HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Northern Kentucky University has added seven volleyball recruits for next season. They are:

•Alexa Ansell, a 5-foot-10 right-side hitter from Genoa, Ohio. Ansell earned Suburban Lakes League Player of the Year honors as a senior at Genoa Area High School and was named to the District 7 first team. She led the Comets in kills and blocks this season and helped Genoa win the sectional title as a junior.

•Shelby Buschur, a 6-foot outside/middle hitter from St. Henry, Ohio. Buschur earned first team All-Midwest Athletic Conference this season for St. Henry High School. She also earned a spot on the Ohio District 8 all-star team after averaging 2.70 kills per game and serving up 29 aces during the regular season for St. Henry.

•Gennie Galfano, a 5-11 outside hitter from Eau Claire, Wis. Galfano earned honorable mention all-state accolades in Wisconsin this season for Eau Claire Memorial High School after leading the team in kills, aces and digs. She was a two-time All-Big Rivers Conference selection.

•Kerbi Elwood, a 5-11 outside hitter from Hartford City, Ind. Elwood finished as Blackford High School’s all-time career leader with 973 kills, and she attacked at a .620 clip as a senior. Elwood also served up a Blackford single-season record 75 aces this fall. She also holds the career record for service aces (250) and digs (918). She was a three-time All-Central Indiana Conference selection.

•Kelly Morrissey, a 5-10 setter from Mount Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati. Morrissey earned All-Girls’ Greater Cincinnati League honors this season after recording 843 assists. She also served up 35 aces this season as the Cougars advanced to the Ohio Division I state semifinals. Morrissey was named to the All-Ohio first team and was Mount Notre Dame’s most valuable player.

•Jenna Schreiver, a 5-9 setter from Notre Dame Academy. Schreiver earned three letters for the Pandas and led the 9th Region in assists as a senior at 10.5 apg. She was also named the 9th Region Player of the Year as a senior and helped Notre Dame advance to the state tournament. In addition, Schreiver was named to the all-state first team in 2008. As a junior, Schreiver helped Notre Dame finish as state runner-up.

•Kylee Tarantino, a 5-8 defensive specialist from Mount Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati. Tarantino led the GGCL in aces with 61 this season and collected a school-record nine aces in the regional semifinals. She also had 492 digs (5.59 digs per game) and was named All-Ohio first team as well as All-GGCL. Tarantino received the Excellence in Defense Award as a senior.

Those seven recruits will join an NKU program that has won at least 20 matches for 16 consecutive seasons. The Norse posted a 28-8 record this fall and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the second straight year.

MEN'S BASKETBALL UPDATE

NKU men’s basketball head coach Dave Bezold has signed Cincinnati prep standout Erik Stenger for the 2009-10 season.

Stenger, a 6-foot-6, 192-pound forward, averaged 17.6 points per game for St. Xavier High School as a senior. He was named St. Xavier’s most valuable player and earned first team All-Greater Catholic League South honors this past season.

Stenger averaged 7.8 rebounds per contest as a senior and helped the Bombers repeat as district champions. He was also named to the Associated Press All-Southwest Ohio first team and received special mention Division I all-state accolades.

NKU posted a 24-7 record this past season and won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship. The Norse, who captured the GLVC East Division title for the third straight year, also advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL UPDATE

NKU women’s basketball head coach Nancy Winstel has added Russell High School standout Kelsey Simpson for the 2009-10 season. Simpson, a 6-foot-2 forward/center, averaged 14.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game as a senior.

Simpson scored 1,096 career points at Russell and averaged more than three blocks per game. She was also named All-Eastern Kentucky Conference as a junior and senior.

Simpson also played soccer and softball at Russell. She was named second team all-state in soccer as a junior and senior. Simpson joins a Norse women’s basketball program that finished 29-3 this season and won the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship.