Ball State University Athletics
Women?s Volleyball Signs Three For 2008
November 20, 2007 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Jennifer Boyd (Evans City, Pa./Seneca Valley H.S./Renaissance Volleyball Club), Brittany McGinnis (Fraser, Mich./Fraser H.S./Michigan Elite) and Kaylee Schembra (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli H.S./Circle City) have each signed national letters of intent to attend Ball State University and compete for the women's volleyball program, according to first-year BSU head coach Dave Boos.
The trio of signees mark the first recruiting class for Boos and his staff at Ball State.
"This is the class that will begin to take Ball State Volleyball in a new direction," Boos said. "Upon my arrival to Ball State in January, we targeted the athletes we believed would have the biggest impact in creating this new identity for the program. Our class of 2008 is a talented group that is hungry to put its stamp on Ball State Volleyball."
Jennifer Boyd, a home-schooled 6-0 middle blocker from Evans City, Pa., is a three-year letterwinner in volleyball at Seneca Valley H.S. for coaches Heather Haff and Karen Martini. A two-time All-Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League First Team selection, Boyd helped guide the Raiders to a pair of Section AAA Championships as well as a WPIAL Championship over her career.
This past season, Boyd amassed 122 kills and 103 blocks while guiding Seneca Valley to a 16-3 overall record and a Section AAA Championship. She also picked up All-Section First Team and All-WPIAL First Team accolades for her strong play as a senior, marking the second-straight season she has collected both honors.
In addition to volleyball, Boyd is a three-year letterwinner in track and field at Seneca Valley and enters her senior season as a three-time team Most Valuable Player. In two trips to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletics Association Championships, Boyd placed as high as 10th in the long jump, 10th in the triple jump and 13th in the high jump. Boyd's mother Karen competed in track and field for Anderson University.
"Jen is a fantastic athlete with high-end potential," Boos said. "She is uniquely fast laterally and very fast off the ground. Jen will come into the program with a high level of training and immediately raise the athleticism in our gym. She is the type of athlete coaches can not wait to work with."
Brittany McGinnis, a 5-10 setter from Fraser, Mich., is a four-year letterwinner in volleyball at Fraser H.S. for coach Melissa Criester. A two-time team Most Valuable Player, McGinnis has helped guide the Ramblers to three Class A state semifinal appearances, including a berth in the championship match her sophomore season.
This past season, McGinnis finished third in voting for the Michigan Volleyball Coaches Association 2007 Miss Volleyball award, while guiding Fraser to a 36-14-2 overall record and a trip to the Class A state semifinals. A two-time all-region first team selection, McGinnis was a member of the 2007 Youth National A2 Team and of the 2005-06 USA High Performance 1A Camp.
McGinnis comes from a very athletic family, as both her older sisters play college volleyball. Her oldest sister Angie was the 2006 SEC Player of the Year and an AVCA All-America First Team selection as a junior setter at Florida and has the Gators ranked eighth in the country this season entering the final weekend of the regular season. Her other sister, Mary, helped Madonna University win the 2007 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and earn the right to host the NAIA Region VIII Tournament. In addition, her mother Dawn competed in track and field at Michigan, and her father Patrick competed in track and field at Eastern Michigan.
"Brittany is going to make an immediate impact in the program," Boos said. "She comes from a volleyball family and understands the game at an elite level. Not only is Brittany an incredibly talented setter, but she is also extremely skilled in all areas of the game. Brittany was my first commitment as the Ball State Head Coach and will be a major piece of our return to the top of the MAC."
Kaylee Schembra, a 5-4 defensive specialist from Indianapolis, Ind., is a four-year letterwinner in volleyball at Roncalli H.S. for her mother Kathy Nalley-Schembra. A two-time 3A All-State First Team selection, Schembra helped guide the Rebels to the 2006 Class 3A State Championship and a No. 16 ranking in the country according to PrepVolleyball.com.
This past season, Schembra collected a school-record 645 digs to help guide Roncalli to a 27-6 overall record and a sectional runner-up finish. A two-time Indianapolis Star All-Marion County Team selection and a member of the 3A All-Star South Team as a senior, Schembra also helped the Rebels' program surpass the 900 win mark, making it the second-most successful program in the state of Indiana in terms of all-time wins.
When Schembra joins the Cardinals next fall, she will become the fourth member of her immediate family to put on a Cardinals' uniform. Two of her three older brothers were four-year letterwinners in football for the Cardinals, while her mother was a two-sport star at BSU. Sean Schembra played for the Cardinals from 1999-2002, while Tommy Schembra played for BSU from 2001-04. Her mother, who graduated from Ball State in 1972 after playing both field hockey and softball, has earned the Ball State Alumnus of the Year award three times (1981, 1998 and 2006). Her father Larry played football for the University of Indianapolis.
"Kaylee is a tremendous in-state talent with elite ball handling skills," Boos said. "Kaylee is a winner that has experienced all possible successes at the high school level. She will come to the program ready to contribute immediately. Our ball control will be the foundation of the success of this program and Kaylee will be a significant part of this."
