The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Volleyball Signs Three Players For 2010 Campaign
12/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Dec. 17, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB volleyball program recently inked a trio of players for the 2010 season during the fall early signing period.
Bobbi Jo Bayer (Eddyville, Iowa/Des Moines Area CC), Ally Slaughter (Pelham, Ala./Pelham HS) and Ashley Tipps (Cypress, Texas/Cypress Woods HS) have each signed National Letters of Intent to attend UAB and compete for the Blazers.
"We are excited to bring in this class of strong players," UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith said. "In addition to being very good volleyball players, all three are good students, and each one comes from a big-time winning program."
Bayer is a two-time All-American at Des Moines Area Community College. She also earned all-conference and all-region honors in each of her two seasons at the school. Bayer recently completed her sophomore campaign averaging 3.31 kills per set and 2.82 digs per frame. Her 50 aces on the season also led the team.
Bayer, who was a four-time first-team all-state selection at Eddyville-Blakesburg High School in Iowa, helped Des Moines Area to region championships in both her years with the program. This fall, she led the Bears to a fifth-place finish at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II national tournament. In 2008, she helped the Bears to conference and region titles, an eighth-place finish in the national tournament and a final ranking of No. 6 in the country.
"Bobbi Jo is the first two-time first-team All-American we've signed here," Messersmith said. "She is a powerful, tough player who posesses tremendous ball control. She has great skills and a variety of shots, and she will come in and fill the role vacated by our graduating outside hitters."
Slaughter played locally for coach Kim Kiel at Pelham High School, where she helped the Panthers to a pair of Elite Eight appearances in the state tournament during her career. She recently earned first-team class 6A all-state honors from the Alabama Volleyball Coaches Association.
As a senior this fall, Slaughter averaged double-digit kills and finished with a team-best 498 on the year. She also added 260 digs and 106 service aces on her way to all-county and player of the year honors from the Shelby County Reporter. Slaughter, who owns more than 1,200 career kills, recently led the Birmingham News All-Metro Team as the metro player of the year.
"Ally brings a great attitude and plays with a lot of fire and emotion," Messersmith said. "Her mother coached volleyball, so she knows the game well and has all the tools. She will be a really good player for us on the outside. She posseses a great work ethic and a great serve."
Tipps, a right side hitter and middle blocker at Cypress Woods High School in the Houston area, earned honorable mention all-district honors as a senior this fall after averaging 1.4 kills and 0.4 blocks per game for coach Ashley Ahlfinger's squad.
Tipps completed her prep career at Cypress Woods after having previously attended Cypress Springs High School, where she posted 2.1 kills and 0.8 blocks per game as a junior in 2008. She played club volleyball for the Texas Tornados and earned Lone Star Volleyball All-Texas Special Recognition.
"Ashley is a tremendous athlete who can jump out of the gym," Messersmith said. "She is a very smooth player who competed at a really high level in high school. She is a player who can definitely help us."
