Mount Olive signs 9 volleyball players

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on August 8, 2006 2:13 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive has signed nine volleyball recruits, it was announced by head coach Sasha Gutor. The Trojans began preseason practice Monday. Signees include a pair of junior college transfers, a pair of sisters and the sister of two current Trojan student-athletes.

Mariangelix Cordero, a 5-5 junior setter from Orlando, Fla., comes to Mount Olive from Polk Community College (Fla.), where she earned All-Conference honors. Cordero is a graduate of University High School in Orlando.

Corie Skislak, a 5-11 junior middle hitter from Gulf Breeze, Fla., helped lead Pensacola Junior College to a Panhandle Conference championship in 2005. Skislak ranked ninth in the state in service aces. She also led Gulf Breeze High School in kills, blocks and digs as her team won back-to-back district championships.

Racey Bartley, a 5-10 outside hitter from Jacksonville, becomes the third member of the Bartley family to enroll at Mount Olive and participate in athletics. She joins big brothers Chris (men's basketball) and Nick (men's volleyball). Bartley earned All-Conference honors in each of her four years at Jacksonville High School.

Alicia Mote, a 5-9 outside hitter from Miami, Fla., earned All-State and All-Dade County honors during her senior year at Southwest High School. Mote's squad finished third in the 2004 Florida 6A High School State Tournament and reached the regional semifinals in 2005.

Karrie Orr, a 5-8 setter from Jacksonville, was the recipient of the team's Coach's Award during her senior year at Jacksonville HS. Orr was an academic honoree during all four years of high school.

Heather Pope, a 5-10 outside hitter from Pensacola, Fla., was named to the All-Area Team during her senior year at Pensacola High School. She was also selected to the National Honor Roll.

Megan Sanderson, a 5-4 libero from Beaulaville, was named her team's Most Improved Player during her senior year at East Duplin High School. A Duplin County Academic Scholar, Sanderson won the Outstanding Senior Award and finished in the top 10 in her class at East Duplin.

Caitlin Skislak, a 5-8 outside hitter from Gulf Breeze, Fla., is a three-time All-Area selection at Gulf Breeze High School and helped lead her team to a district championship in her junior year. Skislak's club team, the Pensacola Beach Volleyball Club Barracudas, qualified for the national finals in 2005. Caitlin is the younger sister of Corie Skislak.

Joanie Werling, a 5-11 setter from Purcellville, Va., helped lead Loudon Valley High School to an undefeated season and a state championship in 2004. Werling's squad posted a combined 55-1 record during her junior and senior years. She was named to the North team at this summer's Virginia High School All-Star Game. Werling, who earned high school All-Region and All-District honors, was a member of Virginia Elite 18 Blue, a select Junior Olympic travel team.

"I'm very happy with the new group of recruits," said Gutor, who enters his third season as the Trojans' head women's volleyball coach. "I think we have some girls who can help us right away and can combine with a good group of returning players."

Mount Olive won the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference regular season title last year and set school single-season winning percentage records with a 28-8 overall record and a 19-1 mark in the CVAC. The Trojans advanced to the NCAA II Atlantic Regional for the second consecutive year.