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Iowa State University Athletics
Volleyball Recruiting Class Ranked No. 10 In Country
05.29.2009 | Volleyball
AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State volleyball team's incoming recruiting class has been ranked No. 10 in the country by PrepVolleyball.com. It marks the highest ranking in school history by the website, which tabbed last year's Cyclone newcomers No. 25.
“This is another milestone for our program,” ISU head coach Christy Johnson said. “Recruiting is a tireless and exhausting job, and to get the 10th-ranked class says a lot about what (assistant coach) Dawn Sullivan has done out on the recruiting trail. We are hopeful this class will have a great impact on our program and help us take another step up in our goal to be one of the best teams in the nation.”
According to PrepVolleyball.com, this year's class, “makes the Cyclones bigger and more physical, particularly in the middle, and should keep Iowa State among the top teams in the country.”
The incoming class includes Jamie Straube (6-2, MB, Tecumseh, Neb.), the highest-ranked player ever to sign with the Cyclones at No. 22. Straube was a Fab-50 pick by Volleyball Magazine, racking up 301 kills while leading Johnson County Central to its first state tournament berth.
The 24th-ranked senior in the nation, Alison Landwehr (6-0, S, Chesterfield, Mo.) was an AVCA High School All-American. Landwehr, also a Fab-50 selection by Volleyball Magazine, averaged 7.38 assists, 2.38 kills, 1.98 digs and 1.22 blocks as a senior at Parkway West. Landwehr was named the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year as well as the St. Louis Post Dispatch's Player of the Year.
Ankeny's Hannah Johnson (6-3, MB, Ankeny, Iowa) was the No. 63 recruit in the country. Johnson was named the Des Moines Register's Player of the Year after leading the Hawkettes to the Class 4A state championship this year. Johnson was the third Cyclone named to Volleyball Magazine's Fab-50.
Taylor Knuth (6-2, MB, Johnston, Iowa) and Annie Meyer (5-7, DS, Plano, Texas) round out the recruiting class. Knuth, who attended Johnston High School, was the 2007 Des Moines Register Player of the Year. She averaged 2.50 kills and 0.80 blocks as a senior.
Meyer, a graduate of Canyon Creek Christian Academy, missed her senior year after suffering a knee injury. She was named a PrepVolleyball.com “Defensive Dandy” in 2007 and earned all-state honors as a junior.
The Cyclones were third among Big 12 schools, trailing just Nebraska (2) and Texas (5). Baylor (14) and Texas A&M (18) were also in the top-20.
ISU opens the regular season Aug. 28 against UW-Milwaukee at Hilton Coliseum.
PrepVolleyball.com on the Future Cyclones:
“The best recruiting class Iowa State has ever signed, the incoming quintet makes the Cyclones bigger and more physical, particularly in the middle, and should keep Iowa State among the top teams in the country. Straube, a sleeper out of small town Nebraska, has emerged as one of the most physical middle blockers in the nation and will likely vie for playing time right away. Johnson is a quick twitch athlete who can hit quick and high and is versatile enough to be used anywhere. Knuth, who showed a lot of promise as a sophomore but suffered some setbacks due to injuries, could end up an impact player depending on how her knees hold up. Landwehr's strength is setting middle, and she'll thrive in Iowa State's system where middles play a big role in the offense. Meyer, who like Knuth was slowed due to a knee injury this past year, is working on her comeback and has a work ethic that will likely get her on the court early in her career.”
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