Former Oklahoma setter comes to MSU as a graduate transfer
Michigan State volleyball coach Cathy George has announced the addition of setter Audrey Alford (Norman, Okla.) to the Spartan roster for the 2019 season. Alford was a three-year letterwinner at Oklahoma, and comes to Michigan State as a graduate transfer with one year of eligibility remaining to compete in the Green and White.
Alford is a three-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 selection, and earned three varsity letters for the Sooners on the volleyball court. Over three seasons, she averaged 9.35 assists and 1.72 digs per set, starting a total of 75 matches. She began her career in 2015 after a standout career at Norman North High School and with Oklahoma Peak Performance.
"Audrey brings us a seasoned collegiate background and an a maturity within the game of volleyball due to her experience in the Big 12. She has a very high volleyball IQ, as she has been immersed in collegiate athletics and high-level volleyball her entire life," noted head coach Cathy George. "Her perspective will be valuable for our 2019 team, as we're still going to have a fairly young roster. She graduated from Oklahoma in seven semesters which provided her the opportunity to start graduate school here this semester, which will allow her to participate in spring ball to really get acclimated. We're excited to have her join our program."
Alford comes from a strong Division I athletics background – her mother, Laura, played collegiately at Hawai'I and also is a former Division I coach at Cincinnati, while her father, Michael, was a baseball letterwinner at Mississippi State and is currently the athletic director at Central Michigan University.
MSU went 17-16 in 2018, with the youngest roster in the Big Ten Conference. The Spartans lost just one senior (Maddie Haggerty) to graduation, and return 14 letterwinners for the 2019 squad. Alford joins three incoming freshmen - defensive specialist Hannah Grant (Northville, Mich.), outside hitter BiambaKabengele (Burlington, Ontario) and middle blocker Emma Monks (Louisville, Ky.) as newcomers for the 2019 squad.
AUDREY ALFORD
Graduate student • Setter • 5-9 • Norman, Okla./Oklahoma • Club: Oklahoma Peak Performance
SENIOR (2018): Redshirted … Named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team …
JUNIOR (2017): Started 24 matches, including 89 sets played … Named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team … Led the team with 835 assists, averaging 9.38 assists per set, while totaling 179 digs for a 2.01 digs per set average … Totaled seven double-doubles … Opened the season with a double-double with 23 assists and 11 digs against Seton Hall (8/25) … Registered a season-high 13 digs in a double-double performance (35 assists) at Tulane (9/9) … Reached a season-high 52 assists at Kansas (10/25) and versus West Virginia (11/4) … Tallied three straight double doubles against West Virginia (11/4), at Texas Tech (11/8) and against Iowa State (11/15).
SOPHOMORE (2016): Played in all 106 sets, while starting all 29 matches at setter… Academic All-Big 12 First Team… Collected 1,197 assists, averaging 11.29 per set, and total 40 or more in 16 matches… Compiled seven double-doubles… Set the OU record for assists in a four- and five-set match during the 25-point, rally-scoring era in one weekend with 58 in four at Little Rock (9/1) and 66 in five vs. Mississippi State (9/3)… Named the All-Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (9/5)… Posted her first double-double with 32 assists and 10 digs vs. Maryland (9/16)… Picked up a season-high 15 digs with 43 assists at TCU (10/1)… Collected 52 assists along with 10 digs vs. Kansas State (10/15)… Registered 51 assists in back-to-back matches against Kansas (11/5) and Iowa State (11/9) ...
FRESHMAN (2015): Appeared in 22 matches and 77 sets as a freshman for the Sooners... 512 assists on the season good for second on the team... Also notched 93 digs... Earned 22 assists in her first career home match against Little Rock (9/3)... Tallied two aces in back-to-back matches against New Mexico State (9/10) and Denver (9/11)... Recorded her first career double-double versus Iowa State (9/30) with 22 assists and 11 digs... Had a career match against Kansas State (11/11) with career-highs in assists (55) and digs (15)... Back-to-back Big 12 Rookie of the Week for the weeks of Nov. 16 and November 23... Numbered 30 or more digs in six consecutive matches (11/7-11/25)... Finished the season with the eighth-most assists in the Big 12 and first in assists among freshmen ...
CLUB: Totaled seven years of club volleyball with Oklahoma Peak Performance, TAV and Club Crimson under various head coaches, including her mother Laura Alford... Named to the Battle of the Fort All-Tournament Team, while playing for OPP 18 Smack... Participated in the Junior Olympics 14s, 15s, 16s and 17s with TAV... Guided OPP 18 Smack to regional championship …
HIGH SCHOOL: Originally played at Southlake Carroll (Texas) before moving to Norman North... Earned Academic All-District, Best Setter Award and was named to the Northwest Classic All-Tournament Team at Southlake Carroll... At Norman North, recognized as Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year, Under Armour Second Team All-American and All-State 6-A Team... Placed on the Broken Arrow, Jenks Invitational and Stillwater All-Tournament Teams... Helped Southlake Carroll to a 5-A Texas State semifinal and Norman North to an Oklahoma 6-A quarterfinal... Member of the National Honor Society …
PERSONAL: Daughter of Laura and Michael Alford... Has two sisters, Ashley and Anna Leigh...Mother played volleyball at the University of Hawai'i and formerly coached at Cincinnati ... Father played baseball at Mississippi State and is the athletic director at Central Michigan ... Earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology in December 2018 from Oklahoma.
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