By: by Jason Hanes
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State head volleyball coach Karen Weatherington and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics are pleased to announce that three student-athletes will join the KSU volleyball team next season. Emily Bean and Sara Metroka have each signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Owls starting in the fall of 2010, while Ceci Mattei will transfer from Loyola (Ill.) to play for KSU beginning in the spring.
"I'm elated that these three fine, young women have decided to join our program," said Coach Weatherington. "All three of these players have the potential to make an immediate impact on our team next year."
Emily Bean will come to Kennesaw State after graduating from Pike High School in Indianapolis. A 6-foot outside hitter, Bean lettered for three seasons in volleyball, earning First-Team All-County honors, as well as All-Conference honors in 2009. For her senior year, Bean had 333 kills, 68 aces, 275 digs, and 45 total blocks. Bean was also named to the ICGSA South All-Star team her senor year. Bean played her club volleyball for Team Indiana.
Bean hopes to major in Exercise Science at Kennesaw State and eventually work in sports therapy or sports training at the collegiate level.
"We're excited to have a player of Emily's caliber joining our program," Coach Weatherington said. "She has a great deal of high-level club experience and we're looking forward to her bringing that experience to Kennesaw State."
Sara Metroka is a 5-foot-8-inch setter from New Castle, Ind. She helped to lead her New Castle Chrysler High School team to a state championship her sophomore year. Metroka has been described as one of the top setting talents in the Midwest, playing for the Asics Munciana 18-1 Samurai squad with coach Mike Lingenfelter.
"Sara has the ability to step in and impact our program immediately due to her training as a setter," Coach Weatherington said. "She is a quintessential setter who has trained under one of the best club coaches for setters in the nation. We look forward to infusing her work ethic and championship training into our program."
Ceci Mattei, an Alpharetta, Ga., native, will return closer to home for her final two years of eligibility after playing at Loyola University in Chicago, Ill. Mattei has experience as a right side hitter and as a setter at the Division I level. During her freshman year of 2007 at Loyola, the 5-foot-10-inch Mattei played in 27 matches and 74 games. After redshirting in 2008, Mattei rejoined the Ramblers for nine matches and 29 sets this season, averaging 9.55 assists per set.
"Ceci is a versatile player who has the ability to contribute in several facets of the game," Coach Weatherington said. "Having watched her develop from the other side of the net during the time I was at Butler, I know she will add a lot of talent to our squad."
The Owls are coming off their most successful season in program history, setting a program record for wins with 17 and reaching the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament in the first year of the team's post-season eligibility.
