BOULDER— University of Colorado coach Liz Kritza has announced the signing of six athletes to play and continue their education at CU as part of the 2010 volleyball class.
The initial members of Kritza's first recruiting class are Emily Alexis (Brighton, Colo.), Megan Beckwith (Leesburg, Va.), Nichole Lindow (Erie, Colo.), Elysse Richardson (Vienna, Va.), Morgan Tholen (Lake Quivira, Kan.) and Hannah Walker (Peyton, Colo.). She expects additional announcements throughout the early signing period.
"This first recruiting class is comprised of a group of strong willed young women who are fueled by the pursuit of excellence and committed to building a championship program here at CU," Kritza said. "Amongst this group we will have players who have played at the highest prep and club levels, superior athletes, players with international experience, even a potential Olympian; but most importantly, we will have a group student-athletes who are hard working, highly principled, and completely committed to representing the University of Colorado to the best of their abilities in the classroom, on the court, and in the community."
Emily Alexis |
Alexis is a 5-11 outside hitter from Brighton, Colo. She helped Prairie View High School to a 21-5 record during the 2009 season. Alexis recorded 332 kills, 375 digs, 52 ace and 26 blocks in 87 games for the Thunderhawks. She helped to turn around a team that was 4-11 in her freshman campaign, the first year of the school’s existence, to the Skyline League Champions as a senior. Alexis was named the league’s MVP as a junior and senior. On October 26, 2009, she was named the AVCA/Max Preps Player of the Week.
"Emily is an outstanding athlete who is receiving instruction at one of the nation's top club programs," Kritza said. "I expect her to be very successful here at CU and that she will be able to get into the fold quickly due to her athletic prowess. She has great experience in building a program as she played an integral role in her prep team's constant improvement to the league championship this past season. Her desire to improve and perform at the top level of college volleyball will drive her to continue in her development and maximize the impact she can make in this program."
Alexis, who was a member of the Principal’s Honor Roll all four years at PVHS, plays for the Front Range Volleyball Club which received bids to play at the USAV Junior Olympics from 2006-09. While the club recorded many national championships, the 2009 season produced a top five finish at the AAU National Championships and a top 20 finish at USAV Junior Olympics. The team also placed third at the AAU Championship in 2007. She plays for the top 18s team in the club and is coached by Jim Miret, who was the first-ever assistant volleyball coach at CU. Miret helped start the volleyball program at CU with Brad Saindon. He has also coached several of his club teams to national championships and has been named the USAV Junior Coach of the Year twice. His services have also been called upon by USA Volleyball as he is a frequent to advisor to the national team.
“Emily is a superb athlete,” Miret said. “With a dynamic jump, a powerful attack and the ability to play all three front row positions, Emily brings punch and versatility to every team she plays on. Her quickness on offense and defense makes her a truly rare breed of player. She should develop into a formidable offensive and defensive weapon for the Buffs.”
She was also recruited by Ohio, Colorado State and Tulane, but decided on joining the Buffs because, “I loved everything about CU and to have the opportunity to help build a winning program.”
Megan Beckwith |
Beckwith comes to CU as a 5-10 defensive specialist and libero. The Leesberg, Va. native is the Heritage High School single season digs record holder with 559 this past year. As a junior she recorded 473 digs and her sophomore year she collected 197 digs. The HHS Pride won the 2009 Cedar Run District Tournament and was the co-Dulles District Champions in 2008. Her high school team was coached by Carmel Keilty, ESPN The Magazine’s High School Volleyball Coach of the Year in 2000 and a three-time Virginia Coach of the Year. Beckwith was first-team all-district as a senior and was a member of the second team her junior year.
As a member of the Virginia Elite Volleyball Club, Beckwith helped the team qualify for the open division at the USAV Junior Olympics in 2008. She was also a member of the National Honors Society and was named the Geometry Student of the Year as a freshman. Beckwith was also recruited by Penn State, Ohio State, Georgia, Virginia Tech and Delaware but choose CU “for everything.” She added, “The coaches are everything that I could have hoped for. The CU family has set very high goals for the program and I love the fact that I would be a part of that incredible journey.”
