Tar Heels Ink Three to National Letters of Intent
November 10, 2017 | Volleyball
CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina volleyball is excited to announce the signing of three incoming players to National Letters of Intent: Ava Bell, Destiny Cox and Lauren Harrison. The trio of Under Armour High School All-Americans were all named PrepVolleyball.com Top 100 Senior Aces, rated the No. 19, No. 22 and No. 51 recruits in the country. All three stand at least six feet tall and are threats on offense and at the net.
"These three players make up one part of a great recruiting class for Carolina in 2018," said head coach Joe Sagula. "They are all excellent players who are physical athletes at the net. They jump extremely well and have played high level volleyball in both high school and club. We believe they can become six-rotation players as their talents develop in our gym."
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| Ava Bell |
Name: Ava Bell
Position: Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter
Height: 6-2
Hometown: Austin, Texas
High School: Rouse
Club Team: Austin Performance
A Third-Team Under Armour High School All-American, Ava Bell is a middle blocker who has the potential to play all six rotations. Rated the No. 51 recruit in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com, the Austin, Texas, native led Rouse High School to the Bi-District Finals in 2014 and 2015 and the Regional Finals in 2016. The two-time All-District 19-5A First Team selection was named District Hitter MVP in 2016 while earning all-state honors from three different organizations. The 2016 Offensive Player of the Year also appears on the AVCA Phenom Watch List.
Bell is in the midst of a fantastic senior season, as the Raiders bring a 31-match winning streak into this Friday's playoff match. RHS sits at 47-3 on the season, including 16-0 in conference play. Bell leads District 19 with a .376 hitting percentage, 73 service aces and 105 blocks on the season.
"Ava is a competitor," said Sagula. "She is one of the hardest workers in this class and will be able to make an impact early in her career. She has the capability of playing multiple positions, which has become a bit of a staple on our roster. She is explosive with a great arm and has court awareness, which can allow her to compete from the first day she arrives on campus.
"A former softball player, Ava has grown in the sport of volleyball these past few years playing with Austin Performance Volleyball Club as well as training at Rouse High School under coach Jacob Thompson. She plans to enroll this January at Carolina, which will give her the opportunity to be ready for next fall."
A member of Austin Performance Volleyball Club, Bell earned 2016 GJNC all-tournament honors after leading the Gazelles to a third-place national finish. As impressive in the classroom as she is on the court, Bell is a four-time academic all-district selection, a 2017 academic all-state honoree and a four-year Rouse Scholar.
"Ava is also a diligent and talented student who has achieved a lot of success in the classroom," said Sagula. "She will be a very disciplined and successful student at Carolina as well."
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| Destiny Cox |
Name: Destiny Cox
Position: Outside/Right-Side Hitter
Height: 6-3
Hometown: Chapel Hill, N.C.
High School: Carrboro
Club Team: Triangle
A four-your starting pin hitter from right here in Chapel Hill, Destiny Cox is an Under Armour All-America Third Team selection who was rated the No. 19 recruit in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com. The local phenom was named PrepVolleyball National Freshman of the Year in 2014, then earned PV High School All-America Special Mention in 2015. Appearing on PV's Soph 79 and Top 50 Junior Recruits lists, Cox was named to the AVCA Phenom Watch List as well as a PrepVolleyball High School All-American as a junior in 2016.
After leading Carrboro to a pair of Eastern Region runner-up finishes in 2014-15, Cox helped the Jaguars capture back-to-back state titles in 2016 and 2017, earning NCHSAA 2A State Most Valuable Player honors twice in a row. The 2016 Mid-State Conference Player of the Year totaled 1,306 kills, 101 blocks, 469 digs and 154 service aces during her high school career.
"Destiny is a special type of athlete who we recognized from a young age," said Sagula. "She possesses the ability to impact the game with her hitting and blocking, both at the net and from the back row. She has grown so much in the past year and I am confident she can be an impact in the ACC as well as nationally. Destiny is eager to work hard and has wanted to be a Tar Heel for a long time. Her mother, Crystal Cox, competed at Carolina in Track and Field, and we are excited to keep her in the family."
A member of Triangle Volleyball Club since 2012, Cox was named to the JVA All-National Team in 2016 and 2017. The talented outside led Triangle to a sixth-place finish at 2016 AAU Championships in Orlando followed by a top-20 ranking at the 2017 Junior National Championship in Minnesota. Respected on the national scene, she won a gold medal with the High Performance A1 National Training Team in 2017.
"Last summer, Destiny gained a lot of high-level experience competing for Team USA on the A1 Junior National Team," Sagula continued. "She has also been with Triangle Volleyball Club and recently won back-to-back State Championships with Carrboro High School. She has made herself known in North Carolina leading her teams to the highest level, and we look forward to the same success here at Carolina."
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| Lauren Harrison |
Name: Lauren Harrison
Position: Outside Hitter
Height: 6-0
Hometown: Stone Mountain, Ga.
High School: Woodward Academy
Club Teams: Tsunami, A5
A talented outside hitter with a rocket swing, Lauren Harrison is a four-time Georgia 4A All-State selection and two-time 4A State Player of the Year. Ranked No. 22 in the nation on PrepVolleyball.com's list of Senior Aces, Harrison was named to the Under Armour High School All-America First Team in 2017. Included on PrepVolleyball's Frosh 59 and Soph 79 lists, Harrison led Woodward Academy to the State Semifinals four years in a row, including a Runner-Up finish in 2016.
"Lauren has the potential to be a dominant six-rotation player with our program," said Sagula. "It will be exciting to have the opportunity to work with her and develop her potential. She has the ability to elevate quickly and effortlessly. She is difficult to defend because of her attacking range and power on the ball. Lauren has worked really hard over the past year to become a true six-rotation outside hitter. Having her train alongside our returning pin players next season is a great situation for our future in that position. We expect Lauren to have a major impact on the success of our program in the years to come."
A member of Tsumani Volleyball Club since 2013, Harrison spent the 2015-16 club season at A5, where she won AAU and USAV 16 Open National Championships. The Stone Mountain, Georgia, native was a 2016 AAU All-American and named to the USAV 16 Open All-Tournament Team.
"Lauren has also gained a lot of experience as both an AAU Champion and a USA Volleyball 16's Champion with A5 Volleyball," said Sagula. "She has continued to develop as a go-to player with Tsunami Volleyball Club out of Atlanta. Lauren is a player who will add to the quality and character of our team, both on and off the court."