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Women's Volleyball
Panther Volleyball Adds Two
May 18, 2007 Cedar Falls, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa volleyball team has added two players for this fall, UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen announced today. Signing to play with the Panthers starting in 2007 are defensive specialist/setter Breann Payton (Waterloo, Iowa/Columbus High School) and defensive specialist Ellie Blankenship (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy High School). "We are extremely excited about adding Bre and Ellie to our 2007 recruiting class," Petersen said. "Both of them are incredible athletes. They have a great work ethic, a hunger to compete, a high commitment to academics and a great desire to be Panthers, all of which are very important to our program. Both have played for very successful high school programs and compete together on one of the best club programs in the state, Six Pack. We are thrilled to have each of them and their families become part of the UNI Panther volleyball program." Payton was a three-time all-WAMAC conference pick, and earned first-team all-state honors in both 2005 and 2006, including being named Elite All-State as a senior. She helped lead Columbus to the state tournament in 2006, where she earned all-tournament accolades. She holds school records in digs, aces, assists and blocks, and recorded more than 1,000 kills for her career. She played club volleyball for the Nike Six Pack team coached by Jay Grassley. Blankenship earned first-team all-conference and second-team all-state honors at Kennedy her senior season, and was selected to play in the IGCA All-Star game. She earned special mention all-state in 2005, as the Cougars advanced to the state tournament. She was also a member of the Nike Six Pack club volleyball team. Payton and Blankenship become the third and fourth players in the Panthers 2007 recruiting class. Middle blocker Michelle Burow (Lincoln, Neb./Norris High School) and defensive specialist Chelsea Saunders (Highland, Texas/Edward S. Marcus High School) signed with UNI in November, 2006.
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