Privateers Volleyball Secures Nine New Players for 2015

SIGNEE VIDEOS: BOGDA | DUNN | GRICE | HINDENBERG | IRBY | LAU | LINDSEY | REIMER | ULINE

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans Privateers volleyball team has added nine new players for the class of 2015 including the first scholarship player signed for sand volleyball, the Athletic Department announced on Tuesday.

Coach Van Norden went to New York to bring two players into the fold in Stephanie Bogda and Samantha Uline. Bogda is a setter/libero who prepped at St. Francis Preparatory High School and was ranked in the Top Ten in the VolleyAmerica U18 rankings in sand volleyball for 2013-14. Bogda also will make history as the first to receive a sand volleyball scholarship to New Orleans.                                                 

                                                                                      

"I am very excited about the opportunities that we can extend through our sand program.  Hosting a sand team allows New Orleans to offer a unique opportunity to many student athletes and an opportunity for us to grow our sport.  I have always felt the future here is going to be bright and this is just another positive opportunity that New Orleans can provide.  Steph is as strong of an indoor player as she is outdoor.  Her impeccable work ethic and determination are exactly what we need to launch our program," said Head Coach Millicent Van Norden.
 

Uline was a two-time All-Section pick while at Suffern High School and was First Team All-State as a senior. Uline is a defensive specialist/libero who was the MVP of her club team and of her junior varsity team before being pulled up to varsity level. In her sophomore year, Uline garnered All-County honors.

Shaylene Reimer of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada is among the nine-player class for 2015. Reimer, a 5-6 libero, was Provincial MVP as a sophomore and earned First Team All-Canadian as a junior. Reimer was also named a Provincial All-Star in her junior season while at Pacific Academy.

Coach Van Norden also brought in some international flavor to next year's roster with the signing of Camila Jochims Lau from Brazil. Lau is a native of Porto Alegre and offers more size on the front line at 6'1". Lau started for Gremio Nautico Uniao, one of her state's top youth teams and was called to start for the all-state team in 2013 and 2014. 

The Privateers also garnered the services of Lane Hindenburg, a 6-0 outside hitter from Palatine, Ill. Hindenburg was an All-Conference selection from her sophomore through her senior season at Fremd High School.

Also joining the Privateers is KeKe Irby of Liberty Township, Ohio. Irby was named team captain as a senior and was selected for the Coaches Award for leadership in 2011 at her high school, Bishop O'Connell. Irby is transferring over from Pittsburgh where she redshirted in 2012, which was also during Van Norden's season as an assistant at Pittsburgh.
 
Kaitlyn Grice is the tallest player in the group of a class that features three players 6-0 or taller. Grice garnered All-County Second Team recognition at Bloomingdale High School in Fla. Grice was also a National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta member at Bloomingdale. Her mother, Patti played volleyball at the University of Tampa. Grice recorded nearly 200 kills in 71 sets as a senior.                     
                                                                                                       

 "This entire recruiting class for us has allowed us to address a number of issues that we had this past season.  In areas like height, ball control, depth, and competitive edge just to name a few.  These young ladies

 bring with them a culture of winning that we need at New Orleans," said Van Norden.                                                    

Also from the Gulf Coast, Blessing Dunn of Jacksonville, Ala. will join the Privateers next year. Dunn was a four-year All-State selection at Jacksonville High School and was her county's Offensive MVP in 2013 and was All-County MVP in her senior season.

Dunn is an outside hitter who helped lead Jacksonville to a state championship as a junior and a state finalist appearance as a senior.        

Capping off the class, the Privateers also brought in Zoe Lindsey of Bull Park, Ill. Lindsey was a two-time All-Conference selection and a four-year letter winner at McHenry West High School. Lindsey also was named to All-Tournament teams at the Lake Forest Invitational and the Prospect High School Invitational. Lindsey is a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society.

In Van Norden's first class at New Orleans, getting depth at multiple positions was the focus. "So many times this past season we were only one play/point away from a win or a loss in a set and I am confident that although we will be young, we will have the depth and determination to overcome many diverse situations." 

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