Orangeburg, SC--South Carolina State head women's volleyball coach Millicent Sylvan, announced the signing of the Lady Bulldogs 2010 recruiting class. These eight young ladies signed their national letters of intent during the November signing period.
Inking pacts with SC State were Alyse Lewis, Beatrice Douglass, Desiree Waller, Victoria Williams, Taylor Bailey, Mikayla Charles, and South Carolina natives Blake Banner and Caleen Hawkins.
Alyse Lewis, a 6-0 middle hitter, who hails from Newnan, GA (Northgate HS), is a two-sport athlete at Northgate. In addition to volleyball, she is a standout on the varsity girl's basketball team.
Beatrice Douglas, 5-11, middle hitter, from Silsbee, TX (Silsbee HS) will help fill the void of the middle vacated by the Lady Bulldog 2009 seniors. Douglas, a two-sport athlete at Silsbee (also plays basketball), was a member of the 21-3A Volleyball First Team All-District.
Desiree Waller a 6-1 middle hitter from Houston, TX (Alief Taylor HS) was a four-year letterwinner at Alief Taylor. Waller was twice named to the 18-5A First-Team All District (2008 & 2009). Her accolades also include being named her team's 2008 Offensive Player-of-the-Year and 2009 Co-Offensive Player-of-the-Year. During the 2009 season, Waller was named to the Santa Fe Invitational All-Tournament Team.
Waller's teammate, Victoria Williams, 5-0, libero from Houston, TX (Alief Taylor HS) earned her share of accolades as a four-year letterwinner. She was the 2008 and 2009 team defensive Most Valuable Player and was the 2009 18-5A Defensive Player-of-the-Year. She was also twice named to 18-5A First Team All-District.
Taylor Bailey, a 5-9 middle hitter from Lithonia, GA (Heritage HS) led her team in kills, blocks, and hitting percentage with 275, 67 and .484 respectively. She played in the 2009 Senior All-Star Game, the first player ever from Heritage High School to do so. She was named to the 8-4A All-Area Volleyball Team and the Regions Player-of-the-Year.
Mikayla Charles, 6-0, right-side hitter, from Conyers, GA who also hails from Heritage HS garnished her own accolades. She was second on her team in kills with 188 and was named to the 8-4A All-Region First Team.
Blake Banner, 5-8, outside hitter from Beaufort, SC (Beaufort HS), was a four-year varsity letterwinner and two-sport (basketball) athlete at Beaufort. She was named to South Carolina Coaches Association of Women's Sports All-State team in 2009, and received All-Region 8-4A honors in 2008 and 2009. She helped lead the Beaufort team to its first outright region title in 20 years and it's first-ever third-round playoff appearance.
Lastly, Caleen Hawkins, 5-8, from Blythewood, SC (Blythewood HS) was a standout setter in the South Carolina Midlands. As a senior (2009), she named the Region 4-4A Player-of-the-Year and selected for the North/South All-Star game. Also in 2009 she was a member of the All Tournament Team-Sumter Lady Gamecocks Tournament, All Tournament Team-Dorman's Tournament of Champions, All Tournament Team-Lexington's Palmetto Challenge Tournament and a member of the Region 4-4A All-Star Team. She was also named to the Region 4-4A All-Region Team and the Region 4-4A All-State Team. She was once selected as the WLTX Player of the Week (November 21, 2009). In her junior season Hawkins was named to the All-Region and All-State team. Hawkins began receiving her accolades as a sophomore when in 2007 she was a member of the Wando Invitational Tournament Silver Champions, an East Coast Showcase Participant, the recipient of the Blythewood High School Coaches' Choice Award, a member of the Pickens Tournament Champions, a 3A Region Champion, and was a 3A Upper State Finalist. She was also a Two-Time AAU National Championships Participant (2006, 2007).
“I'm excited about the 2010 recruiting class,” says head coach Millicent Sylvan. “I feel with the young ladies we have returning and this class, we should continue to make strides as the season progresses.”
