Murray State University Athletics
Volleyball Signs Three For 2008 Season
11/16/2007 6:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Murray State volleyball head coach David Schwepker announced the signing of three players for the 2008 season. Signed to play for the Racers are Mary Cunningham of St. Charles, Mo.; Teresa Krog of Elgin, Ill.; and Kayleah Sauer of Louisville, Ky.
Cunningham is a 6-0 middle hitter at St. Charles West High School. She was named to the All-Gateway Athletic Conference North First Team and the All-GAC North Academic Team. This season, through Nov. 13, she has 101 blocks, averaging 1.33 blocks per game, and 430 digs, averaging 4.72 digs per game, bolstering St. Charles West to a 25-10-1 record. She has a team-high 245 kills, averaging 3.22 per game, and a .380 attack percentage to go with 43 aces. In 2006, she led the Warriors with 208 kills and 111 blocks to go with 40 aces.
"Mary is a very smart middle, but her best asset is her incredibly quick arm swing," Schwepker said. "She has a true middle blocker arm swing, and that is really rare to find."
Krog is a 6-1 middle hitter at Chicago-area Burlington Central High School in Burlington, Ill., and lives in Elgin, the hometown of current Racer Alyssa Groves, who attended St. Edward High School. Krog helped the Rockets to a perfect 10-0 record in the Big Northern East Conference this season, the first team title since 1986, and a 32-3 overall record, falling to state quarterfinalist Sycamore in the regional finals. She was named to the Fox Valley All-Area Team, finishing her senior season with a team-high 252 kills and a .501 attack percentage to go with 48 aces. Krog also plays for the Sky High club team.
"Teresa played on the 17-1 Sky High club team, a highly respected volleyball club," Schwepker said. "I consider her as a player who will get the job done, as opposed to a flashy player. She will be a good addition to the team academically and athletically."
Sauer is a libero at Mercy Academy in Louisville who also plays for the noted Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Academy (KIVA) club team. She helped Mercy to a 30-4 mark this season, falling in the state semifinals to eventual champion Assumption (the alma mater of current Racer Sara Hayden). She also helped Mercy remain as a top-10 nationally-ranked team by PrepVolleyball.com. Sauer also helped the Asics KIVA 16 Red team earned a third-place finish in the Gold Division at the 2006 Junior Olympics and helped the Asics KIVA 15 Red team to a second-place finish in the Gold Division at the 2005 Junior Olympics.
"Kayleah will have to fill Heather Norris's shoes after next year," Schwepker said. "She is an exceptional athlete with a great passing platform and technique. She is an outstanding passer and defender, and will be as much a crowd-pleaser as Heather is. I think she will help keep the tradition of great defense at Murray State."
