Southeast Missouri Adding to Regional Diversity at JALC Volleyball

John A Logan has always had a recruiting presence in Southeast Missouri. Ahnie Hoff and Brooke Hogard from Perryville, Mo just graduated this past May. Both were very solid players who received multiple honors in the GRAC Conference and NJCAA Region 24. Although these girls are difficult to replace, several new recruits from the area are stepping in to fill the void. In fact, the team has managed to recruit four players from Southeast Missouri this season, and several of them are having an immediate impact.

Krista Rhodes is a 5'10 outside hitter from Marble Hill, Mo. She was a standout at the high school level for the past several years. "She is just an aggressive hitter. You always need kids that just have that mindset to go after their shots. She is a risk-taker and a point scorer. We are very glad to have her, and she has already proved her value on the court several times this season," said Coach Burnside.

Alanis Below is a 5'7 Libero from Advance, Mo. Alanis was a quality outside hitter for a very successful team at Advance High School. She was an explosive jumper and an aggressive hitter. At the college level, she is making the transition to Libero this season. Coach seems to appreciate her willingness to adapt, "Alanis was a very successful high school outside hitter. There is no doubt that she could be productive for us at that position as well, but with her smaller size and superior defensive and passing skills, we feel like she can help the team the most as a full time libero."

Lexie Barnes is a 5'6 Setter from Saxony High School in Jackson, Mo. Coach says, "she is a such a surprising athlete. She is an extremely small and sleight of build for a collegiate athlete. But her size is deceptive. She has an explosive jump and tremendous foot speed." Lexie is another girl that will be fitting into a new role at the college level. Although she spent quite a bit of time hitting at the club and high school level, she will be expected to make the transition to a full time setting role at John A Logan. Currently, her transition is on hold because of injury, but Coach Burnside seems confident in her ability to come back strong in the future.

These three girls all played together for several years at the club level. They played against each other during the high school season, but teamed up to play club volleyball in St Louis in the off-season. Their decision to come to John A Logan as a unit brings a continuity to the freshman class that should be helpful. "Bringing in 10 freshmen is always difficult. There are going to be growing pains. These guys already having a developed relationship on and off the court should really help us be successful quickly as a freshmen class," said Coach Burnside.

In addition to this solid group, the Vols have also added Olivia Hallet from Jackson, Mo. She was a standout at Jackson High School for head coach Dave Mirly. Coach Mirly is someone who knows the Logan program well. He sent several players to John A Logan from his previous tenure at Perryville High School. When he recommended that Coach Burnside take a look at Olivia, there was little doubt that she was the type of player that could be very productive. According to Coach Burnside, "Coach Mirly suggested to me that Olivia played a lot like Ahnie Hoff, who was conference MVP and Region 24 Player of the Year here last season. He had a good gauge on their abilities, because he had coached them both in high school. After looking at Olivia myself, I have to admit the comparison was a good one. Olivia is an all-around player who has skills very similar to Ahnie. We are very excited to have her on board."