(June 17, 2005) - Fordham Women's Volleyball Coach Pete Volkert announced the signing of four recruits for the upcoming 2005 season as Katie Hoag (Ripon, CA/Ripon Christian (San Joaquin Delta)), Kate Nelson (Wheaton, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South (Kishwaukee)), Katherine Burrell (Phoenix, AZ/Xavier College Prep), and Bridget Tarantino (San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius College Prep) have joined the Rams' squad. Hoag, a junior transfer from San Joaquin Delta College, was a two-time First Team All-Bay Valley Conference selection, helping San Joaquin Delta to the Bay Valley Conference Championship in 2003 and 2004. Seeing action at both setter and at opposite hitter, she registered a .260 hitting percentage, 2.6 kills per game, 5.0 assists per game, and 2.2 digs per game last season. Prior to San Joaquin Delta, Hoag was a four-year varsity volleyball player for Ripon Christian High School, where she was MVP of the T Valley League and the Sectionals, helping her team to the State Championship. Nelson, a junior transfer from Kishwaukee College, was a two-year starter and a First Team NJCAA All-Region IV. She helped Kishwaukee to a 35-8 record and a #2 ranking as a sophomore, leading the squad in blocks per game. From her middle blocker position, she was a two-time Academic All-Conference selection at Kishwaukee, and served as team captain as a sophomore. Prior to Kishwaukee, Nelson was a two-year varsity volleyball player at Wheaton-Warrenville South High School and was the senior year captain of the 18-Navy club volleyball team at Sports Performance. Burrell, a setter from Phoenix, AZ, played for Xavier College Prep, where she was selected as team MVP in 2005, as well as to the All-Region team. She served as the captain of the volleyball team, and received the 2005 Outstanding Senior Athlete Award, as well as the 2005 President's Education Award. Tarantino, a defensive specialist from San Francisco, CA, played for St. Ignatius College Prep, where she was a three-year member of the varsity volleyball team. She served as the starting defensive specialist for St. Ignatius Prep, which made the first round of the Northern California Championships for the first time. A three-year member of the XLVB club team, she graduated with honors from St. Ignatius College Prep and is a life member of the California Scholarship Federation. Founded in 1841, Fordham is New York City's Jesuit University. With 22 men's and women's varsity sports teams, the Fordham Rams are members of the NCAA Division I and compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference in baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track, women's rowing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis and volleyball and in the Patriot League (NCAA I-AA) for football.