May 30, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. - Head coach John Dunning has announced the five freshmen that will join the team this fall and help it contend for a Pac-12 championship and the program's seventh NCAA title. The class, consisting of Inky Ajanaku (Tulsa, Okla.), Madi Bugg (Apex, N.C.), Jordan Burgess (Fort Myers, Fla.), Brittany Howard (Los Altos, Calif.) and Megan McGehee (Lee's Summit, Mo.), was ranked No. 1 overall by PrepVolleyball.com.
"This is a very big class for us, it is rare for us to sign five student-athletes at one time," said Dunning. "They have been fun to watch over the past several years. They have a lot of experience, are very talented and have been well coached. They will make up one third of our team and will have a significant impact."
Ajanaku is a 6-3 middle blocker from Tusla, Okla., where she was a member of the four-time state championship volleyball team at Bishop Kelley High School. A three-year letterwinner, Ajanaku was ranked as the No. 2 recruit in the class of 2012 by PrepVolleyball.com. She was named the Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year in 2011 and holds her high school's record for attack percentage (.634). Also an AVCA Under Armour First Team All-American, she was named the 2010 and 2011 Class 6A state tournament MVP and All-Metro Volleyball Player of the Year. An all-state selection, she was also tabbed the Under Armour Most Undeniable Player for Team West. Ajanaku also competed for Club ONE and the U.S. junior national team.
Bugg is a 6-0 setter from Apex, N.C. She was a member of the four-time conference champion and three-time state championship volleyball team at Cardinal Gibbons Catholic High School in Raleigh, N.C. The North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year in 2009 and 2011, she's a four-time letterwinner and captain of her team from 2009-2011. A three-time all-conference pick, Bugg was the conference player of the year and a high school All-American in 2011. She was also a three-time state championship MVP and holds her school record for career aces (230). Bugg, who was ranked No. 5 nationally on PrepVolleyball.com's Senior Aces list, has also competed for Triangle Volleyball Club and was a member of the U.S. youth national team.
Burgess, a 6-1 outside hitter from Fort Myers, Fla., was the 2011-12 Gatorade National Player of the Year for volleyball, as well as, the 2011 ESPN High School and Volleyball Magazine Player of the Year. She is listed at No. 3 on PrepVolleyball.com's Senior Aces list. A four-year letterwinner at Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa, Fla., Burgess captained her team to three state championships from 2009-11. She was also a three-time first team Under Armour All-American and the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year in 2010 and 2011. Burgess was a member of the U.S. youth national team from 2008-11 and played for the Tampa Bay Juniors club team.
Howard, a local product out of Mountain View High School, is a 6-3 outside hitter who captained her team from 2009-11. She is the all-time MVHS kills leader and listed at No. 12 on the Senior Aces list by PrepVolleyball.com. A four-time Santa Clara Valley Athletic League First Team selection, Howard is an ESPN High School All-American and has been named an all-state, all-county and all-area player by several media outlets. Howard was also a member of the U.S. youth national team and competed for Vision Volleyball Club in the Bay Area.
McGehee is a 6-2 middle blocker from Lee's Summit, Mo., and listed at No. 10 on PrepVolleyball.com's Senior Aces list. She was a member of the four-time conference champion, three-time district champion and three-time state runner-up volleyball team at Lee's Summit West High School. A three-year letterwinner, McGehee captained her team as a senior in 2011 and holds the record for most kills and blocks at LSWHW. She is a three-time all-conference and all-district selection, while earning all-region and all-state accolades in 2011 and 2012. She was also an Under Armour First Team All-American in 2012 and played for Invasion Volleyball Club.
In addition to the five newcomers, the 2012 Stanford squad will include seniors Hannah Benjamin, Karissa Cook, Hayley Spelman and Jessica Walker, juniors Mary Ellen Luck, Rachel Williams and Carly Wopat, and sophomores Lydia Bai, Morgan Boukather and Kyle Gilbert.