Eagles Sign 5 Preps for Volleyball
KIRKLAND, Wash. – Northwest University head volleyball coach, Steven Bain, has announced his 2014 recruiting class and has signed five high school athletes to play for the Eagles in the fall of 2014. Brooke Riddle of Spokane, Wash., Morgan Pilon of Olympia, Wash., Amanda Waterman of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Mattie Jo Johnson of Rosalia, Wash., and Saige Self of Boise, Idaho, have signed letters of intent to attend NU.
Said Coach Bain, "We are very pleased to announce our 2014 recruiting class. We committed a great deal of time and energy to identify a group of players at multiple positions with the ability to compete immediately for playing time. We believe that we have done just that. Not only are these five young women exceptional volleyball players but they are also excellent students and great people that will do a terrific job of representing Northwest University."
Bain continued, "One of the priorities in this class was to identify two setters that could compete immediately for playing time. We are confident that we have found those players in Brooke Riddle and Morgan Pilon. Brooke hails from Freeman HS where she has been the varsity setter for 3 years. At our camp last summer, we were impressed with Brooke's ability to run a fast offense and her court leadership. She is a fiery competitor, a tough defender, and has the composure to make plays in stressful situations. Morgan played for Tana Otton at Tumwater and comes to Northwest with advanced technical skills at the setter position. I really enjoy watching Morgan play because her movements are so efficient and she possesses deceptive speed and quickness. Like Brooke, she is also a tenacious defender and is coming into her own as a leader on the court."
Riddle played her prep volleyball at Freeman High School and earned varsity letters in tennis and volleyball. She was named to the first all-league team and her FHS team placed third in the WIAA state tournament. Brooke will be a communications major at NU.
Pilon is a senior at Tumwater High School and was named first team all-league in the 2013 season. She also earned all-academic team honors for two years at THS. Morgan plans on majoring in elementary education at Northwest U.
Amanda Waterman will graduate from Mountain Vista High School in the spring where she was a team captain and an all-conference first team member in 2013. She was named to the coaches' 5A all-state team and was also a member of the academic all-state team.
"Amanda Waterman is a technically skilled outside hitter that plays much taller than 5'10," commented Coach Bain. "She possesses great shot making ability and is an excellent passer and defender with the potential to be a six-rotation outside immediately. But the thing that impressed me most while recruiting Amanda was her composure on the court and her ability to encourage and lead her teammates."
Mattie Jo Johnson played her high school volleyball for Tekoa/Oaksdale High School and was named 2013 league MVP. Her TOHS teams won the WIAA state championships in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Johnson earned varsity letters in both volleyball and basketball and was a team captain in volleyball.
Bain said about Johnson, "Mattie Jo is a terrific all around athlete possessing the speed and quickness that will allow her to transition quickly to the college game. Mattie Jo's physical tools are compatible with our system and we believe that she has the potential to contribute immediately, either as a middle blocker or an outside hitter."
Saige Self attends Boise High School and will graduate in the spring, 2014. Self earned varsity letters in volleyball and track at BHS and was named MVP in both sports. In track and field, she broke the school record in the triple jump. In volleyball, Self earned first team all-conference and all-state honorable mention honors. An outstanding student, she is also a member of the National Honor Society. She will major in intercultural studies at the university.
"Saige Self is another terrific athlete that possesses impressive leaping ability and a fast arm swing," stated Coach Bain. "Once Saige adapts to the speed of the college game, her skill sets should allow her to contribute either in the middle or on the outside. Saige's athleticism will also benefit the NU Track and Field program where she will compete as a triple jumper."