Feb. 3, 2011

DAYTON, Ohio – Head Coach Kelly Sheffield announced the addition of defensive specialist Rachel Jones to the University of Dayton volleyball program for the 2011-12 academic year on Thursday.

As a four-year starter for Upper St. Clair High School in the Pittsburgh, Pa., area, Jones guided the Panthers to four consecutive PIAA Section 2 titles and a combined 51-8 record. As a senior, Jones earned First Team All-WPIAL Class AAA, First Team All-Section 2 AAA, and was named a “Terrific 21” Class AAA All-Star for the second consecutive season.   

"Rachel has the characteristics that you think of when you think of Dayton Flyer Volleyball,” Head Coach Kelly Sheffield said. “She's tough, ultra competitive, coachable, and wants to be great. She is very athletic and has a Rachael Broerman quality in that she's willing to run through walls, if necessary. She comes from the same club that Becky Novacek played for, and is getting really good training. Rachel has all the qualities to be a dominant player at her position for us."

Jones is considered to be one of  the best athletes to go through Renaissance Volleyball Club, the same club team which produced Novacek – the 2010 Atlantic 10 Student-Athlete of the Year and a two-time First Team All-Conference performer. Jones was also named to the 2010 AVCA Under Armour All-America Watch List as one of the top 300 players in the nation, along with fellow 2011 Dayton signees Isolde Hannan and Kaitlyn Krause.

Jones is a member of the National Honor Society at Upper St. Clair and will study in the Physical Science Program as a student-athlete at UD. She is the daughter of Daniel and Debra Jones and has two siblings, Stephanie and Jeremy.

Recruiting Class of 2011
Rachel Jones	L/DS	Upper St. Clair, Pa.	Upper St. Clair HS
Isolde Hannan	MH	Dublin, Ohio	Dublin Coffman HS
Kaitlyn Krause	S	Farmington Hills, Mich.	North Farmington HS

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WPIAL - Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League
PIAA – Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association