CHARLESTON, S.C. The Citadel volleyball program announced the signing of four players to National Letters of Intent on Tuesday to conclude their 2009 signing class. With the addition of four new players, the Bulldogs add a total of seven freshmen to their roster, including two players from South Carolina.
“This was our biggest recruiting class to date, with three of our commitments coming during the early signing period and four inked during the late signing period,” said head coach Carolyn Geiger. “All of the signees will have an opportunity to compete for a starting position. Having 14 players on the roster next year will allow us to have depth at all positions. This was a great recruiting year for us.”
Alexa Dahlstrom joins the Bulldogs from Oviedo, Fla., where she attended Oviedo High School. As a 6-1 setter, she will bring a lot of height and strength to the team, but will also be an asset at the right side hitter position. She lettered twice in volleyball and was the Most Valuable Player of her junior varsity squad. Her high school team was ranked third in the state and they were the 6A District Champions, while being crowned the SAC Champions in 2007. Dahlstrom plans to major in political science.
“Alexa solidified our recruiting class and brings much needed height to our roster,” said Geiger. “She has great hands and brings a lot of depth to our setter position. I am hopeful that she comes in and competes right away for starting time.”
Kaona Mercer joins the Bulldogs from the state of South Carolina. Mercer hails from Columbia, S.C., where she attended A.C Flora High School. She is the first in-state recruit for Geiger and her volleyball staff. Mercer will also bring height and depth to the Bulldog roster. Standing at 6-1, she will provide support at the middle blocker position. Not only is she looking to excel on the volleyball court, but she looks to succeed in the Corps of Cadets, where she comes into The Citadel as a member of the Army ROTC training program.
“I am excited in many ways for Alexa and Kaona,” said Geiger. “Not only do they bring much needed height to our roster, but we signed our first in-state athlete, which was one of our goals for this recruiting class. Kaona can be used in several positions for us and I am excited for her to make her presence known on the court.”
Rachael Farrell joins the Bulldog team from Niceville, Fla. Hailing from Florida, she already has ties to The Citadel, as her father is a Citadel alum, which is the first for any Geiger recruit. Her father was a member of the Bulldog tennis team. Farrell attended Okaloosa-Walton Collegiate High School, where she is graduating with an Associate of Arts degree. She is 5-10 and will add strength to the outside hitter position.
“Rachael excels on the court and even more so in the classroom,” said Geiger. “She has played on both the right and left side, which makes her versatile. She is a solid all around player that could help us in the front and back row.”
Not only did the Bulldogs sign their first in-state athlete, but they also signed a local standout in Meredith Mutispaugh from Summerville, S.C. Mutispaugh attended Summerville High School, where she earned three letters in volleyball and two in track and field. While at Summerville, she was a two-time All-Region selection, and was an All-State and All-Star selection during her senior season. She was also named the Region 8 AAAA Player of the Year and earned All-County honors. Her club team, the Charleston Juniors Volleyball Club, is the two-time Palmetto Region Champs and appeared twice at the USA Volleyball National Championships.
“I am equally excited about signing our first local recruit,” said Geiger. “Meredith set for both her high school and club teams, but she is also a solid defensive player. She may be our smallest recruit at 5-9, but she is every bit as scrappy as they come. Don't let her size fool you. She has good court awareness and she reads the hitters well when she sets the block. She could also see time setting for our team. I like her versatility.”
The Bulldogs return seven players from last season, including four starters. With the departure of three seniors, the Bulldogs will be led by five juniors and two sophomores. Seven freshmen will join next year's team to give the Bulldogs one of their biggest rosters. Joining the Bulldogs for the 2009 season are Alexa Dahlstrom, Emily Dalton, Rachael Farrell, Jessica Maxwell, Kaona Mercer, Meredith Mutispaugh and Cassie Uribe.
