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News Release

UMBC Volleyball Adds Two for 2009 Season

4/21/2009

BALTIMORE—UMBC head volleyball coach Ian Blanchard announced today that Naomi Bush and Katie Kelly have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Retrievers for the 2009 season.

Bush, a 6-foot outside hitter from Fruitport, Mich., led her Fruitport High School team to the Michigan Class B State Championship match in the fall of 2008. Bush led the Trojans to an upset of the No. 1-ranked team, North Branch, in the state semifinals with 22 kills and 26 digs. For her efforts, Bush was named First-Team All-State for Class B by the Michigan Coaches’ Association, First-Team All-Area and First-Team All-Western Waterways League. In her junior year, she was named Third-Team All-State for Class B, First-Team All-Area and First-Team All-Western Waterways League.

“Naomi is a very experienced outside hitter who is looking forward to stepping up to the challenge of competing for significant playing time,” Blanchard said. “She has a very fast arm and is very powerful at the net.” 

Kelly, a 6-1 middle and outside hitter from Diamond Bar, Calif., earned All-Inland Valley Region Third Team and All-Sierra League First Team honors after leading Diamond Bar High School to the Sierra League championship. Kelly helped lead the Brahmas to a 21-5 record her senior year, when she hit .294 with 100 kills, 55 total blocks and 20 service aces. She was also named to the All-Academic team as a senior.

“Between her high school and club teams, Katie has had the opportunity to play in some of the most competitive environments in the country,” Blanchard said. “She has a great work ethic, is a high-energy person and is determined to work as hard as she possibly can when she gets to UMBC to help us towards our goal of an America East Championship.”

Bush and Kelly join Ali Loynachan, who signed in the fall. All three will have the opportunity to compete for starting positions for Blanchard, who has coached three America East Rookies of the Year in four years. Sarah Ball (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada/Sisler), Ashley Oscars (Bakersfield, Calif./Liberty) and Alyssa Lang (Richmond, Va./Deep Run) won the awards in 2005, 2006 and 2008, respectively and will all return to the Retrievers in 2009.

“We have a good track record having freshmen come in and performing well in conference for us so we are really excited about Naomi, Katie and Ali all coming in.”