Holly Lands Four During Early Signing Period
Nov 20, 2014 | Women's Beach Volleyball
NEW ORLEANS - On Thursday, Tulane sand volleyball head coach Wayne Holly was pleased to announce the addition of four signees to the class of 2015, welcoming Anna Chin, Briana Correa, Claudia Lemieux and Keala Rusher to the Green Wave family. Holly continues to build the sand volleyball program as the squad enters into its fourth year of existence at Tulane this spring.
"This class reflects our program's commitment to identifying and welcoming extra-ordinary people who share our vision of achieving sustained competitive excellence," Holly explained. "Each of these student-athletes is a highly competitive, self-motivated, creative thinker with refined skill and experience in the sport of beach volleyball. I am proud of this class. I believe in them and they in turn have shown their commitment to our values by choosing Tulane University. Our entire program is thrilled to welcome these accomplished young women and I am beyond excited for the opportunity to teach and learn with them."
Anna Chin (5'7", Irvine, California)
Currently attending Mater Dei High School, Chin trains and competes for the Elite Beach Volleyball Club in Manhattan Beach. This past year witnessed Chin claiming first place at the JVA Southwest Fireball Challenge Beach Tournament in Las Vegas, and record a second place performance at the USA Junior Beach Tour SoCal Open in Chula Vista, California.
In 2013, Chin produced top three finishes in 13 of the 17 California Beach Volleyball Association (CBVA) Junior Tournaments in which she competed, including 10 appearances in the finals with four wins.
"Anna is a great competitor who is driven to become the best," Holly stated. "She has extensive experience playing late into tournaments and her championship mindset complement her skills exceptionally well. As accomplished as Anna is, I know she is committed to learning and improving on a daily basis, and it's that characteristic we all are most proud of. Anna's versatility as a player will serve her well in what no doubt will be a long and successful career here at Tulane."
Briana Correa (5'10", Fort Myers, Florida)
Correa is certainly hitting her stride, producing a career year with seven first place finishes in 2014, including four straight in a one month span this past summer: Florida Beach Volleyball Tour Fort Lauderdale, Dig the Beach Fort Myers, Sunshine State Outdoor Volleyball Association Clearwater Beach, and the USA Volleyball Siesta Key.
Correa, who attends Fort Myers High School, also achieved a first place finish at the 2014 East Coast Beach National Championships at Pompano Beach, Florida, then followed that up with a fifth place showing at the USA Beach High Performance National Championships in Hermosa Beach, California. Finally, this past July in Manhattan Beach, California, Correa earned the gold medal at the AAU Beach Volleyball Summer Series Event No. 2.
"A fantastic volleyball player, Briana can block, defend, side out and set," Holly said. "In the last year she has really elevated her game. After working to become one of the premier beach players in Florida, Bri spent last summer competing in California against the country's best and performed and learned exceptionally well. Briana hungers to train and her will to become the best speaks to a mindset that will drive her success throughout her Tulane career."
Claudia Lemieux (5'10", Manhattan Beach, California)
Lemieux started her high school beach volleyball career at Xavier High School in Arizona where she helped her squad capture the 2011-12 state championship. Shortly after, Lemieux transferred to Mira Costa High School where she plays under 2000 Olympic gold medalist Eric Fonoimoana. This past spring, the now Manhattan Beach native went on to win her second state volleyball championship, this time in California.
Lemieux also demonstrates a strong work ethic in the classroom. Lemieux has been invited to study in Ireland with the student ambassador program and nominated by faculty to attend a future Vietnam trip based on character and dedication to academics.
"Claudia is one of the premier junior beach volleyball players in the country," Holly stated. "Her competitive mindset and relentless pursuit of improvement will add strength to our team, positively impact our culture, and serve her well in her transition to the college game. Claudia is a versatile player capable of blocking and defending. She trains and competes on a daily basis as though each day will be her last to play the game. I can think of no greater compliment to give any athlete. She has a will and a presence about her that bespeaks success. We're thrilled that Claudia has chosen Tulane for her collegiate beach volleyball career and to earn her degree."
Keala Rusher (5'6", Manhattan Beach, California)
Rusher, who has earned an AA beach volleyball rating, is the second signee from Mira Costa High School. Rusher played at No. 2 and 3 pairs and helped guide her squad to back-to-back Interscholastic Beach Volleyball League Championships (2013-2014). In 2013, Rusher placed third at the IBVL Pairs Championships and earned the gold medal at the U16 AAU Team Beach Volleyball Championship.
Rusher is also an active force on the indoor volleyball team, where she guided Mira Costa to a combined 71-29 record. Rusher was also nominated captain in three of her four seasons.
"Keala is a skilled defender and creative left-handed shot maker who understands the beach game well," Holly said. "Having grown up with the game in southern California and competed for one of the premier high school beach programs in the country, Keala's experience will serve her well in her college career. One of my favorite attributes in Keala is her creativeness on offense. She has developed a wonderful mind for the game. She plays smartly and with great vision for each move. Keala truly appreciates the intellectual component of beach volleyball. She adds skill, experience and depth to our program."
Lastly, Lemieux, Correa and Rusher are all either currently training or have trained at the USA Beach Volleyball High Performance A2 program, which is, "the most prestigious junior beach volleyball program in the country and is recognized as one of the premier international pipeline development programs in the world," according to teamusa.org.
