May 20, 2009

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College volleyball team added 2009 recruits Julia Claudy and Shelagh Dolan to the roster on Wednesday, May 20. Claudy and Dolan join defensive specialists Cassie Muzzonigro and Shelby Spicer and utility player Stephanie Carlu in Head Coach Margot Royer's Class of 2013.

Claudy, a 5-foot, 10-inch middle blocker from Kennett Square, Pa., attends Archmere Academy in Claymont, Del. She earned the volleyball team's Most Improved Player Award in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons and was a Delaware All-State Honorable Mention in 2007 and 2008. Archmere made it to the Delaware State Championship game during Claudy's senior season.

"Julia will be a nice addition to our team at middle blocker," Royer said. "She has a big upside in her ability level as she began playing volleyball late. We are excited to see her progress over the next four years."

Dolan is a 6-foot, 1-inch, transfer student-athlete from Quinnipiac University. As a freshman middle blocker, she ranked fifth on the Bobcats in 2008 with 156 kills and was second on the team with 63 total blocks.

Dolan, from Westford, Mass., earned four varsity letters in high school at Westford Academy. She earned Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic honors as a senior and was the 2007 Lowell Sun Player of the Year. Dolan competed for the SMASH 18 Open USA Volleyball Junior Olympic Team and helped lead the squad to a No. 1 New England Ranking. The team reached the championship game of the Rhode Island Blast Invitational and two New England Open Level Championships.

"We are very happy Shelagh will be a Friar this fall," Royer said. "She got some great experience at QU and she will be a great addition to our team."

The Friars open the 2009 season at the Niagara University Tournament on August 29-30 in Niagara, N.Y.