AASU Volleyball Announces 2009 Recruiting Class

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Armstrong Atlantic State head volleyball coach Will Condon announced his 2009 recruiting class today, inking six players who will join the defending NCAA Southeast Region champions for the Fall.

Freshman middle hitter Amanda Jones (Marietta, Ga. / Kell HS), sophomore middle hitter Leia Pittman (Joplin, Mo. / Lambuth), freshman outside hitter Casey Praznik (Cumming, Ga. / North Forsyth HS), freshman middle hitter Kathrin Standhardinger (Munich, Germany / SV Lohhof), freshman setter Kristin Standhardinger (Munich, Germany / SV Lohhof) and freshman outside/middle hitter Brittany Wolf (Bethlehem, Ga. / Monroe Area HS) comprise the incoming class for coach Condon.

"This was an important recruiting class for us," Condon said. "We only lost two players off our team from last season, but they were definitely big contributors to our success in 2008. We want to expand our roster to increase our competitiveness in practice, but also help prepare for losing five seniors after this season."

Freshman Amanda Jones is a 2008 Georgia All-Star who ranked second in the state in blocks, averaging 1.5 per ga me. She earned All-Area and All-County honors for Kell HS, who advanced to the 5A Final Four this past season. She recorded 349 kills with a .269 hitting percentage and recorded 180.5 blocks. "Amanda is a versatile athlete," Condon said. "What I liked most about her was her ability to take her game to another level when it mattered the most."

C asey Praznik was a three-time All-County performer for North Forsyth HS, also earning Senior All-Star 6A region honors in 2008 and two-time All-Area accolades. "Casey is an excellent all-around player," Condon said. "She has the ability to contribute in so many different ways. She does a lot of the little things necessary for a team to be successful."

Brittany Wolf, meanwhile, is a two-time All-County, All-Area and All-Region honoree while at Monroe Area HS, leading the Hurricanes in blocks and digs as a junior and a senior. She led the state of Georgia in blocks as a junior in 2007. "Brittany is tall, explosive and strong," Condon said. "She has the ability to be a physical force.

"With three players from Georgia, we are starting to make our presence known in an area that is producing more and more high caliber volleyball players every year," Condon said.

Leia Pittman, meanwhile, is a transfer from Lambuth University, where she ranked 8th in NAIA in blocks per game (1.49) for the Lady Eagles in 2008, also hitting .391. She played for College Heights Christian School in Joplin, Mo. "Leia is an explosive athlete," Condon said. "She works very hard in transition and along the net. She has natural blocking instincts that can not be taught."

Finally, the Pirates welcome in sisters Kathrin and Kristin Standhardinger from Munich, Germany. The sisters played for SV Lohhof in Munich, helping them finish second in their division in the 2008-09 season. They also finished second in the U18 German Championship in 2007 and their squad won the Federal Cup (German Championship) four times between 2002 and 2007. "Kathrin is a very polished and skilled middle hitter," Condon said. "She is great off one foot and in transition. Kristin has all of the tools that you want in a setter. She has great hands, runs the middle extremely well and can make plays from anywhere. She also has the size and athletic ability to dominate at the net."

For more information on all of the Pirate signees for 2009, click here.

These six players join 10 returnees from the 2008 squad that went 28-7, captured the Peach Belt Conference regular season and tournament titles and won the NCAA Southeast Region, advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history. The 2009 AASU season begins on August 28-29 at the Anderson (S.C.) Invitational.