AVCA has its eye on 44 players from Illinois

Lemont’s Courtney Keefe (right) is on the AVCA watch list.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) recenty released its list of 382 players from 38 states who are on the watch list for selection to the 2010-2011 Under Armour All-America team.

Forty-four players from Illinois are on the list. Student-athletes must have completed their senior year of eligibility, their head coach must be a member in good standing of AVCA, and the coach must use MaxPreps.com to distribute data.

The 24 players selected to the first team will be invited to participate in the Under Armour All-America Volleyball Match and Skills Competition in conjunction with the 2010 AVCA Annual Convention December 18 in Kansas City, Mo.

The players on the watch list from Illinois are:

Alina Agamy, 5-9, DS, Bloomington

Lauren Arnold, 5-11, OH, Moline

Katherine Battle, 5-9, DS, Naperville Central

Jocelyn Birks 6-3, OH, Lyons

Melissa Bograd, 5-7, DS, Lemont

Jillian Briner, 5-10, S/RS, Oak Park

Sierra Burris, 5-8, L/OH, Illini Central

Ellen Chapman, 6-4, OH, Glenbrook South

Victoria Clifford, 5-3, DS, Glenbard West

Kara Conway, 6-1, M, New Trier

Hannah Crippen, 6-0, S, Plainfield North

Morganne Criswell, 6-1, MB, Decatur Lutheran

Chelsey Cunningham, 6-0, MB, Whitney Young

Alexis Davito, 5-9, OH, Lockport

Jenna Duddleston, 5-8, S, De La Salle

Mari Faines, 6-2, MB, Walter Payton Prep

Kaisley Fisher, 6-2, MB/RS, Plainfield North

Tracy Friel, 5-10, S, Crystal Lake Central

Kristin Heldt, 6-3, MB/OH, Peotone

Chelsi Hummert, 5-11, S/OH, Freeburg

Erin Juley, 5-10, RS/S, Lyons

Courtney Keefe, 5-11, OH, Lemont

Shealyn Kolosky, 6-2, MB, Wheaton Warrenville South

Kelly Lamberti, 6-0, OH, Cary-Grove

Morgan Leach, 6-3, MB, Champaign Centennial

Laura Luczak, 6-0, L, Glenbard West

Molly McCoy, 6-0, OH, Wheaton Academy

Claire Miller, 5-11, OH, New Trier

Molly Murphy, 5-5, DS/L, Marist

Jamie Netisingha, 5-4, L, Hinsdale Central

Val Nichol, 6-0, L/S, Normal U-High

Caroline Niedospial, 5-6, L, Marist

Kelsey Nobilio, 5-6, L, Johnsburg

Haley Norris, 5-4, DS/L, Rosary

Lara Ontko, 5-11, DS/OH, Benet Academy

Kayla Price, 5-9, S, Fremd

Kaley Sierawski, 6-1, MB/OH, Palatine

Colleen Smith, 6-0, S, Cary-Grove

Courtney Thomas, 6-0, OH/S, DeKalb

Meg Vonderhaar, 6-2, OH, St. Francis

Julia Watkins, 5-11, MB, Lyons

Lainey Wyman, 6-1, MB, Joliet Catholic

Emily Young, 6-2, RS/S, Schaumburg

***

Kaitlyn King, a 5-foot-9 senior setter at Benet Academy, has verbally committed to play Division I volleyball at the University of Maryland.

“I absolutely love everything about Maryland, especially the direction the volleyball program is going, the coaches and the Comcast Center,” King said. “When I visited, I knew immediately this is where I wanted to be.”

King set last year’s team that went 35-5 and advanced to the Elite Eight before losing to Quincy in the Normal supersectional. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has been on the honor roll every semester at Benet.

Meanwhile, teammate Jenna Jendryk, a 6-foot junior setter/opposite hitter, has verbally committed to play Division I volleyball at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Jendryk played for Sports Performance’s AAU 18 Open division national champion.

“Jenna is high level athlete who comes from a great volleyball family,” Benet coach Brad Baker said. “She has an extremely fast arm and her great athletism allows for to be a difference-maker on the court.”

Jendryk was a member of the 2008 Benet team that finished second in the state and played middle hitter for last year’s 35-5 team.