Volleyball inks three in early signing period
November 26, 2012
Jamie Foland
474-6807
Head coach Phil Shoemaker and assistant coach Mallory Larranaga announced the Alaska women's volleyball team has signed three players to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period.
The three future Nanooks are Cassidy Brewer (East Wenatchee, Wash./Eastmont), Tessa Butterfield (Grass Valley, Calif./San Diego City College) and Lilah Hudson (Seattle, Wash./Kennedy Catholic).
“I definitely feel this group brings an infusion of physical talent we really need to move forward,” Shoemaker said. “The last couple years we've had issues with height and certainly Lilah and Cassidy are going to help us in that regard besides the fact that they're really exciting athletes. Tessa is a superb athlete and we realize that Ally's shoes are big ones to fill and the importance of the libero position. We're excited for Tessa and what she'll be able to contribute.”
“All three of them are people of good character, which has been a trend of Alaska volleyball,” Larranaga said. “They're great students as well and we're very happy to have them. We think they will make a completion for our team.”
Brewer, a 6-1 middle blocker/outside hitter, is a four-year letter winner at Eastmont High School in Washington. She was a First Team All-Big 9 Conference for 3A outside hitters as a junior and was tabbed as an Honorable Mention honoree in 4A as a senior. The past two seasons, Brewer was team captain for the Wildcats and was voted the team's Most Valuable Player following the 2011 year. Her single-best outing in high school came during her junior year when she compiled nearly 30 kills against Sunnyside.
She was also an Athletic Scholar from 2010-12. In addition to playing for Eastmont, Brewer was also a member of the club teams NCWVBC from 2006-09 and Team Yakima from 2010-12. A dual-sport athlete, she also competed two seasons as a thrower for the track and field team. Brewer intends to major in Business marketing.
“She's a powerful offensive hitter as well as a blocker,” Larranaga said. “In a recruiting gym, you heard her kills and couldn't help but look, which we wanted immediately.”
Butterfield, a 5-7 hitter/defensive specialist, is a junior college transfer from San Diego City College where she spent the previous two seasons. She is a two-time First Team All-Pacific Coast Athletic Conference selection and was an All-Tournament member as a sophomore. She was the team's captain both seasons and was named Most Valuable Player at SDCC in her second year with the team.
Butterfield led the PCAC with 3.60 kills per set and was third in conference play with a .311 hitting percentage. She also ranked fourth in league play with 3.91 digs per set. She tallied 187 kills and 159 digs for the season. Prior to coming to SDCC, she graduated from Nevada Union High School where she was a tri-sport athlete. She was named the Sierra Foothill League's MVP as a junior and led her team to a league championship and runner-up finish as a freshman and sophomore. Butterfield intends to major in Criminal justice when she enrolls in the fall.
“She's a complete athlete with solid movements and obviously she has big shoes to fill,” Larranaga said. “It was nice to have her up on the visit and to meet Ally and understand the role she's going to play. We're thankful for her leadership position and hard-working competitive attitude. She'll take us to the next step we need to be defensively.”
Hudson, a 6-3 middle blocker/right side, is a four-year letter winner at Kennedy Catholic School in Washington. She was a Second Team All-Seamount League member as a senior for the Lancers while being named Honorable Mention as a junior. Hudson also received the Skyhigh Block Award in 2010-11 by the Cascade U-17 Coaching Staff.
Outside of volleyball, she was a teenage volunteer at the Seattle Aquarium for the past two summers. Upon coming to Alaska, she intends to major in Wildlife Biology.
“The thing that impresses me most about Lilah is her blocking tendencies,” Larranaga said. She has an extremely powerful block. She penetrated the net well and also has a nice reach being 6-3 and an offensive player that will help us in the middle and on the right side.”