April 20, 2007

By Ken McDowell

Sports Editor-South Platte Sentinel

Ashley Kauffman of the Northeastern Junior College (NJC) volleyball team has signed her National Letter of Intent to play volleyball and continue her education at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Located in Rapid City, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is an NAIA college.

In Kauffmans two-year career at NJC, the outside hitter from Fort Morgan totaled 498 kills and 174 blocks. She was also a very strong back row player with 321 digs. Now she is ready to move up to the next level in her life as she will play the next two years for the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology volleyball team.

"Im excited to have the opportunity to play there, she said. When I visited the area I liked the school and the coach, and I feel that I can be a team leader and motivate players to work harder."

Kauffman pointed out that playing at NJC has helped her move up to the next level and accept those roles.

Playing at NJC has helped me accept more responsibility as well as being a better student/athlete and role model, she said. I have improved more as a player and learned more about the strategy of volleyball.

Coach Marci Henry had high praise for Kauffman and what she accomplished in her two years at NJC.

"Ashley was a two-year starter for us and she was a great leader on and off the court, she said. She is a very good student and she is also very talented athletically and I think she will be a major force at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology."

"She will be hard to replace because she is the type of kid that we want in our program. You always hope to find those types of individuals when recruiting, and hopefully we will continue be able to. But with Ashley there are so many positive tangibles such as her personality as well as her academic and athletic talents."

Henry added that seeing players in her program get the opportunity to move on to a four-year school is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a junior college coach.

"You like to see how much each player has matured in their two years at NJC," she said. "You hate to see them go, but you also know that is the next step in their lives, not only maturity wise, but athletically and academically. I wish Ashley the best."