Going To Cleveland
9/28/2011 6:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
By Cheval John
Junior outside hitter Kendall Cleveland is thankful for having the opportunity to make an impact for the Sam Houston State University volleyball team this fall.
So far this season, the kinesiology major from Houston ranks as one of the Bearkats' top five offensive players with 95 kills, 21 blocks and three aces for 110 total points.
"Kendall is very athletic and she brings a new dimension to our offense that we haven't seen in the last couple of years," Gray said. "Our hardest position to solidify last year was our outside hitter opposite Carli Kolbe and Kendall has stepped right in. She has a good upside and plays high at the net."
Cleveland's journey to Sam Houston began when her older sister was trying out for the junior varsity team and wanted Kendall to help her prepare for the tryouts along with her friends.
"She had me practice with her all the time and, because of that, I fell in love with the sport," Cleveland said.
From that moment, Cleveland developed her skills and earned her own spot on the junior varsity team at Cypress Falls High School. Her coach, Pam McRae Blakely, turned out to be a former Bearkat who played for Sam Houston's Brenda Gray, earning all-conference honors in 1991.
Cleveland quickly moved from junior varsity to the varsity under head coach Kathy Stephenson and earned back-to-back "Most Valuable Player" honors as a junior and a senior.
Cleveland also played for the Texas Tornadoes volleyball club team where hed led her squad to a runner-up finish at the Big South Qualifier and a bronze medal at the Team Cup Championships. She played in the Texas High School All-Star game and earned academic all-district honors as well.
As a senior in high school, Gray was one of several coaches recruiting Cleveland, but the outside hitter elected to sign with the University of Arkansas. Her freshman year she recorded 177 kills and 160 digs but was sidelined by a knee injury that required season-ending surgery.
"Once I came back from the surgery I knew I wanted to keep playing," Cleveland said. "I remembered how much Coach Gray talked to me during recruiting and asked Coach Blakely about playing at Sam Houston. She loved playing for Coach Gray and felt I would learn from one of the best coaches in volleyball."
Transferring to Sam Houston, Cleveland made an immediate impact on the Bearkats, helping lead the team to the Bearkat Invitation Tournament and a 5-0 season start, the best for the program since 1983.
"Kendall brought experience to our team," senior setter Kym Loving said. "She is a step ahead and knows what is happening on the court."
Sam Houston is off to a 3-0 start in Southland Conference play with victories over Stephen F. Austin, Northwestern State and defending league champion Central Arkansas. The Bearkats face UTSA in San Antonio and A&M-Corpus Christi on the road this weekend before returning home to for a rematch with Stephen F. Austin Wednesday, Oct. 5 at Johnson Coliseum.
"It has been amazing," Cleveland said. "I have great teammates and just want to come out and help us win."
Tickets for all Sam Houston State home athletic events are available now online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets or at the SHSU athletic ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
