Miner Sports News

• Lady Miner volleyball team adds three signees for 2008 season
  published on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:06:49 -0600

  Missouri S&T volleyball coach Jason Holt has announced the signing of three student-athletes to National Letter of Intent to play at S&T during the upcoming 2008 season.

  The latest signees are Danielle Kracl, a setter from Burke High School in Omaha, Neb.; Julie Meyer, an outside hitter from St. Francis Borgia High School in Washington, Mo.; and Chelsea Winkelmann, an outside hitter from Hermann High School in Hermann, Mo.

  The three join Erin Bekebrede, an outside hitter from St. Charles High School in St. Charles, Mo., who signed with S&T during the early signing period in November.

  Following are profiles and comments on the new members of the Lady Miner volleyball team:

  DANIELLE KRACL, a 5-7 setter from Burke High School in Omaha, Neb.: Kracl was named to the all-metro and all-state honorable mention teams following her senior season in the highly volleyball competitive state of Nebraska after finishing the 2007 season ranked among the top 10 in Class A in both set assists and service aces. She earned the same honors following her junior season, helping lead her team to a District A-1 Championship in 2006 and a 8th place finish in Class A State. Kracl was named team captain and voted Outstanding Team Leader during her final two seasons. She played club volleyball for Omaha Wave, where she helped lead her team to a four Junior Olympic National tournaments during her club career.

  Head coach Jason Holt: “We are extremely excited to have Dani join us in our sophomore season as a program. Dani brings with her a wealth of very solid technical volleyball skills and knowledge to our setting position. She is extremely competitive and posses a wonderful touch on the ball, allowing her to make great decisions and run a very effective offense. She will do a great job running the court for the Miners.”

  JULIE MEYER, a 5-9 outside hitter from St. Francis Borgia High School in Washington, Mo.: Meyer was a multi-year first-team all-conference, all-area, all-district, all-region and all-state player at Borgia, finishing her senior season in 2007 with 352 kills on only 617 attack attempts, hitting 4.29 kills per game and a .439 attack pct. She also finished with 106 total blocks (50 solo and 56 assisted), 403 digs (4.12 per game), and 23 service aces. Julie played on the Rockwood Thunder Volleyball Club team through her junior year, while taking her senior year to focus on basketball; she also plans to be a member of the Lady Miner women's basketball program at Missouri S&T.

  Head coach Jason Holt: “Julie brings to Missouri S&T an outstanding resume on both the volleyball and basketball courts. She has tremendous jumping ability with an extremely aggressive and productive arm swing, both on and off the net. Julie is also a great defensive player, leading her team in both defensive digs and blocking. She is a fierce competitor who hates to lose, and that is the kind of attitude on the court that we are always looking for."

  CHELSEA WINKELMANN, a 5-8 outside hitter from Hermann High School in Hermann, Mo.: Winkelmann is also a multi-year first team all-conference, all-area, all-district, all-region and all-state player. She helped lead Hermann to the 2006 state championship and a third place finish in her senior year, finishing with a total of 326 kills, for an average of 3.88 kills per game and an attack percentage of .274. Chelsea also registered 51 total blocks (34 solo and 17 assisted), 237 digs, and 44 service aces during her final year of high school volleyball.

  Head coach Jason Holt: "Chelsea is a great find for us. She is a strong outside and right side hitter as well as possible defensive specialist who happened to be looking for a strong chemical engineering program...Missouri S&T fits the bill both academically and athletically for her. I am very excited to have another great athlete like Chelsea join our roster next fall. She posses great ball and body control on the court and should provide us with excellent depth on both pins and in the back court."

  For more on the 2008 Lady Miner recruiting class, click here