Yellowjackets Sign Trio of Volleyball Players (May 8, 2003)

BILLINGS, MT – MSU Billings head volleyball coach Pa’ulasi Matavao has announced the signing of two high school seniors and a Division I transfer for the 2003 volleyball season.  Joining the Yellowjackets will be Jessica Bratton from Casper, Wyoming, Alexis Sandru from Twin Bridges, Montana, and Kari Jones who is transferring from Portland State

Bratton (5-11 outside hitter) was an all-conference and all-state player from Natrona County High School in Casper.  As a senior she tallied 337 kills, 126 blocks and 113 digs.  She averaged 11.8 kills per match and had an 88 percent service percentage to lead the Fillies to third place finishes at the state tournament in 2001 and 2002 and a fourth place finish in 2003. 

Sandru (5-8 outside hitter) was a four-year letter winner at Twin Bridges High School, which she helped to a runner-up finish at the state tournament this year and divisional titles in each of the last two years.  She was named the State C MVP as a senior and earned all-state honors as a sophomore, junior and senior.  Sandru was a team captain in each of her final two seasons and led her team in kills and service percentage as a senior.

Jones (5-11 setter/outside hitter) transfers to MSU Billings after attending Portland State for three years.  She will have two years of eligibility remaining after redshirting her junior season.   She played in 76 games over two seasons at PSU, notching 86 kills for a 1.13 kills per game average.  Jones graduated in 2000 from Hermiston High School in Oregon where she earned conference MVP honors as a junior and senior.  She was named to the all-conference team three times while guiding HHS to back-to-back league championships.