Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University head volleyball coach Shelton Collier announces the signing of six student athletes to national letters of intent to study and play volleyball at Wingate next season. The six players are Alison Cooke (Davidson, N.C.), Michelle Fadool (Raleigh, N.C.), Rianne Lang (Littleton, Colo.), Cory McGowan (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Kayla Osterhus (Matthews, N.C.) and Allison Rickher (Matthews, N.C.).
“We have never signed more than two players in the early signing period,” Collier says. “Signing six is very unique and exciting for us.”
Wingate recently completed the most successful season in program history, winning a school-record 36 matches while going 36-2 overall. Wingate made its first appearance in the NCAA Division II Sweet 16. The Bulldogs became the first team in SAC history to earn an AVCA Top 25 ranking. Wingate won its forth consecutive SAC regular season and conference tournament titles. The Bulldogs have been the number one ranked team in the Southeast Region for every week for the past two years. Wingate hosted the NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament for the second consecutive year in November.
“We lost some very influential seniors who played important roles here,” Collier notes. “We are pleased that we have added some very talented players to help us continue our success.”
Cooke was the I-Meck Conference Player of the Year in 2009, leading her North Mecklenburg High School team to unprecedented success. This past season, Cooke was among the state leaders in kills. She captained the team to the state semifinals. Cooke earned national honors as Max Prep Player of the Week in October. As a junior, Cooke was a key player for CJV at the 2008 Junior Olympics. She will team with fellow incoming players Allison Rickher and Kayla Osterhus with the Carolina Juniors Volleyball Club this club season.
“I chose Wingate because it is such a great school, I think the volleyball players are so nice and welcoming and I admire the coaches,” Cooke says. “Coach Collier’s vision of winning at the national level is intriguing. I am excited about the coach’s plan for me as a player. I am looking forward to four great years playing at Wingate.”
“Alison is a highly skilled and very competitive player who will play a number of roles here,” Collier says. “She has been a very successful hitter in high school and club volleyball and we have recruited her with a plan of training her as a setter. I feel she has tremendous potential as a setter and as a leader.”
Fadool has been a standout in the Triangle Volleyball Club, the same club that produced Wingate greats
Rebecca Brezovec,
Melissa DeLuca,
Brittany Horner and
Liz Willis. As a powerful right side hitter, Fadool helped lead Cardinal Gibbons to the North Carolina State AAA Championship. Fadool was an All-Conference selection and was voted MVP of the prestigious Great 8 Tournament.
“When I first visited Wingate, I fell in love with the campus and the comfortable feel of the school,” Fadool remembers. “The volleyball team is extremely successful and comprised of people that show great character on and off the court. Finally, Coach Collier is one of the biggest reasons I chose Wingate. He is a great coach. I am proud to say I will be one of his future players.”
“Michelle will add so much to our team as a skilled hitter and blocker,” Collier notes. “In addition to her volleyball skills, she truly has some remarkable personal qualities and leadership ability. She will play an important role for us right away.”
As a dynamic middle hitter and outside hitter on the Penn Hills (Pa.) High School team, McGowan was the kill leader and captain each of the past two seasons. A first team All-WPIAL selection, McGowan played club volleyball for Odyssey VBC as a junior. She will play for Pittsburgh Elite this season. McGowan is also an honor student and the class president at Penn Hills.
“Wingate has a beautiful campus,” McGowan notes. “I love the team and the coaches. Everyone works so hard in practice. On my visit, I knew right then and there that this was the place I wanted to spend my four years of college. I love everything about Wingate.”
“Cory is one of the most exciting and dynamic recruits we have ever had at Wingate,” Collier says. “Although she does not have much high-level volleyball experience, she is already an impressive hitter with tremendous athleticism. It will be fun to see her develop here.”
Osterhus was captain, kill leader and team MVP for Covenant Day School last season. She played for Union County VBC as a junior. Her older brother, Eric, graduated from Wingate last year. Osterhus will team with fellow incoming players Allison Rickher and Alison Cooke with the Carolina Juniors Volleyball Club this club season.
“I chose Wingate because of the overall atmosphere and its great academic and athletic reputation,” Osterhus says. “The volleyball program is consistently competitive at a high level. I really look forward to contributing to the future success of the team.”
“As a local player, Kayla has been coming to Wingate volleyball matches for years,” Collier notes. “I have had an opportunity to work with her in many ways. She has a great spirit in addition to having some excellent volleyball skill,” Collier notes.
Lang was an all-league middle hitter for Thunder Ridge High School and a full-time left side hitter for Colorado Juniors. She has the proven ability to play as a hitter or defensive specialist. Lang plays in the Colorado Juniors Club that is run by Bill Peer, who was an assistant coach at Ohio State when Collier was leading the team to three Final Four appearances in the mid 1970’s.
“I chose Wingate because the team was so positive and welcoming when I came on my campus visit last spring,” Lang says. “They are girls who are easy to get along with. I really love how much fun they have while they are playing so competitively.”
“Rianne is an athletic and dynamic player, very much like Chelsea Cancelliere, the player we recruited Rianne to replace,” Collier says. “Much like Chelsea, Rianne is a skilled back row player with the ability to be a factor as an outside hitter in addition to having great potential as a defensive player.”
A top student, Rickher was ranked number three in her class of 350 at Weddington High School. This past season, she was the Southern Carolina Conference Player of the Year and an All-Union County first team selection. As a junior, she played for Union County Volleyball Club. This club season, Rickher will team with fellow incoming players Kayla Osterhus and Alison Cooke with the Carolina Juniors Volleyball Club.
“Obviously, the coaches and the players at Wingate made a huge impact on my decision,” Rickher relates. Wingate truly has the academic and athletic opportunities I was looking for in a university.”
“Allison is an athletic player who has much potential,” Collier says. “After next season, we will be losing a couple all-conference middle hitters to graduation. We are confident that Allison has the potential to develop as a middle hitter who can be successful here.”
Wingate will be graduating four seniors who have led the volleyball program to an impressive four years of success.
Chelsea Cancelliere,
Brittany Horner,
Jacki Emmenecker, and
Megan McVicker will be moving on after leading Wingate to wins in 100 of their 106 matches over the past four seasons.
Wingate’s 100-6 record since the start of the 2007 season is good for a .943 winning percentage. This percentage ranks second among all Division II programs, behind only three-time defending champion Concordia St.-Paul. The Bulldogs have also won 46 consecutive SAC matches and have won 79 of their last 81 regular season contests. Wingate will return four All-Region players for the 2010 season, including Daktronics first team All-American
Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas). In addition, junior outside hitter
Lauren Billo (Orland Park, Ill.) and sophomore libero
Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) were AVCA honorable mention All-Americans.
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution of 2,159 students offering active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, world travel, career discovery and community service.
Wingate offers more than 40 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, communication, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers graduate degrees in business, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration. In addition, the school awards the doctor of pharmacy and the doctor of education degrees.
Bulldog student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past three years.
Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 34 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 43 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.