Volleyball Recruiting Class Announced
August 25, 2004

Head Coach Rachel Short will have five new volleyball players for The University of Texas at Tyler this season, including former Tyler Lee High School players Kristina Sivertson and Jerushah Bliss-Du Toit.

Sivertson and Bliss-Du Toit will join Ashley Winter, Jordan Hale and Callie Wade in continuing their education at UT Tyler.

“This recruiting class is very strong on the court and in the classroom,” said Short. “Their level of play is impressive and will help our team take the next step forward.”

Sivertson, a 5’11 outside hitter, was named to the 2003 Texas Girls’ Coaches Association 5A All-State team. Her impressive career at Tyler Lee also includes district MVP and Outstanding Hitter awards, first-team All-District honors and academic All-District honors.

Bliss-Du Toit, who played last year at NAIA Southern Nazarene University, picked up her share of honors while at Tyler Lee including first-team All-District, All-East Texas and All-District academic selections.

Coming to UT Tyler from Austin’s Westlake High School is Ashley Winter, a first-team All-District selection as a senior.

Also from the East Texas area is Henderson’s all-star outside hitter/defensive specialist Jordan Hale. Hale, an honorable mention All-State selection, was named to the All-District team all four years in high school. She was also the district’s top server and a member of the academic All-District team.

Rounding out this year’s recruiting class is Callie Wade from Rains High School in Emory. Wade was named the district’s Most Valuable Player in 2003 and was selected to the first-team All-District.

The Patriots will begin only their second season of competition on Sept. 1 as they host a tri-match against Dallas Baptist University and Jarvis Christian College beginning at 3 p.m. at the Herrington Patriot Center.

UT Tyler finished last year in third place in the American Southwest Conference's East Division, an impressive feat for a first-year program. The Patriots were 12-15 overall and 6-10 in conference play in 2003.

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