PSU Recruits on Under Armour Girls’ High School All-America Watch List

The AVCA has announced its 2009-10 Under Armour Girls’ High School All-America Watch List.

That’s a long name and the 09-10 All-America Watch List is big: it includes 383 players from 37 states. So it probably is not surprising (but still gratifying) that six Penn State Women’s Volleyball recruits made the list: Erica Denney, 6-5 MH, Aurora, CO; Maddie Martin, 6-1 OH, Tampa, FL; Deja McClendon, 6-0 OH, Louisville, KY; Mikinzie Moydell , 6-1 S, Parker, CO; Ariel Scott, 6-4 MH, Washington Township, NJ; and Katie Slay, 6-6 MH, Raleigh, NC.

According to the AVCA, the list is “the starting point” for the Under Armour All-America selection process. In November, the AVCA will select 48 high school seniors from the list as its 2009-2010 Under Armour All-Americans — 24 players as First-Team All-Americans and 24 as Second-Team All-Americans.

The 24 players named as First-Team Under Armour All-Americans will be invited to play in the Under Armour All-America Volleyball Match & Skills Competition, which will be held at the St. Pete Times Forum, December 20 at 1:00 pm in Tampa, Fla., in conjunction with the 2009 AVCA Annual Convention. Tickets ($7.25 each) are available through the St. Pete Times Forum.

In 2008, current Penn State freshmen Kristin Carpenter and Darcy Dorton were selected as First Team Under Armour All-Americans. They competed for the victorious Red Team on December 21, 2008 at the Qwest Center, in the inaugural Under Armour All-America Volleyball Match. Kristin Carpenter was named Hardest Hitter and Darcy Dorton “Best Passer” in the Under Armour Skills Competition. Here’s the complete list of winners:

Under Armour Skills Competition Winners
Best Server – Sha’Dare McNeal (Fallbrook, Calif.)
Best Passer – Darcy Dorton (Muncie, Ind.)
Best Setter – Elly Barrett (Englewood, Colo.)
Best Digger – Caitlyn Donahue (Overland Park, Kan.)
Hardest Hitter – Kristin Carpenter (Mechanicsville, Va.)
Hit vs. Dig Winner – Christiana Gray (Indianapolis, Ind.)