May 1, 2013
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The incoming class for South Carolina’s 2013 volleyball season grew again, with Jacquelyn Angermiller, Kololia Atoa-Williams and Michaela Christiaansen set to join head coach Scott Swanson’s third Gamecock team after signing during the spring period.
Angermiller is a 6-2 middle blocker from Richland Hills, Texas, playing prep at LD Bell High School. During her senior year, she averaged 2.3 kills per set and 1.1 blocks per frame. A two-time All-Texas honorable mention selection by LoneStarVolleyball.com from her club days with Texas Advantage, she helped the group’s 16U team take third in the 2012 USA Volleyball Junior National Championships.
“Jacqy is a very physical and strong middle blocker who has blossomed her senior year into a hard-hitting, big-blocking force at the net,” said Swanson. “We are thrilled to have a player that has been trained by some of the best volleyball coaches in the junior club ranks coming to play for the Gamecocks.”
Atoa-Williams, a 5-10 outside hitter, earned a spot on the PrepVolleyball.com Soph 79 honorable mention list in 2010 for Damonte Ranch High School in Reno, Nev. She spent last year at Bishop Manogue, helping the team claim the Division I North crown. She earned All-Nevada North Division I honors from the Reno Gazette-Journal as a senior. As a junior, Atoa-Williams claimed a spot on the Hawaii High School Athletic Association State Tournament Team, helping St. Francis to the Division II state championship. She spent time with both the North Nevada Juniors and the Asics Rainbows Volleyball Club in Honolulu, Hawaii.
“Koko is a very good all-around player who is confident and fundamentally skilled,” commented Swanson, “and she will help raise the level of our gym right away. We are excited to have a player that trained and played volleyball in Hawaii where the sport is played at a very high level. Koko is a student of the game and loves to be in the gym for extra reps and also studies film in order to improve her game every chance she gets.”
Christiaansen, who stands 5-9, is transferring from Pepperdine, where she played defensive specialist and libero during two years. Helping the Waves to the NCAA Tournament in both seasons, she averaged 3.34 digs as a sophomore, posting the ninth-best digs total in the rally-scoring era with 397. She also played on the Waves’ sand team, helping them claim the first AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Team Championship. Playing in the fifth spot, Christiaansen and her partner Emily Cook went 17-4 overall. Originally from Tucson, Ariz., Christiaansen twice earned Arizona 5A all-state honors, taking the southern region player of the year as well.
“Michaela will add high level experience, confidence and a high level of ball control to our team in 2013,” Swanson remarked. “We are excited to have Michaela join us as a dual-sport athlete who also plans on playing sand volleyball on the 2014 spring squad.”
The Gamecocks begin team practice in August, preparing for the 41st season of volleyball at South Carolina. The team will look to improve upon last year’s 18-14 overall record, the second winning season in a decade at South Carolina.