“Megan is a very welcomed addition to the Buffs’ volleyball family today,” Kritza said. “She is one of the most diligent players in her position in the nation. Her desire to hone her skills and perfect her position is very unique in someone of her age and coupled with her great level of athleticism, she will be able to find success throughout her career here in a Buffs’ jersey. She will add a great deal of intensity and ball control to this program and will be able to help raise the level of volleyball being played here at CU.”
Nikki Lindow |
Lindow, a 6-2 middle blocker from Erie, Colo., earned two letters as a member of the Centaurus High School team. She was named first team all-conference as a junior and senior and was named the team’s MVP both of those seasons. Lindow was an all-state honorable mention selection as a junior and is an all-state nominee this year. She recorded 155 kills and 95 blocks in the first half of her senior campaign.
“Nikki is a true athlete that will improve with each learning and playing opportunity,” Kritza said. “She has a huge upside and I look for her to make great strides as she continues to prepare to compete for the Buffs. She is a long, lean, athlete who has the ability to play at a high level because of her athletic ability, and will bring a fierce competitiveness into our training culture. Her positive attitude and excitement is contagious and we will benefit from that greatly.”
Lindow is another member of Miret’s Front Range Volleyball Club. She played on the team same team as Alexis did that took fifth at the AAU Championship and a top 20 finish at USAV Junior Olympics in 2009. Lindow only started to play club this past season, but has already made a huge impact. Lindow was a two sport athlete in high school, earning three letters in basketball as well. She was also recruited by Denver, Arizona State, Colorado State, Seattle and Arkansas and decided on CU to play for the coaching staff.
“What Nikki lacks in volleyball experience, she more than makes up for with her athleticism, drive and tenacity,” Miret said. “A raw player with terrific upside, Nikki's possesses lighting quick reflexes and explosive movement ability. Nikki is extremely competitive and it will only be a matter of time before she will be a force for the Buffs.”
Morgan Tholen |
Tholen is a 5-10 outside hitter from Lake Quivira, Kan. Her high school team won the 2008 and 2009 Kansas 4A State Championship. In 2008, the Thunder was ranked fourth in the nation by ESPN and was named the program of the year. St. James Academy recorded a 40-4 record in 2009, and was 45-1 in 2008 and 2007. Tholen was a member of the high school honor roll while in high school. She is the first member of her high school to play volleyball in the Big 12.
Tholen was a member of the K.C. Extreme volleyball club team. This past season, it took second at the President’s Day Classic, second at Colorado Crossroads Qualifier, first at the Kansas City Qualifier and ninth at the USAV Junior Olympics. In 2008, the K.C. Extreme took 11th at the USAV Junior Olympics. Tholen was also recruited by SMU, San Francisco, Florida Atlantic and Oklahoma. She decided on CU for “the beautiful campus and coaching staff.”
“Morgan has a great work ethic and is a very positive player,” Kritza said. “She has played on some great teams, both high school and club. She has wanted to be Buff for a long time as her dad is a CU Alum and she has a lot of family in the area. We look forward to having her as a member of the CU Volleyball family.”
Richardson is a 5-3 setter and libero from Vienna, Va., and has been part of a successful team at Langley High School. She was named the District MVP and earned all-region first team honors as a senior. During her junior campaign she was named first team all-district and was second team all-region. As a junior, she set the Virginia state record for most digs in a season. Richardson has earned the distinction of being a four-time Scholar Athlete (possessing a 3.7 GPA or higher) and has been a member of the "All As" Honor Roll for three years. Elysse has also served as a consultant on design concepts for the Volleyball Festival, the nation's largest volleyball annual tournament, The organizer of the event, Dave Epperson, a well known coach and sports psychologist.
