to join the volleyball team for the 2016 season.

Two of the signees – outside hitters Alexandria Hightower and Alexis Gosha – are highly decorated prep performers, while the third - outside hitter Maria Garcia, performed in three international world championship events this past summer.

@ Garcia, a 6-1 hitter from the Dominican Republic,was a member of the Dominican Republic’s Under 20 FIVB World Championship team, which captured the gold medal in competition in Puerto Rico. She was also a member of the bronze medal-winning Under 23 team, along with current FAMU player Pamela Soriano; and was on the Under 18 National team as well.

She plans to major in Psychology at FAMU.

@ Hightower, a 5-11 native of Chula Vista, California, is a two-time team captain for Olympian High School, which was in the California state finals at this writing.

A two-time athlete of the week in 2015, and MVP of the Sweetwater Tournament and a member of the Scripps Ranch Tournament all-tournament team, Hightower has helped lead her teams at Olympian (2014, 2105), and previously at Francis Parker High (2012, 2013), to four regional or sectional titles, two state titles (2012, 2013) and three state finals (2012, 2013, 2015).

She also has six years of playing experience in club volleyball, earning Best Players notice at the 2014 AAU National Tournament, and helped lead here 2012 Wave Volleyball Club to a fifth place finish in the Junior National division tournament.



The daughter of former FAMU Football player Arthur Hightower, now an executive with the San Diego Chargers, Alexandria was one of the San Diego Union Tribune area volleyball players to watch coming into the 2015 campaign.

Recruited by North Carolina Central, American University, Columbia University and Albany (N.Y.) University, Hightower plans to major in Biology/Pre Medicine at FAMU.

@ Gosha, a 5-10 outside hitter, right side hitter from Apopka, Florida high school, brings six years of volleyball playing experience at the prep school and club team levels, beginning here career in seventh grade.

She is a two-time All-Metro performer and captain of the Apopka High team, and played on some stellar club teams as well.


Alexis Gosha- OVA 17 Asics from Crystal on Vimeo.

Gosha played on a club that finished third in the USA National Championships; was a member of teams that finished second in the Florida regional tournament, and third place in the Big South National qualifier.

An academic all-star as well, Gosha is a member of the National Honor Society, was in the Medical Magnet program at Apopka High, and was dual enrolled at Valencia Community College in Orlando.

Recruited by Long Beach State, UMass, North Florida, Tampa, Georgia State, VCU, FAU, FIU, Mercer, Florida Tech, Radford and Lehigh, Gosha plans to major in Physical Therapy at FAMU.

“This is one of the better recruiting classes in the history of the program,” said FAMU head coach Tony Trifonov, who just completed his 18th season.

“These young ladies will come in and make an immediate impact on our program without question.”

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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