Nov. 11, 2009

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Head coach Cathy George and the Michigan State volleyball program has announced its initial signing in the recruiting class of 2010 to a National Letter of Intent, Kelsey Kuipers (Otsego, Mich.).

Kelsey Kuipers • 6-1 • Middle Blocker • Otsego, Mich./Otsego
High School: Three-year letterwinner at Otsego under head coach Mary Grile ... Finalist for the 2010 Miss Volleyball for the state of Michigan ... Named to the Under Armour Girls' High School All-America Watch List ... Named second team all-state in 2008-09 by the Michigan High School Athletic Association ... Named team MVP during the 2008-09 season ... Kalamazoo Gazette All-Area Volleyball team in 2008-09 ... Led her team with 540 kills, while posting a .319 attack percentage her senior season ... Averaged 5.5 kills per game her senior year while also averaging 0.65 blocks per game ... Tallied a team-high 43 service aces in 2009-10 ... Named to the all-region team in 2007-08 and 2008-09 ... Also received all-county recognition in 2007-08 and 2008-09 ... Received Wolverine Conference recognition in 2008-09 (first team) and in 2007-08 (second team) ... Named Otsego's Most Improved Player following the 2007-08 season ... A four-year letterwinner in both basketball and track & field ... School record holder in single game blocked shots (15), blocked shots recorded in a season (111) and career blocked shots (190) in basketball ... Finished second at the state championships in the high jump in 2008 and 2009, earning all-state honors ... Otsego record holder in the high jump, long jump, 200m dash and 100m dash ... Received the 2009 Wolverine Conference Outstanding Female Meet Performance award in track ... Academic all state in both volleyball and track ... Has been a member of the honor roll at Otsego all four years.

Club: Has competed for the Dead Frog Volleyball Club, based out of Battle Creek, Mich., for the past three seasons ... Team finished fifth at the 2009 Junior Volleyball Directors Association Championships in Louisville, Ky.

Kuipers on MSU: "Once I visited the campus, and met Cathy George and her staff, I knew I would fit right in. The campus is close to home, the academic programs are highly rated, and Cathy's personality couldn't be a better fit for me."

Cathy George on Kuipers: "Kelsey, who is a finalist for the Miss Volleyball award in Michigan, has excelled in everything she has done throughout her career. From volleyball to basketball to track & field, Kelsey has always been at the top of her game. From the first time that we saw her in a camp, we have been excited every time that we have seen her play and I am anxious for her to arrive on campus. She is just a phenomenal athlete and I am happy to add her to the class of 2015 and to see her as a Spartan. I look for her to move right into the middle blocker position next year since she has the athleticism to be a very dynamic middle for our team."