Volleyball players sign letters of intent

(From left) Jeff Pearce, San Jacinto College (SJC) volunteer volleyball assistant coach; Jazmine Green, SJC volleyball player; Sharon Nelson, SJC volleyball head coach; Hayley Couch, SJC volleyball player; and Dennis Allen, SJC volleyball assistant coach.

Two sophomore volleyball players at San Jacinto College have signed letters of intent to continue their volleyball careers and education at four-year institutions.

Jazmine Green, an outside hitter who graduated from Cy Falls High School and was the 2011 National Junior College Athletic Association Region XIV player of the year, has signed with Tarleton State University where she will study criminal justice. She averaged 3.46 kills, 2.91 digs and 0.62 blocks per set while playing with SJC and had a two-year career hitting percentage of .296 behind 749 total kills.

"San Jac has been great to me," said Green in a press release. "I've loved my two years here, and I've improved as a player. I'm looking forward to becoming a better athlete and to work on my defense."

"Jazmine has grown into a true leader," said Head Coach Sharon Nelson. "She did a phenomenal job for us. She's hard working and very competitive. She is one of the most decorated athletes to come through San Jac volleyball and she leaves a lasting impression on our program. She's going to do great things for Tarleton State."

Hayley Couch, a defense specialist from Santa Fe who averaged 2.63 digs per set this past season, will transfer to Eastern New Mexico University to study education and work to become a coach herself.

"I've really enjoyed my time here at San Jacinto College," said Couch. "The coaching staff taught me so much and really helped me prepare for this opportunity. I look forward to joining the university team and feeling at home there."

“She is a very aggressive player, and defense comes naturally to her,” said Nelson. "She's going to do an outstanding job at Eastern because she's the type of teammate who works to play on the next level every time she steps on to the court."

Outside hitter Rachel Tower, a sophomore from Kingwood, will soon attend California State University-East Bay. Tower has averaged 1.17 kills per set and 1.11 blocks per set in her two years at SJC.

For the sixth consecutive year, the SJC volleyball team has placed in the top 10 nationally, entering this year's tournament seeded fourth. It was the team's 14th overall appearance and the eighth in the last 10 years.