The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazer Volleyball Picks Up Four More Players For 2011
7/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
July 25, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB volleyball program added four more players to its roster this summer with the addition of two transfers and a pair of 2011 high school graduates.
Kiriana Hirini (Long Beach State) and former Hoover High School standout Bethany Stanford (West Florida) transferred into the program, while Lindsay Simmons (Danville, Ala./Danville HS) and local product Sam Skinner (Oak Mountain HS) joined the Blazers from the high school ranks.
"This group of players helps to immediately strengthen an already solid roster filled with lots of returning players," UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith said. "We are bringing in girls who have competed at high levels of state, national and even international volleyball. These are some exciting additions who will make our entire team better."
Hirini will join the Blazers as a transfer from Long Beach State but will have freshman eligibility after sitting out her first collegiate season as a redshirt. The 6-foot-1 middle blocker was a three-sport athlete in high school at Bethlehem College in Tauranga, New Zealand, also competing in swimming and netball, a variant of basketball.
Hirini led Bethlehem to three straight top 10 finishes in New Zealand's Division I high school national championships, including an appearance in the finals as a senior. She played on New Zealand's junior national teams for both indoor and beach volleyball and competed in the 2009 FIVB Junior World Championships in Turkey. Hirini also won a national club championship with the Tauranga women's club team.
Stanford is a transfer from West Florida and will be a redshirt sophomore this fall. The 5-foot-6 defensive specialist from nearby Hoover, Ala., redshirted in 2009 before seeing action in 14 matches last fall for the Division II program.
Stanford racked up 940 career digs as a three-year letterwinner at Hoover for coach Donna Burke. She helped the Bucs' 2006 team to a third-place finish at the state finals and was selected by the Birmingham News in 2008 as one of the top defensive specialists in the metro area.
Simmons comes to UAB from Danville, Ala., where she was a three-time all-state selection at Danville High School in Alabama's Class 3A. The 6-foot outside hitter and middle blocker helped her high school team to the state tournament five times, including three final four appearances.
Valedictorian of her class and a three-time recipient of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Academic Award, the versatile Simmons finished her prep career with 2,532 kills, 322 blocks, 354 aces and 610 digs. She was a four-time all-county, all-area and all-region selection.
Skinner, a local product from Oak Mountain High School, was the Birmingham News Metro Player of the Year as a senior in 2010. She helped Oak Mountain to back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in the state tournament over her final two years, including a runner-up finish last season as she earned all-tournament team honors.
As a senior, Skinner led all players in the Birmingham area with 808 kills. She also posted 74 blocks, 395 digs and 41 aces. As a junior in 2009, she was a 6A All-State Second Team selection by the Alabama Volleyball Coaches Association. Skinner also competed in the 2009 AAU Nationals with her team from the Birmingham Volleyball Club.
The four new additions join previously signed players Ashley Ricks (New Washington, Ind./Our Lady of Providence HS) and Mariah McCallum (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Nease HS), giving the Blazers six newcomers for the 2011 season.
