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Campbell University

Volleyball Rounds Out Recruiting Class, Adding Three for 2009

BUIES CREEK, N.C.-Completing its 2009 roster, Campbell volleyball signed three more recruits, adding international and collegiate experience to an already strong returning group, announced today by head coach Leigh Mullins.

The Camels will also add a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I All-American outside hitter to their roster, Florida Community College-Jacksonville transfer Allyson Goldbach. The two-time Second Team All-American and 2008 Preseason NJCAA All-American finished 20th nationally in kills per game with 4.12 in 2007and sixth in NCJAA Region Eight in kills and aces per set in 2008, as well as 14th in digs.

These numbers also earned Goldbach two Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference honors in each of her two years at FCCJ, leading the Stars to their 15th consecutive conference championship. Goldbach was also selected to the Florida Region All-State/All-Region Team and the Regional All-Tournament Team, setting the FCCJ single-season record in total kills and kills per game, while amassing the second most digs in FCCJ single-season history. The two-time FCCAA Player of the Week paced FCCJ to a 22-7 record and a No. 16 final national ranking in 2007 and a 24-5 and a No. 20 final national ranking in 2008.

Before her two seasons at FCCJ, Goldbach lettered four seasons with Jupiter High School in her native Jupiter, Fla., where the Warriors took four consecutive district championships and a regional championship with a state final four berth in 2003. Goldbach was named all-conference three times, including a pair of first team honors with all-county accolades from the Palm Beach Sun as a junior and senior, and an honorable mention as a sophomore. The 5-foot-10 outside hitter also took home accolades from the Sun Sentinel and Palm Beach Post, being inducted in the Jupiter H.S. Wall of Fame in 2007.

The rising junior also competed in Croatia in July of 2007 with Team Florida, a Junior National High Performance Team, and served as co-captain on the IVA Elite Team at the club level that same year. Goldbach notched a regional championship, followed by a regional runner-up finish with Club Volei-Tech Elite in 2005 and 2006, respectively, competing in the 2006 Junior Olympics in Atlanta in 2006. Goldbach also lettered in soccer as a freshman and sophomore at Jupiter.

"Allison was a junior college all-American and will be a junior with experience," added Mullins. "She brings fire to our team, and is a winner that doesn't accept any less. That drive will only add to that of our returners, who have been working hard over the offseason and summer."

The final signee, Paige Tortorello, also has two years of collegiate experience, coming to Buies Creek after two seasons as a setter at Maine. Though missing most of the 2008 season due to injury, Tortorello was named to the America East Academic Honor Roll for second-straight year and helped Maine to a fourth place finish at the American East Tournament in the program's final season (the University of Maine announced it would cut both volleyball and men's soccer, effective June 30, 2009). Tortorello was also voted team captain for Spring 2009 season.

As a freshman, the setter appeared in 87 sets, ad was named America East Setter of the Week on Oct. 29, 2007 after setting a career high with 62 assists, 13 digs and three kills in a win against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The Mundelein, Ill. Native totaled 24 kills, 645 assists, 142 digs, 21 service aces and 11 blocks over the season, leading the Black Bears in assists while reaching double-digit assists in 24 matches.

A standout at Mundelein High School, Tortorello was named First Team All-Suburban Conference three times, earning All-Area honors three times from the News Sun Press, as well as accolades from the Daily Herald three years.

Tortorello, one of five siblings, comes from an athletic family, having five relatives who participated in major athletics. Her sister, Whitney, was a setter at Connecticut, while cousins Sam, Liz and Katie Tortorello were setters at Penn State, Wisconsin and Boston College, respectively. Sam was even a three-time all-American and US Olympic team member, while Liz also served as head women's volleyball coach at Loyola University-Chicago. Her grandfather, Tony Tortorello, meanwhile, was an NBA and Big 10 head official.

"Transferring in from Maine, Paige is the final piece to the puzzle for this team," said Mullins. "She is coming in with Division I experience, something you never get with a recruited player. I look for Paige to step in and immediately help with the depth of our program."

Katie Jasnica, one of two true freshmen in the 2009 CU class, comes to Campbell from Joliet Catholic Academy in the Chicago, Ill. area. The 6-foot-1 Jasnica, who was an outside hitter at the prep level, will be a middle blocker and right side hitter for the Camels. Jasnica led Joliet Catholic to an 18-2 East Suburban Catholic Conference record and a 75-9 overall mark over her final two seasons. The Angels also captured 2007 and 2008 sectional and regional championships, as well as a 2008 super-sectional title. Most notably, the Angels won the Illinois High School Association 3A State Championship in 2008. Jasnica was also named honorable mention all-conference in 2007.

The Romeoville, Ill. native played on Sports Performance from 2005-09, one of the most prominent club teams in the county. The team enjoyed success throughout Jasnica's time with the team, including a fifth place national finish in 2006. Jasnica led the team to two tournament titles and a fifth place finish at the AAU championships as a junior. As the team's captain in 2008, Jasnica led Sports Performance to a Silver Division title at the Pre-Nationals, second in the Bronze Division at the AAU championships, finishing fifth in the New Orleans Tournament.

"Coming from a high quality club in the Chicago area, she is familiar with competing at a high level," said Mullins. "Her athleticism and versatility will add great depth to our offense."

"This is my one of the top-three recruiting classes that I've ever had," said Mullins. "These three future student-athletes added with Jordan Reaves, who signed with us early, will make a great class."

Reaves, a Holly Springs High School standout, earned Greater Neuse River Conference Player of the Year honors as a senior with the Golden Hawks, leading Holly Springs to its second consecutive regular season and first ever league tournament championships.

The 5-foot-11 outside hitter was a four-time first team all-conference performer, being named to the All-Greater Neuse River squad from 2006-08, and the All-Tri Seven Conference team as a freshman. Reaves was also a four-time academic all-conference performer.

Campbell will open its season at the North Carolina State Tournament on Aug. 28, matching up with Davidson, Charleston Southern and Morgan State in addition to the Wolfpack.

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