The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Volleyball recruiting class ranked No. 5 by PrepVolleyball.com
06.04.2009 | Volleyball
June 4, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Volleyball team's three-player recruiting class, headlined by No. 1 recruit Bailey Webster, has been ranked fifth nationally by PrepVolleyball.com. The 2009 recruiting class marks the fourth straight season the Longhorns have ranked in the top five.
Webster a 6-3 outside hitter from Baltimore, Md. is joined by No. 5 national recruit Sha'Dare McNeal, a 6-1 outside hitter/middle blocker from Fallbrook, Calif. and 5-6 defensive specialist/setter Cristina Arenas (Cypress, Texas).
Webster, a two-time PrepVolleyball.com All-American and Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection, attended St. Paul's School for Girls and played club volleyball for TCA in Baltimore. She was a four-year letterwinner at St. Paul's and was a two-time Maryland Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year. Webster led her high school squad to four straight conference championships (2005-08) and was named Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland All-Conference three times.
McNeal, the fifth-ranked national recruit, attended Fallbrook High School in San Diego, while playing club volleyball for Epic. At Epic, McNeal helped her team to first-place finishes at the Lone Star Classic Junior Olympic Qualifier and the Big South Junior Olympic Qualifier. Competing for Fallbrook, McNeal was a two-time All-Avocado league selection and earned a place on the North County Times All-Academic Team in 2007. In 2008, McNeal averaged 3.5 kills per-set and hit at a .424 clip.
Last July, Webster and McNeal helped the USA Women's Junior National Team win a gold medal at the NORCECA Continental Women's Junior Championships in Mexico.
Arenas will add depth to an already talented back row that is headlined by senior Heather Kisner and sophomore Sydney Yogi. She attended Cypress Woods High School and played her club volleyball for the Texas Tornados. As a senior, Arenas was an All-District 15-5A selection and a Texas Girls Coaches Association Academic All-State choice. She led her Cy Woods team to a 37-5 record in 2008 and helped the Wildcats reach the regional semifinals and capture a share of the district title.
The Horns' stellar recruiting classes adds to head coach Jerritt Elliott's three straight No. 2 recruiting classes that he brought to campus in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
