April 20, 2006
Courtnee Rhodes, a 5-6 setter from Cypress Falls High School in Houston, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball at Texas A&M, Aggie head coach Laurie Corbelli announced.
"Courtnee is a wonderful addition to the Aggie volleyball team,? Corbelli said. ?She brings top-notch setting skills along with a tenacious defensive attitude, strong leadership skills and an energetic, feisty personality. She is a tough competitor and brings many years of experience at running the offense for a top club program.?
Rhodes competes for the Texas Tornados 18 Nike team coached by four-time Olympian Tara Cross-Battle. The team won the Hoosiers Mid-West Qualifier in March and has accepted a bid to the Open Division at the 2006 Junior Olympics.
Rhodes?â„¢ club teams have experienced success at the national level, placing fifth in the Open Division at the 2005 Junior Olympics and 10th at the 2004 national tournament.
Rhodes was a four-year letterwinner as a setter and outside hitter for coach Kathy Stephenson at Cypress Falls High School. She was named to the All-District 17-5A team and the Rookie of the Year as a freshman after leading Cy Falls to the area finals and a 28-11 record. Rhodes also was named to ?The Frosh 45?, PrepVolleyball.com?â„¢s list of the top 45 emerging players in the Class of 2006.
Rhodes was named to the Houston Chronicle?â„¢s Player to Watch list each of the next three years and also was named to LoneStarVolleyball.com?â„¢s Players to Watch list entering her sophomore year, but Rhodes missed much of her second season with an injury.
The Eagles?â„¢ sparkplug came back to lead the team to a district title, the area finals and a 30-6 record in 2004, and she earned both all-district first team and all-state honors. In addition, Rhodes was a second teamer on LoneStarVolleyball.com?â„¢s 2004-05 All-Texas Team.
In the summer of her junior year, Rhodes was named to the Lone Star Region High Performance Program and to the Girl?â„¢s 17 Open All?-Tournament Team at the Junior Nationals.
Rhodes missed most of her senior high school season after suffering a knee injury in the second match of the year, but has since returned to the court and was once again named to the LoneStarVolleyball.com?â„¢s All-Texas Team, released in January.
Rhodes joins four others who signed with A&M during the November early signing period. The following is the complete list of A&M volleyball?â„¢s 2006 recruiting class:
2006 Texas A&M Volleyball Recruiting Class
Name, Position, Height, Hometown (High School), Club Team
Sarah Ammerman, OH, 6-2, Parker, Colo. (Chaparral), Front Range Volleyball Club
Jenny Banse, OH, 6-0, San Antonio, Texas (Churchill), Alamo Volleyball Association
Mary Batis, OH, 6-0, San Antonio, Texas (Clark), Alamo Volleyball Association
Cara Quayle, MB, 6-0, Greenwood Village, Colo. (Cherry Creek), Front Range Volleyball Club
Courtnee Rhodes, S, 5-6, Houston, Texas (Cypress Falls), Texas Tornados Volleyball Club