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CINCINNATI - University of Cincinnati volleyball head coach Molly Alvey announced three additions to the 2017-18 team on Thursday. Emily Azzara, Maya Eller and Jasmine Jones all will arrive on campus this summer and begin preparations with the Bearcats for the fall season. They join previously released signees Shalom Ifeanyi and Megan Kissel in the 2017 signing class.
"It will be great to have everyone back on campus soon" Alvey said. "The newcomers will be able to get a jump on the season by arriving this summer. This is always a fun time of year for players and staff as the excitement for the season begins."
The five new Bearcats join the team that advanced to the NCAA volleyball championship for the first time since the 2011 season. In 2016, Cincinnati boasted the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Jordan Thompson, Setter of the Year, Jade Tingelhoff and Coach of the Year, Alvey.
Emily Azzara
DS | 5-8 | Louisville, Ky. | Sacred Heart Academy
Prior to Cincinnati: Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) state champion (2016) ... KHSAA regional champion (2016) ... two-time KHSAA district champion (2015, 2016) ... KHSAA All-Region team (2016) ... Sacred Heart Volleyball Heart Award (2016) ... two-time Kentucky Varsity LIVT champion (2015, 2016) ... Nike Tournament of Champions winner (2016) ... two-time Durango Fall Classic fourth place finisher (2015, 2016) ... two-time All-State Academic Team (2015, 2016) ... won the 2016 AAU national championship with KIVA volleyball club.
Personal: Full name is Emily Ryan Azzara ... daughter of Michael and Betty Azzara ... has one brother, Matthew ... mother Betty played basketball at Brescia University.
Coach Alvey on Azzara: "Emily is a player that competes with passion. She is a team player that is consistently talking her teammates through battle and encouraging them through to the end of the fight. She has strong defensive skills in the back court and she reads the game exceptionally well."
Maya Eller
DS | 5-9 | Concord Township, Ohio | Lake Catholic
Prior to Cincinnati: Four-time North Coast League (NCL) First Team honoree (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) ... three-time News Herald First Team (2014, 2015, 2016) ... All-District and All-State First Team (2016) ... team MVP (2016) ... two-time district champion (2013, 2016) ... regional champion (2016) ... Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Final Four participant (2016) ... finished with an undefeated 22-0 record for the first time in school history (2016) ... USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championship All-Tournament team (2014) ... Prep Volleyball All-America honorable mention (2017) ... three-time USAV Girls' Junior National Championships qualifier (2015, 2016, 2017) ... USAV Girls' Junior National Championships fifth place finisher (2015) ... played club volleyball with the Academy Volleyball of Cleveland (2012-2016) and the Eastside Cleveland Juniors (2017).
Personal: Full name is Maya L. Eller ... daughter of Goran and Vesna Eller ... has one brother, Luka ... mother Vesna played basketball at St. Francis University.
Coach Alvey on Eller: "Maya is a versatile athlete that is very skilled in several aspects of the game. She has especially focused on her back courts skills as she prepares to enter her college career. Her knack for reading the game is so natural as is her touch on the volleyball. She is a natural competitor and team leader."
Jasmine Jones
MB | 6-0 | Stafford, Va. | Brooke Point | UNC Greenboro
Prior to Cincinnati: Second Team All-Southern Conference (SoCon) (2016) ... SoCon All-Freshman Team (2015) ... team-best .314 hitting percentage with 285 kills and 121 blocks (2016) ... 237 kills with 113 blocks as a freshman (2015) ... played three seasons of varsity volleyball at Brooke Point High School, setting program single-season record for blocks (123) and kills (25) ... conference Player of the Year (2013) ... All-State Second Team (2013) ... two-time All-Area and All-Conference First Team (2012, 2013) ... conference champion (2013).
Personal: Full name is Jasmine Monique Jones ... daughter of Lawrence and Nora Jones ... has one brother, Maurice, and one sister, Amber.
Coach Alvey on Jones: "Jasmine will add experience in the middle blocker position to our team. She is a mature competitor and fierce in the weight room. Jasmine is a vocal leader on the court and loves nothing more than winning. Her strength, quickness and athleticism are her biggest assets on the court.