May 1, 2009

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Five more outstanding volleyball players will join the LMU volleyball program in 2009, it was announced by Head Coach Steve Stratos earlier this week. Felicia Arriola (5'11" OH/Dana Hills HS), Arin Dear-Walker (5'8" MB, OH/John W. North HS), Nikki Lane (5'8" Setter/Chadwick HS), Katie Lawler (5'9" OH, DS/Newport Harbor HS) and Samantha Spees (5'9" OH, DS/Westfield HS) will each take the court for LMU during the 2009 campaign.

"All five of our new recruits come from very successful backgrounds and play at a very high level of club volleyball. We as a coaching staff and a program feel like each of these players have the potential to have an impact early in their careers," Stratos said.

Felicia Arriola

Arriola, a four-year varsity starter for Dana Hills High School, was named All-South Coast League at the conclusion of each of her four seasons on the court. A three-time Most Valuable Player for her squad, she was named First Team All-America after helping the Laguna Beach Volleyball Club to a 16-and-under Open Junior Olympic Championship. Her Laguna Beach 18 1's club team is considered by many to be the No. 1 club team in the state of California.

According to Stratos, "Felicia is a tremendous athlete and a very powerful hitter. She is a great all-around volleyball player, and owns incredible volleyball skills. I feel she can potentially help us on both the left and right side, and she could very well become the primary passer for us right away."

Dear-Walker, a three-year varsity starter at John W. North High School, garnered All-League recognition in each of her three varsity seasons. A four-time Scholar Athlete, she led her team in kill percentage and kills-per-game en route to being named All-County Honorable Mention as a junior and senior.

Arin Dear-Walker

"Arin is a very athletic individual that has the potential to develop into a successful Division I volleyball player," Stratos said.

Lane, a three-time All-Prep League selection at Chadwick High School, garnered All-CIF honors as a junior in 2007. An All-Tournament selection at the Brentwood Classic and the North High Tournament, she served as her team's captain as a junior and senior. Also named MVP of the Bretheren Christian Tournament as a junior in high school, she is a member of the South Bay Volleyball Club, playing under Assistant Coach Larry Smoot on the club side. In club competition, she participated in the Junior Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, Atlanta, Ga., and in the Open Division in Minneapolis, Minn. in 2007.

Nikki Lane

"Nikki is a very accomplished setter. She has played on one of the premier clubs in the south bay, South Bay Volleyball Club, for one of our Assistants, Larry Smoot. She has had a lot of success at both the high school and club levels, and will be a great addition to the other talented setters we have already in place, and coming into the program this year."

Lawler, who prepped at Newport Harbor High School, considered one of the premier high school volleyball teams in the country, was a two-year starter and helped lead her squad to a Sunset League Championship in 2007. That team advanced to the CIF Division I Quarterfinals. A captain of her 18's 2 club team in 2007, she also guided her squad to a third-place finish at the Ann Kang Hawai'i Tournament in 2008.

Katie Lawler

"Katie comes to our program from one of the premier high schools in the country, Newport Harbor High School. Prepping there, she has emerged as a very talented volleyball player with an abundance of skill. She has the ability to play as an outside hitter, but could potentially vie for the libero position as well in 2009."

Spees, named First Team All-State for the state of Virginia as a senior, was a Prep Volleyball All-American and was named to the Prep Volleyball Senior Aces list. The Concorde District Player of the Year in 2008, she was also named Northern Region Player of the Year that same season. A four-time All-Northern Region Tournament selection and two-time team captain, she garnered Second Team All-District as a junior en route to being named a Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year nominee as a senior.

Samantha Spees

"Samantha is one of the most accomplished seniors coming out of Virginia this year. She has tremendous accolades, including being named All-State and Most Valuable Player in her region. She comes from a tremendous volleyball family, as her father was a Southern California standout in beach volleyball, and also played indoors and was very accomplished there as well."

The five players will join a strong recruiting class, made up of Olivia Bailey (Hockaday School) and Kenna Crouse (Santa Margarita Catholic High School), inked earlier in the season by LMU volleyball. According to Stratos, "With the addition of seven new accomplished athletes to our program, and the very successful spring that we've had with a young squad already, our future looks very bright indeed."

LMU will hold its Annual Alumnae Match on August 22 at 7 p.m. to open the 2009 season.