O’Brien Adds Four for 2010

MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of Montevallo women’s volleyball head coach Katie O’Brien announced the signing of four recruits for the 2010 season.  Michelle Carle, Taylor Chapman, Kady Curl and Jessica Guidry will all be a part of O’Brien’s third season at the helm of the Falcon volleyball program.

“We are going to have a really young team this year with just four upper classmen,” said O’Brien. “I feel that these four signees can push our level of practice higher. There is a possibility that they will compete for playing time right away. I feel from top to bottom we are getting more athletic.”

Michelle Carle will be joining the Falcons as a freshman from Missouri City, Texas. She lettered at Clements High School. The 6-1 Carle was Offensive Player of the Year in 2008-09 and again in her senior season in 2009-10. She was named Second Team All-District as a junior in 2008-09 and in her senior season she was honored with a First Team All-District nod.

“Michelle is a smart player and is able to create shots and run a fast tempo,” said O’Brien. “She is a strong middle with the ability to play right side as well.  Michelle will celebrate a big point by a teammate and we will need that next year.”

Taylor Chapman hails from Lexington, Alabama and will join the Falcons as a freshman out of Lexington High School. As a freshman, she was named to the All-Area team when her team made it to the state championship game. In her sophomore season she was honored by being named All-County, All-Area, All-Region, and All-State. She was a member of the 3A State Champions. The Birmingham News gave her an All-State team honorable mention and the Alabama Coaches Association named her All-State First Team.  In Chapman’s junior and senior seasons, she grabbed All-County, All-Area, All-Region, and All-State nods again while making the championship game twice more. This past season she was named Lauderdale County Girls Athlete of the Year.

“Taylor is quiet but also very athletic having played softball, basketball and ran track in high school,” said O’Brien. “She is a stand out middle hitter in the state of Alabama. She is consistent and dependable and could be a go to player.”

Kady Curl will join the Falcons as a freshman from North Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia. The 6-4 Curl gained All-County accolades in 2007 and 2008. She plays for A-5 Mizuno Volleyball Club in Atlanta which posted a fifth-place finish in the USAV Southern Region while receiving an American Bid to the 2009 USAV National Championships in Miami, FL. Her coach is Chuck Crawford, volunteer assistant at Georgia Tech.

“Kady is physically one of the tallest players to ever play for Montevallo,” said O’Brien. I look forward to seeing her add to a big block. Plus her hitting could make a big impact as she hits a heavy ball.”

Jessica Guidry will come to Montevallo after spending the last two seasons at Pensacola State College. She proceeded to set school records in digs in her freshmen season (567) and sophomore campaign (729). Her career total in digs (1,296) is a school record. In those two stellar seasons, she was named Academic All-American both years (2008, 2009). She left PSC averaging 5.74 digs per set which ranked first in the state of Florida and sixth in the country. Prior to PSC, she prepped at Fort Walton Beach High School in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

“Jessica makes some amazing plays,” said O’Brien. “She made an immediate impact at PSC and was named the Panhandle Conference Player of the Year in 2008. She holds the records for the most digs in a match, season and career at the school. We hope she can continue her strong defense here at Montevallo.”