Mortensen inks former high school players
ALAMOSA, Colo.— Two of Adams State College volleyball coach Lindy Mortensen’s former players from Cortez, Colo. have recently signed national letters of intent to play with Mortensen and the Grizzlies starting in 2006.
Jessie Pickens, who has been at Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo. this academic year, and Ronica Stanley, both played for Mortensen at Montezuma-Cortez High School, where Mortensen was at for nine years before coming to ASC in the spring of 2005. Pickens who graduated from MCHS in 2005, averaged 4.6 kills and 4.5 digs per game as a senior in the fall of 2004 earning first team all-state and all-conference honors while being named as the Southwestern League’s Player of the Year. Standing at 5-foot-5, Pickens can play both the outside hitter and libero positions.
Pickens also earned first team all-conference honors in 2002 and 2003 before taking her talents to Missouri Valley, where she played for the Vikings in 2005. She also posted a 3.8 GPA at MVC and was named to the dean’s list.
“Although Jessie is 5-foot-5, she has a 27-inch vertical and a huge fighting heart. She is as competitive as anyone I’ve ever coached. She is a very quick, athletic, and fundamentally sound defensive player,” Mortensen said about Pickens, who she will consider for the libero position.
Stanley stands at 5-foot-8 and was the Panthers’ starting outside hitter in 2005 for coach Trena Walker after starting at the right side hitter position during her junior year with Mortensen. Stanley earned second team all-conference honors as a senior and was ranked second in the state (Class 4A) for serving. She was also ranked in the top 15 in digs and in the top 40 for kills and was named a First Team Volleyball All-American by SportsQwest.
“Roni is very athletic. She has nice hands to set and puts up a nice, strong block on the right side. She has that nice lean and strong volleyball build. She is an extremely hard worker both as an athlete and a student. I believe that Roni will develop into quite a college volleyball player due to her athleticism, great desire and attitude.
Stanley is very active in other sports and activities as well and holds a 3.96 GPA in high school.
“It is special for me to have two former high school players at Adams State. I think at this level, there is always some question to having new players coming in. However, I know what these two players are about and I have no doubt that they will work hard and come in to compete. They also know that they will have the same shot as other new players next year,” Mortensen said.
Both players were part of Mortensen’s 6-year run in which MCHS went a perfect 60-0 in Southwestern League action. The 2003 and 2004 Panther squads each placed sixth in the state tournament.
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