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Crestview Volleyball Standout Signs with Lady Cougars
written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director

Photo of Courtney Springer

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - The Mount Vernon Nazarene University women’s volleyball team has signed an important recruit for the 2006 season with the addition of Courtney Springer, who has decided to further her education at MVNU and continue her volleyball career with the Lady Cougars.

Springer, a 5-foot-8 middle hitter from Van Wert, Ohio, set school records as a senior at Crestview High School with 331 kills and 293 blocks as she was named the Northwest Conference Player of the Year and a First Team All-District and Second Team All-Ohio selection. She also helped Crestview to three straight conference titles (2002-2004) and four consecutive district runner-up finishes as she finished as the school’s career leader in kills with 739.

"We are thrilled that Courtney has chosen MVNU as her school,” said MVNU head coach Paul Swanson, who is the active leader in the NAIA with 779 career victories. "When I think about her, I think everything is an upside with her. She has outstanding athleticism and potential, excellent skills and high school preparation, and competitiveness and a desire to win. She is a super person with a great personality, and she is an excellent student with strong academic goals.”

"I admire the fact that early on Courtney sought a Christian college because that is important to her,” Swanson added. "We are adding an excellent player and a great person to our program in 2006.”

In addition to playing volleyball, Springer was a member of the

Crestview softball team that won the state title in 2004 and was an All-Conference Second Team selection in basketball in 2004. She has been a scholar-athlete in all three sports and was a two-year team captain in both volleyball and basketball. She has also been active in National Honor Society, Blue and Red Club, Rotary Club, Model UN, FCCLA, and her youth group at Redeemer Lutheran Church.

"I chose MVNU because it is a beautiful, small campus which is what I was looking for,” said Springer of her college choice. "MVNU also has a nursing program which I plan to major in, and they have an outstanding volleyball program. I am really looking forward to playing for Coach Swanson.”

MVNU posted a 42-12 overall record in 2005 and has finished as the NAIA Region IX Tournament runner-up for the fifth time in the past seven years.