Tiger Volleyball Inks Three High School Standouts To 2004 Team

Nov. 12, 2003

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson head volleyball coach Jolene Jordan Hoover announced the signing of three high school standouts to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday. Leslie Mansfield, Brittany Ross and Meghan Steiner will join the Clemson team in August of 2004.

“This class has addressed some of our needs,” said Hoover. “All three of these players can play multiple positions. Their versatility coupled with the talents of our returning players will give our program far greater depth. All three are from very successful high school programs and all three have extensive club experience. They are outstanding students as well.”

Leslie Mansfield, from St. Charles, IL, is an outside hitter from one of the top junior programs in the country. She has competed as an outside hitter for the last year, but has also been a middle blocker in the past. Her future at Clemson could be on the right-side. She is a versatile attacker, a capable blocker, possesses solid passing and digging skills and uses her hands well. Mansfield, the 2003 Daily Herald Kane County Volleyball Player of the Year, is a two-time all-conference selection and was named to the Chicago Sun-Time All-State second team. She helped lead her St. Charles East High School team to consecutive regional titles (2002, 2003).

“Leslie can help us on the right with her ball control and her versatitlity as an attacker,” commented Hoover. “She can be a good play-set hitter and she has great hands. She has the ability to play several different positions for us.”

Brittany Ross, a native of Sunrise, FL, has led Pine Crest Academy to the last two State 3A State Championships, and will compete for a third Florida State title this weekend. Brittany is a physical outside hitter and compares favorabley to Alison Coday who played at Clemson from 1996-99. Her ablility to play at the net as an attacker and as a blocker will help ease the loss of red-shirt junior Ryane Beasley, who will graduate in May. The three-time all-county selection holds the record for most kills in a Florida State Championship match with 31. The 6-2 outside hitter was named All-State in 2002 and 2003 and was selected as the Power Bar National Player of the Week as a junior.

“Brittany is going to have a great career at Clemson. She plays for the two-time defending 3A state champion. She gives us a physical presence at the net and has the ablity to play all three front row positions.”

Meghan Steiner, a 6-0 middle blocker from Crystal Lake, IL, is one of the top players in the state of Illinois. The 2003 All-Conference selection was named to the Chicago Sun-Times first team All-State and has helped guide her Prairie Ridge High School team to four consecutive conference titles. Steiner also helped lead her Sky High club volleyball team to a third-place finish at the junior nationals in 2003. Steiner was recruited to play in the middle but has the ablility to move to the outside.

“Meghan is a hard-working middle from suburban Chicago,” said Hoover. “She has been a part of successful high school and club programs. She can really hit the slide and we like how hard she competes.”