Women's Volleyball Inks Three to NLI's

BRONX, N.Y. -- The Fordham women's volleyball team welcomes three additions to its 2015 roster, it was announced Monday by head coach Gini Ullery. Natalie Martinez, Olivia LaPorta and Breanna Jones all signed national letters of intent and will be Rams in the fall.

"We are excited that Natalie, Liv and Bre are joining our Ramily and look forward to the immediate impact they will make on the program," Ullery said.

Martinez hails from Palmdale, Calif. and played four years of varsity volleyball at Westridge School for Girls in Pasadena, Calif. A four-year varsity starter, she was named captain in her senior season and helped her squad to the 2013 and 2014 Gladstone Tournament finals, earning Tournament MVP in 2014 while leading the team to second-place finish at the 2014 Cardinal Classic. The 6-4 product ranked third in service aces as a senior in the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section (Division 2AA) and was recognized as the player of the match four times.

Martinez was a two-time participant of the West San Gabriel All-Star Game and selected Team MVP in 2014. As a sophomore, she led the Prep League with 77 total blocks (68 solo), ranked third in hitting percentage (.277), and earned player of the match honors in a key CIF wildcard match while being tabbed as the team's Most Improved Player for the second straight year. Martinez also played for the San Gabriel Elite Volleyball Club as a four-year starter and led her team to the Junior Olympics, where they finished third in the National Division in 2014 and fifth in the American Division in 2013. At Fordham, she will enroll in the Gabelli School of Business, with an undeclared major.

"Natalie brings a strong, physical presence to the right side position," Ullery said. "She plays at a high level year around, and I am excited to bring a player of her caliber to the program."

LaPorta is a 6-0 middle hitter from Highland, Ill. and played four-years of varsity volleyball at Highland High School. She was named First-Team All-Mississippi Valley Conference as a senior after earning Second Team honors at the conclusion of her sophomore and junior campaigns. LaPorta was team captain and MVP in her senior season and garnered Second Team All-Area honors while being selected to the all-tournament teams at Granite City (MVP), O'Fallon and Highland. She was selected Honorable Mention All-Area and to the O'Fallon All-Tournament Team as a sophomore and junior coupled with a first appearance on the Highland All-Tournament Team as a junior. Early on in her high school career, LaPorta helped her team to a 28-5 school-record mark, a Mississippi Valley Conference championship, and a regional title as a freshman and a second conference championship as a sophomore.

LaPorta is also a standout in basketball, having played varsity all four years. She is currently in her senior season but is already a two-time First Team All-Mississippi Valley performer. As a junior, the team's MVP (for the second straight season) was named AAA Honorable Mention All-State, First Team All-Area, and Mississippi Valley MVP while earning all-tournament team selections at Salem and Highland en route to a conference championship. She was also named Honorable Mention All-Area as a sophomore and helped Highland to a conference and regional title as a freshman. LaPorta plays club volleyball for H2 Saint Louis and helped them to a U17 third-place finish at the Kansas City National Qualifier. Very strong academically, LaPorta is a four-year member of the honor roll, member of the National Society, member of the Spanish National Honor Society, a 2014-15 Illinois State Scholar and a Youth Leadership award recipient. She will major in Journalism and Communications at Fordham.

"Liv is an athlete and a competitor," Ullery said. "Her work ethic and speed puts her in a position to make an immediate impact in the middle."
Jones travels to Rose Hill from Hazel Green, Ala., where she played four years of varsity volleyball at Hazel Green High School. The 6-1 middle hitter constructed a season senior season that saw her earn all-state, all-area and all-county MVP honors while being selected as an AL.com Super All-Star and Top-10 player while having her accolades mentioned in a USA Today Feature Athlete article. She collected the first of two straight North All-Star Team selections as a junior while producing All-County, All-State, All-Area and All-County MVP accolades to go along with leading the team in kills and digs. Jones was also voted All-County and All-Area after her

freshman and sophomore seasons while leading the team in kills and digs her sophomore season and kills in her first year. The Rocket City Volleyball Club member was stellar in French, as she was the president of the French National Honor Society and French Academic Award winner. Jones will major in English at Fordham.

"Bre is a solid all around outside whose athleticism and demeanor is a great addition to this program," Ullery said. "Her go-get-it attitude is going to help take this program to the next level."