Hard to believe, but we’re into the single digits! Just nine days left until the Lady Vols begin the 2014 campaign! Seven new faces will be on the court this year. Here’s the latest in our series.

Iesha Bryant is a 6’1″ middle blocker from Carthage High School in Carthage TX, where she also played basketball and track. She played club for East Texas Juniors.

Her high school volleyball team won their district championship in her junior year. She had 390 kills and 166 blocks, and was named the All-District Offensive Player of the Year. She also earned All-East Texas Second Team, East Texas Super Team Third Team, and Texas Sports Writers Association All-State Third Team honors.

During her senior year she again led the Lady Dawgs to the district championship with 481 kills, 110 blocks, and a school record 33 wins — while picking up All-District MVP and East Texas Player of the Year accolades. In addition, she was named to the All-East Texas First Team, the East Texas Super Team First Team, the Texas Sports Writers Association All-State Second Team, and the Texas Girls Coaches Association All-State First Team.

Coach Patrick on Bryant: “Iesha is a 6-foot-1 middle blocker from Texas who has a huge upside. She’s already a great athlete and volleyball player, but her potential is limitless. She’ll be able to come in and provide a physicality on the net for our team. She’s very explosive off the ground. She’s able to run in front and behind the hitter very effectively. Once she gets comfortable with the speed of the game, she’s really going to have an impact on the court as she is able to stretch defenses out because she can attack almost antennae to antennae.”

photos from etsn.fm / news-journal.com