Volleyball Signs Four
November 13, 2003 | Volleyball
The University of Wisconsin volleyball program has announced the signing of four student-athletes to national letters of intent, coach Pete Waite announced today. Audra Jeffers from Hartland, Wis., Taylor Reineke from Naperville, Ill., Jackie Simpson from Downers Grove, Ill., and Jocelyn Wack from Salem, Wis., have signed to play with the Badgers beginning in the fall of 2004.
'I am very excited about the class we are signing this year and I really believe it will be one of the best in the country,' said UW coach Pete Waite. 'Our goals were to bring in more height, better ball control, and proven winners. Each of these players helps us fill those needs, and on top of that, they all have great attitudes. We believe we got the very top players from Illinois and Wisconsin.
'In this class, we have people who can play the outside, middle and setting positions. They bring the size and athletic ability that will really improve our blocking and defense. They are winners who have each been major factors during their years in high school, and I know they can do the same at the college level. This is a group of blue chippers who I think will have a major impact on our program.
Jeffers, a 6-2 middle blocker, led Hartland Arrowhead High School to the recent WIAA sectionals, where the Warhawks lost to Menomonee Falls. She was named a first-team all-state honoree and the Classic 8 Conference Player of the Year as a senior. Jeffers is a two-time all-conference selection and a two-time team captain.
As a member of the Milwaukee Sting Volleyball Club, Jeffers was a member of the championship team at the 2003 Asics national tournament and also finished fifth at the 2003 Junior Olympics. She is a member of the high honor roll with a grade point average of 3.8. Jeffers is a member of the student senate and participated in the state solo ensemble in both voice and piano. She chose Wisconsin over Northwestern, Illinois and Arizona State.
'Audra is an exceptional athlete who possesses some great agility and foot speed,' says Waite. 'She is fairly new to playing the sport at a high level so we see a great upside for her in the future. We were able to work with her when she attended our camps and we were impressed with her ability to play a number of positions. Her father Bob is a former baseball player here at Wisconsin so we are happy that we can continue the tradition of Badger athletes from their family.
Reineke, a 6-3 middle blocker, is a 2001 and 2002 AAU Junior National All-American. She also earned All-America honors in 2003 at the National Junior Olympics. As a member of the Sports Performance Volleyball Club, she won a gold medal at the 2003 National Junior Olympics in the 18-open division and at the 2003 National Junior Classic. Reineke also won gold at the 2001 and 2002 AAU Junior National Championships and a silver medal at the 2003 AAU Junior National Championships.
Reineke is playing for the Illinois State AA championship with Naperville North High School this weekend. As a junior, she was a first-time all-conference and all-area selection while earning honorable mention all-state honors. Reineke is a three-year member of the Dean's List. She chose Wisconsin over Georgia Tech, Penn State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Illinois.
'Taylor is the tallest player in this class and she will be a force to be reckoned with in the middle,' says Waite 'She's coming off of a national championship season with her club team from last summer and she's playing for a high school state championship this weekend. I was impressed with the size of her block jump the first time I saw her as a sophomore and she has raised her offensive game to the level that all opponents have to respect. Taylor plays with a lot of confidence and I'm excited about everything she brings to our team.'
Simpson, a 6-1 setter, was a member of the 2002 USA Volleyball High Performance A2 team. She is ranked among the top 50 prospects by both Student Sports Magazine and PrepVolleyball.com. Simpson, who plays on the Sports Performance Volleyball Club with Reineke, also won a gold medal at the 2003 National Junior Olympics in the 18-open division, gold at the 2003 National Junior Classic, gold at the 2001 and 2002 AAU Junior National Championships and silver at the 2003 AAU Junior National Championships.
Simpson was captain of the 2003 Downers Grove South High School team, which recently lost in the sectional finals of the state tournament to Reineke and Naperville North High School. She was a second-team all-state selection by both the Chicago Tribune and Champaign News Gazette in 2002 as well being named to the state all-tournament team. Simpson chose Wisconsin over Michigan State, North Carolina, Kansas State and Colorado.
'As a tall setter, Jackie brings a big block and the ability to take passes and digs from high above the net,' says Waite. 'She not only has the size but a great jump to go with it. She can jump and touch a basketball rim, so I know she will create some havoc for opponents at the net. Jackie comes from great high school and club programs that are known for their work ethic and toughness. Since she competes under Sports Performance with Taylor, we know she already has a strong connection to one of her teammates. Jackie really has a great mind for the sport and I think she'll do an exceptional job leading the team as a setter.'
Wack, a 5-11 outside hitter/defensive specialist, recently led Westosha Central High School to the state division 1 championship. She earned state all-tournament honors and was named first-team all-state for the second consecutive year despite missing half of the season due to preseason knee surgery. In 2002, Wack was named the Gatorade Player of the Year and was the Lakeshore Conference Player of the Year.
As a member of the Milwaukee Sting Volleyball Club, she was named the MVP of the 2002 and 2003 National Junior Classic. Wack was also a 2001, 2002 and 2003 all-tournament selection at the Junior Nationals and is ranked at the No. 22 Senior Ace by PrepVolleyball.com. She chose Wisconsin over UCLA, UC Santa Barbara and Florida State.
'Jocelyn brings the type of ball control to our team that every program needs if they want to win a championship,' says Waite. 'She has an uncanny ability to make defensive plays and her serve receive skills are excellent. Jo is a great outside hitter with a wide range of shots who is also so good defensively that she could contribute immediately in the libero position. Her defensive skills will help everything in our offense run better and she has a quiet way of frustrating opponents by bringing up their best hits.'
Wisconsin is currently ranked 23rd in the USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. The Badgers are 18-7 overall and tied for second in the Big Ten Conference at 10-3.
'Our recruiting staff of Christy Johnson and Rod Wilde worked very hard and did a great job to bring this class together,' says Waite. 'We are all looking forward to seeing this class mature and seeing just how far they can go as Badgers.'
