December 12, 2001
Texas A&M signed three student-athletes to volleyball national letters of intent during the early signing period, Aggie head coach Laurie Corbelli announced:
Name Pos Ht. Hometown (High School) Club Team
Cristin Burton OH 6-0 Livingston, Texas (Livingston) Texas Tornadoes
Laura Jones OH 6-3 Arlington, Texas (Martin) Texas Advantage
Kari Kelley OH/S 6-0 Houston, Texas (Cy-Falls) Texas Tornadoes
"This is definitely one of the most experienced and talented classes I have signed, as well as one of the tallest," Corbelli said. "We lose three outside hitters to graduation so we needed to replenish that position. We are getting taller on the outside with this signing class, and we are still going to be very athletic. The skill level of the players coming in is very high, and there will be definite contribution starting early in their careers at A&M."
Cristin Burton is a three-year member of the varsity team at Livingston High School. Coached by Beverly Murphy, Burton collected second-team all-district honors as a sophomore and garnered first-team honors in both her junior and senior campaigns. As a senior, the outside hitter was listed one of the top 10 "Players to Watch" by the Houston Chronicle and finished the season ranked fifth in the Houston area with 363 total kills and a 5.0 kill average. She also led her team with a .378 hitting percentage and was named to the Chronicle's Greater Houston second team.
"Cristin is a phenomenal athlete," Corbelli said. "She is very physical from her explosiveness to her strength and speed. I'm glad to have an athlete like that. She has a great vertical and a lot of desire, and she is better every time we watch her play. Her work ethic is very strong and that will be critical for her as she continues to develop. A&M is a great fit for her."
Laura Jones is a highly touted outside hitter who has gained tremendous experience and exposure while training with the USA Volleyball Junior National Team last summer and as a member of the USA Youth National Team that captured the silver medal at the 2000 NORCECA Games in the Dominican Republic.
A preseason All-American by SchoolSports.com and StudentSports.com as a senior, Jones recently was named the Player of the Year by the Fort Worth Star Telegram after leading Arlington Martin High School to the region semifinals of the state tournament and a 37-5 record.
Coached by Joni McCoy, Jones is a two-time member of the all-district first team and garnered district MVP honors as a senior. In addition, Jones collected Most Valuable Attacker and Outstanding Hitter Award accolades, respectively, the last two years at the prestigious Duncanville Varsity Tournament of Champions.
Jones has competed in club volleyball for eight years and has made five appearances at the USA Volleyball Junior Olympic Nationals. Coached by Liz Underwood, her Texas Advantage team placed seventh at the 2000 Junior Nationals.
"I was thrilled when we signed Laura," Corbelli said. "With her appearance on the junior national team and with the level of training she has received throughout the weeks and months with the national team, she is the most experienced player I have ever signed. She has been the go-to player for so many years, and although we try to keep a balanced team, she definitely will be a big focus for us both offensively and defensively.
"Having watch her this summer competing with the junior national team, Laura is one of the best defensive players out there. And at 6-3, that is unusual. Offensively she has a great arm swing, with lots of power. She understands her position very well. She attacks out of the back row very effectively and she is destined for great things at A&M. She has very high goals and wants to learn and develop and get the type of training at A&M that will help her when she does make an attempt to tryout for the national team."
Kari Kelley was a two-time member of the All-District 16-5A team while at Cy-Falls High School. As a junior, the outside hitter/setter led her team to the state title and she received the team's 110% Award. She capped her prep career by being named to the both the academic all-district team and the academic all-state team.
In club ball, Kelley competes for the Texas Tornadoes and was a member of the 2001 Junior Olympic all-tournament team.
"Kari was an important person for us to attract to our program and sign because she fills the needs of a dual role," Corbelli said. "She plays a setting role as well as an attacking role and complements Lexy with her height, style of play and personality. Kari will learn a lot from Lexy, who is the perfect mentor. And although Kari is similar, she offers different things from a volleyball standpoint. She is taller and offers more attack options from a higher point. In addition, with her ability to attack, Kari knows the game from both perspectives as outside hitter and setter. That is a huge benefit."
Corbelli will look to this signing class to help fill a major void after losing five senior starters -- outside hitters Michelle Cole, Erin Lechler and Brandi Mount, setter Jenna Moscoivc and defensive specialist Beth Weynand -- from the 2001 squad which went 26-6 and matched the best finish in school history after placing second in the Big 12 and advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight.
"More and more top recruits know the strengths of our program, and we are signing the right people for our program," Corbelli said. "There is a great chance that all three of these recruits will contribute. They all are filling great needs for programs of the future, and I expect to put them right in the mix from the beginning.
"And although we will continue to recruit nationally and get the top athletes that we can, it is nice when the top ones in the country are in Texas and you get them here."