Thursday, June 02, 2005

JOHNSON CITY, TENN. (June 2, 2005) - The East Tennessee State volleyball office has announced the signing of three recruits to national letters of intent to compete for the Lady Bucs beginning in the upcoming fall season.  Sarah Buhr (Stockton, Ca.), Crystal Palmer (Chico, Ca.) and Jennifer Emerson (Tracy, Ca.) will join the 2005 squad according to head coach Lindsey Devine.

Buhr, a transfer from San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, Ca., will join the team playing at the outside hitter and middle blocker positions.  Joining her at the outside hitter and middle blocker position will be Palmer who spent the last two seasons competing for coach Chuck Johnson at Butte Community College in Oroville, Ca.  The final signee of the 2005 class is Emerson, a teammate of Buhr's at San Joaquin Delta College, she will play primarily setter for the Lady Bucs during the fall season.

"Sarah is a proven leader and winner at the Junior College level. Her ball control and strength at the net will make her presence known in the Atlantic Sun very quickly.  Jennifer has a great understanding of the game of volleyball.  Her quickness to every ball whether she is setting or playing defense will be a great addition to our squad," Devine said.  "Palmer will be a great force at the net.  She has great foot speed and works extremely hard on the court. I am looking to these three new players to make an immediate impact to this team. They are all great student-athletes who bring volleyball experience and the mentality of winning to our program." 

ETSU will open its first season competing in the Atlantic Sun Conference Sept. 2 at the Virginia Commonwealth Tournament where they will face UNC Greensboro for a 4:30 p.m. match-up.