She has been a member of the Virginia Elite Volleyball Club for the last three seasons and played one year with the Northern Virginia Volleyball Association. Richardson was also recruited by Rice, Tulane, Georgetown and Villanova and decided on CU “for the coaches and the team is great.”
"Elysse is truly a special player and young woman," Kritza said. "She is the heart of her team and I know she will be able to affect positive change in our program. We are extremely excited to have her join us on this journey to build this program. She exudes confidence in her teammates and brings an intellectual and determined approach to reaching her goals. Her consistently positive disposition and willingness to work harder than anyone in the gym is inspirational and she will be able to contribute to the success of this program in many ways."
Hannah Walker |
Walker is a four-year letterwinner for Colorado Spring Christian. The 5-5 libero helped the Lions to a 25-0 record to date (state championship is Saturday, November 14). Walker has been a starter all four years for CSCHS. In that time, the Lions have accumulated a 107-10 record (.915 winning percentage). They were the Tri-Peaks League Champions, Colorado High School district and region champions from 2006-09 and won the state championship 2006-08. Walker was named first team all-conference and was an all-state honorable mention selection as a junior (team will be named for her senior year later this November). She is a two-time team co-captain and was named a Prep Volleyball Senior Ace.
"Hannah is a tough minded player who we will look to provide stability to the court as one of our strongest ball control players," Kritza said. "Her prep experience has proven that she knows how to win and that is important for this program moving forward. She plays her club ball for one of the most reputable clubs around, Colorado Juniors, which lends itself to Hannah being ready to have a very successful career here at CU. Her quest for self improvement and her diligent approach to training and preparation, along with her intense enthusiasm and passion for playing this game well, bode well for Hannah's development as a high level defensive player."
The Peyton, Colo. native is a member of the Colorado Junior Volleyball Club and competed at the USAV Junior Olympics from 2006-08. She was named to the all-tournament team when her team won the Rocky Mountain Regional Championship. Walker has also competed in the USAV High Performance Program and Championship for the last four years. She is a four-time member of the High Honor Roll at CSCHS. She was also recruited by Colorado State, New Mexico State and TCU, but said she choose CU, “because I wanted to play for Coach Kritza and because Colorado is a great place to live.”
"Through lots of extra effort, Hannah worked to make herself better,” Bill Peer, co-director, owner and coach of Colorado Juniors Volleyball Club, said. “She is a great teammate and she got her club team to a higher level as a back row player something that is hard to do."
Kritza is extremely happy with the initial part of her 2010 recruiting class.
"I am pleased with the signing day activities and look forward to continuing to build the roster for this next season as we progress through the rest of the signing period," Kritza said. "My coaching staff, Meg Henican and Tom Hogan must be recognized for their tireless efforts in this very difficult first season of recruiting. Despite starting the recruiting efforts immediately upon hire last spring, it is not an easy task to fill the expansive recruiting needs with that late of a start on this particular class. Their commitment to the future of this program and to the vision we have for success is unwavering and thus an important part of the building process for us. Recruits can see that and it excites them about future of this program; they want to be a part of what is going on here at Colorado."
And don’t forget to check out the latest news and highlights with head coach Liz Kritza on the Buffalo Stampede: Volleyball Edition, exclusively on BuffsTV at CUBuffs.com/volleyball. New shows air every Tuesday.
2010 Recruiting Class
Name Pos. Ht. Hometown/School/Volleyball Club
Emily Alexis OH/RS 5-11 Brighton, Colo./Prairie View/Front Range
Megan Beckwith L/DS 5-10 Leesburg, Va./Heritage/Virginia Elite
Nichole Lindow MB 6-2 Erie, Colo./Centaurus/Front Range
Morgan Tholen RS/OH 5-10 Lake Quivira, Kan./St. James Academy/K.C. Extreme
Elysse Richardson L/S 5-3 Vienna, Va./Langley/Virginia Elite
Hannah Walker L/DS 5-5 Peyton, Colo./Colorado Springs Christian/Colorado Juniors
COLORADO BUFFALOES
