The Review

Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Steven Gold From left to right: Rand, Lively, Gibboney and LaLonde.

From California to New Mexico to Oklahoma, the women's volleyball team has put together a winning squad with representatives from all over the country - except Delaware.

The Hens (22-4, 7-2 Colonial Athletic Association) have banded together to post their best start in school history since 1972. The recruitment over the past few years has helped Delaware climb to No. 1 in the conference.

Delaware head coach Bonnie Kenny said Cindy Gregory, the associate head coach and the rest of the coaching staff constantly search for new talent whenever the schedule allows them to recruit.

"If we aren't playing, we are recruiting," Kenny said. "We want to get kids to visit the campus. The campus sells itself."

She said Delaware has 12 scholarships to give out to help with the recruiting process. The team is allowed to start offering scholarships to high school standouts once students enter their junior year.

Senior captain Megan Welch said one reason for the Hens' success is how well the coaches recruit top talent to attend the university. This season's volleyball squad is talented individually, but even more intimidating as a team.

Welch, who resides in Yorba Linda, Calif., was recruited to play for Delaware from the Sunshine State. Welch said Georgetown and Cornell recruiters showed interest in her before she broke her wrist during her junior season in high school. After her injury, Welch said she considered giving up on the sport or walking onto a team in college.

She said she always wanted to attend a school in a different part of the country and after Delaware contacted her, it was the perfect fit.

"I personally wanted an adventure," she said. "I'm from California and had never been to the East Coast."

Welch said she was not considering Delaware until the coaching staff approached her to play.

"Volleyball is so big in California, I honestly wouldn't have known [about UD] unless the coaches recruited me," Welch said.

The West is home to Pacific-10 perennial powerhouses like Stanford and Washington - who are tied for first in the conference with a record of 18-1 - Southern California, UCLA and California.

The state of Delaware is only home to three volleyball programs: Delaware State, Wilmington College and Delaware.

Continued...

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