SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara head volleyball coach Jon Wallace Thursday announced the signing of three prep players to National Letters of Intent, including Danville product Hailey Lindberg, Taylor Odom and Anna McCreadie.
NAME POS HT HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
Hailey Lindberg OH/MB 6-2 Danville, CA / Monte Vista High School
Anna McCreadie OH 6-3 Snoqualmie, WA / Mount Si High School
Taylor Odom OH 6-2 Bellevue, WA / Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart
"This is one of our top classes we've had in my 16 years at Santa Clara University. All three will be eventual starters in our program and strong contributors as freshmen," said Bronco head coach Jon Wallace. "The physicality and power of this group will help us close the gap with top level teams."
A 6-foot-2 outside hitter/middle blocker, Lindberg was a four-year varsity starter and 2014 team captain for coach J.J. Utchen at Monte Vista High School. She led the Mustangs to their first East Bay Athletic League championship in 19 years with a 13-0 league record (27-6 overall) this past season earning first-team All-EBAL honors. She was named to the 2014 AVCA All-American Watch List and ended her senior year averaging three kills/set while hitting .440.
A standout off the court as well, Lindberg was a four-year academic All-American team member, named to the National Honor Society and served three years in school government.
"I've toured many different schools and volleyball programs across the nation but there isn't anything quite like Santa Clara University," said Lindberg. "I felt an instant connection to the players; I knew that they would become my future lifelong friends. I was really inspired by the Leavey Event Center. I could picture myself spending countless hours practicing with my coaches and team, getting better and working hard. But Santa Clara is far more than a gym. I was struck by the academic vigor and the internship opportunities within the business school. Santa Clara is the right school for me because it will guide me as I develop, learn, and grow to reach my future goals and aspirations."
Hailey Lindberg
Odom, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, attends Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bellevue, Wash., where she captained the 2014 squad to an undefeated 9-0 record in the 1A Emerald City league standings. Her team is competing in the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) 1A playoffs this weekend with a 13-3 overall record.
In 2013 Odom earned first-team All-Emerald City honors after leading her team to the State playoffs for the first time since 2005.
"Everybody who will come across her path, will love her. She's got a great smile, a great demeanor and a positive personality," said Wallace. "Her athletism and her high volleyball IQ will enable Taylor to push for significant time as a freshman. She's got a great arm and plays this game extremely well with her eyes. She will be a great teammate, a team-1st young lady who will do her job to make those around her better."
"For me the academics of a college were a big part of my decision," said Odom. "Santa Clara University had provided the sciences I wanted while having challenging programs. Location was also a big factor in my decision. The school is located in the Silicon Valley, which has so many great job opportunities with multiple different companies. I also loved the campus which was modern and yet historic at the same time. On the volleyball side of things, the coaches at Santa Clara are some of the greatest coaches you could play for. They really want to get to know you and build a personal relationship off of the court. Then on the court they have a great way of coaching you to get better. After searching so many schools I would find a lot of the time the team would be a deciding factor. But with Santa Clara the team had such a positive impact on me. I got along with every single one of them which is really rare to find. They are so kind but can also bring it during practices which I think is a good balance to have. Santa Clara University truly is the greatest fit for me."
Taylor Odom
McCreadie, a 6-foot-3 outside hitter, played all four years on the varsity squad for head coach Bonnie Foote at Mount Si High School in Snoqualmie, Wash. She directed the Wildcats to a 12-6 record in 2014, their first at the 4A level, and earned KingCo 4A co-MVP honors.
The KingCo 4A league leader in kills with 303 on the season, McCreadie totaled 68 kills in back-to-back five-set matches this season. She tied a school record with 37 kills in a match against Bothel on Oct. 7 and followed that with 31 against Inglemoor on Oct. 9.
Away from the game, McCreadie is also her Mount Si Associated Student Body president, following in the footsteps of her mother, Susan, who was also the ASB president at Mount Si in 1987.
"Anna is a high-level athlete. At 6-3 she is very athletic and possesses a great arm," said Wallace. "She moves extremely well and we think she's going to be a force to recon with at Santa Clara. We feel that she's going to be a top contributor for us in many ways. She is a highly motivated student and will represent Santa Clara extremely well in the classroom, on the court and in the community."
"I chose Santa Clara because it was everything I was looking for in a school," said McCreadie. "After visiting several other campuses, meeting coaches and getting to know players I had an idea of what I wanted. I visited Santa Clara and it was absolutely perfect. The small class sizes and rigorous academics appealed to me. I am really excited to pursue my education in such an incredible environment located in Silicon Valley. The volleyball program at SCU is amazing as well. When I met the coaching staff and saw that they focused on building a personal bond on and off the court I knew that this school was where I wanted to be. I knew that I wouldn't just be an athlete, but also respected and cared about as a person. I could see the effects of this on the team. They are all amazing girls and were so sweet and welcoming when I came on my visit. I also chose SCU because of the weather. Coming from Seattle, I really appreciate the sun - it's shining a lot there. It will be nice to not have to wear a rain jacket almost every day. Overall, I chose SCU because it felt right. I am so excited to have the privilege of spending the next four years of my life at such an incredible school."
