Courtesy of Bob Heller, USP SID

PHILADELPHIA, PA - The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Department of Athletics and Head Women's Volleyball coach Jessa D'Achille are pleased to announce their freshman class  of incoming volleyball players for the 2009-10 academic year.

Four high school seniors have signed scholarship letters and will be joining the USP volleyball team in the fall of 2009 as the Devils seek to replace three starters from the 2008 squad, including four-time all-conference libero Claire Tauschek.

Tauschek's replacement comes from nearby Pennsbury High School in the form of first-team Suburban One National Conference player Stacy Wooden.  Wooden helped lead her team to an 11-1 conference record (21-13 overall) and into the quarterfinals of the PIAA District One tournament.  The Levittown, Pennsylvania native led the Falcons with 315 digs and was third on the team with 41 service aces.  Academically, Wooden will major in pharmacology/toxicology.

Joining Wooden will be middle blocker/right side hitter Sara Montgomery from Knoch High School (Saxonburg, Pa.).  The 6'0" senior from Butler, Pennsylvania earned First Team Section 2-AA All-WPIAL honors this season and helped lead Knoch to the second round of the WPIAL Class AA Playoffs.  Montgomery will be an Occupation Therapy major as part of USP's College of Health Sciences.

The Tatnall School's (Wilmington, Delaware) Ari Leland is the third signee for the Devils.  Leland led the Hornets with 149 kills and 167 digs. The 5'6 senior from New Castle, Delaware earned All-State honors this season and was a Gatorade Player of the Year nominee. Leland was a three-sport athlete at Tatnall.  She has yet to declare a major.

Rounding out the four newcomers for 2009 will be Danielle Voils of Speedway High School in Speedway, Indiana.  The 5'7" senior helped lead her team to a 25-6 record in the fall.  Voils is a recipient of USP's Eli Lilly Scholarship, a full tuition academic award. Voils will major in Physical Therapy as part of USP's college of Health Sciences.

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's volleyball team went 11-8 overall and 9-9 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference matches in 2008, failing to qualify for the conference playoffs for only the second  time since become an active NCAA Division II member in 2003.