Women's Volleyball Adds Canadian to 1998 Roster
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Gina Schmidt, of Beaver Lodge, Alberta, Canada, has signed a letter of intent to play volleyball for Oregon State University beginning in the fall of 1998, announced head coach Jeff Mozzochi Tuesday.
Schmidt, an outside hitter/setter, plays club volleyball for the Grande Prairie Wolves, which finished second at the 1997 Canadian Nationals. She also played volleyball for Beaver Lodge High School.
Schmidt was also a teammate of current Beaver and Calgary, Alberta resident Krista Kinsman at the Canada Games last summer. Coaches in Alberta have said that Schmidt is one of the top two or three female athletes to come out of Alberta in the last 10 years. She is a Canadian National Team prospect in both volleyball and ice hockey.
"We are really excited to have Gina joining our program. Her intelligence, work ethic and desire to excel fit in very well with our young, talented team," Mozzochi said. "As talented as Gina is, she will come here and help us in a number of different roles. I know that the team, particularly Krista (Kinsman) is happy she chose Oregon State."
Schmidt is the third player to sign a letter of intent to come to Oregon State in the fall.
Michele Solomon (Billings, MT), who will join the Oregon State volleyball team in the fall of 1998, was recently named the Gatorade Circle of Champions Volleyball Player of the Year for the state of Montana. She is now up for regional and national honors.
Solomon is the third player affiliated with Oregon State to earn that honor in the past three years; Freshman Angie Shirley received Gatorade recognition in Idaho last year, while sophomore Brandi Bonnarens was the recipient from the state of Oregon two years ago. Solomon, whose team recently finished its season second in the Montana state tournament, was the tournament MVP and first team All-State.
