OTAHK VOLLEYBALL HOPES TO RELOAD WITH RECRUITS

Southeast Missouri State University volleyball coach Cindy Gannon believes she has just the recruiting class to help ease the sting from losing five seniors off last season's team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

Gannon recently announced the signing of five players for the 1997 season, including Bernie High senior Erin Holt.

"We had a great recruiting class," said Gannon, whose team won both the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season and post-season titles on the way to the NCAA tourney. "Making the NCAAs helped boost us tremendously.

"Losing five tremendous seniors is tough. We'll have a young and exciting team next year. This is the next wave of athletes to help take us to the next level. Our goal is to not only continue winning the OVC but also make some noise in the NCAAs."

Holt, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, was a two-time all-state selection for Bernie's outstanding program.

"Erin was highly recruited. We're just very fortunate to keep her in Southeast Missouri," Gannon said. "She's an outstanding player."

Gannon also signed three other high school athletes who will be freshmen next season: 5-10 outside hitter Krista Haukap of Mater Dei in Breese, Ill.; 5-9 middle blocker Rachelle Knapp of Mater Dei in Evansville, Ind.; and 6-4 outside hitter Nilufer Sicem of Istanbul, Turkey.

Haukap earned second-team all-metro honors in the St. Louis area, Knapp was the Evansville player of the year and Sicem -- who will join fellow Istanbul native and standout setter Tuba Meto on next year's team -- figures to be the tallest volleyball player ever at Southeast. She was a member of the Turkish Junior National Team.

"Nilufer will be one of the tallest players ever in the OVC," said Gannon. "And she's not just tall. She can really play."

Rounding out the recruiting class is junior-college transfer Kimberly Aggert, a 6-1 outside hitter from Illinois Central Community College.

"I'm really pleased with all the girls," Gannon said. "All of them should really help keep our program moving in the right direction."