April 23, 2004
Duquesne head volleyball coach Steve Opperman has announced the signing of four recruits to National Letters of Intent. Kristin Garnett (Frankfort, Ill. / Lincoln-Way East), Jennifer Gross (Amherst, Ohio / Amherst Steele), Lindsay Hess (St. Henry, Ohio / St. Henry) and Dana Rae McLaughlin (Aliquippa, PA / Hopewell) are the newest additions to the Duquesne Women's Volleyball team for the 2004 season.
Garnett, a 5-9 setter, led her Lincoln-Way East squad to two regional titles and to the section crown in 2002. A three-year letterwinner, she was tabbed an all-area selection and competed for the Chicago Juniors and Lions Elite volleyball clubs. Garnett intends to be a pharmacy major.
A 6-1 middle hitter, Gross helped lead her Amherst Steele team to the 2003 district title and to the 2002 and 2003 conference crowns. They were district runners-up in 2002. Gross was named a first team all-conference, all-county and all-district pick as well as an all-state honorable mention as a senior. She averaged 4.77 kills and 2.73 blocks per game. As a junior, she was a second team all-conference and all-county selection and an all-district honorable mention. The two-year letterwinner was chosen as a first team Plain Dealer and Morning Journal selection as well. Academically, Gross was a District 3 All-Academic pick and was named the Team Scholar Athlete of the Year. She is looking to major in biology.
Hess, a 6-0 outside hitter, saw her team post a 27-2 record in 2003 en route to earning sectional, district and regional championship crowns and advancing to the state championship match. They were state runners-up this past season. The two-year varsity letterwinner was a 2003 first team All-MAC (Midwest Athletic Conference) pick and was tabbed the MAC and District 8 Player of the Year. A first team All-Ohio selection, Hess also lettered in basketball where she was a first team All-MAC pick. She was also an All-Academic honoree.
McLaughlin was a member of the 2002 and 2003 conference and Western PA Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) championship squads and helped them advance to the 2003 state tournament. The 5-11 outside hitter set the school records for kills in a match with 32 and in a season with 400 this past year. She is four-time all-section pick, 2003 WPIAL Section 3-AA MVP and was chosen for the 2003 WPIAL All-Star team. McLaughlin also was named to the first team All-WPIAL and all-state teams in 2002. She plans to major in Pharmacy.
