Colorado University Athletics
Kritza Inks Two All-American Preps To 2016 Class
November 12, 2015 | Volleyball
BOULDER — University of Colorado volleyball head coach Liz Kritza has announced the signing of two prep standouts to continue their education at CU as part of the 2016 volleyball class.
Lauren Dorrell (Brentwood, Tenn.) and Justine Spann (Chandler, Ariz.) have each signed to join the Colorado volleyball program next season.
“Announcing the addition of these two outstanding young women today is significant, as they represent the level of excellence that is now synonymous with Colorado volleyball when it comes to recruiting and preparing teams to compete in the Pac-12, the top conference in the country,” Kritza said. “We are excited that both Lauren and Justine will be Buffs and expect that they will thrive in our program and within the CU community.”
“Recruiting these days in the top levels of collegiate volleyball is an arduous task that starts well before many other sports,” said Kritza. “To sign high level players like this and continue strong recruiting pipelines it takes not only a great work ethic, but real skill in identifying top prospects who will fit the program's needs and will be successful in all aspects during their college careers. These players will be great Buffs, and giving credit where it is due, I must recognize the efforts of my staff recruiting coordinator, Ryal Jagd, who worked tirelessly to make sure our recruiting is amongst the top in the nation.”
2016 Recruiting Class
|
Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Hometown/School/Club |
|
Lauren Dorrell |
OH/OPP |
6-0 |
Brentwood, Tenn./Father Ryan HS/Houston Junior VBC |
|
Justine Spann |
OH |
5-10 |
Chandler, Ariz./Basha HS/Arizona Storm VBC |
 |
Lauren Dorrell, 6-0, OH/OPP, Brentwood, Tenn/Houston Juniors VBC
Dorrell has only been playing volleyball since the start of high school and but excelled quickly in the sport. A remarkable athlete, she was selected to the 2015-16 AVCA/Under Armour Girls High School All-American Second Team. Dorrell led the Fighting Irish to a 40-10 record in 2015. She recorded 466 kills, 46 blocks, 314 digs and 18 aces as a senior and was named the MVP after guiding FRHS to the 2015 Division II AA State Championship. She was also a member of the all-region team and was named to Prepvolleyball.com's Senior Aces list, which recognizes the top 100 players across the country.
In 2014 as a junior, Dorrell amassed 617 kills, 50 blocks, 277 digs and 30 aces as FRHS recorded a 49-10 record. She earned all-region honors that season as well.
Her most club volleyball experience comes from the Houston Juniors Volleyball Club in Houston, Texas, one of the premiere clubs in the country. She played there for two years under coaches Courtney Alwell, Tara Cross Battle, Courtney Rhodes and Jeff Ham. For the 2016 season, she will compete for Houston Juniors 18 Elite.
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Dorrell is the daughter of Karl, a former football player (UCLA) and assistant coach (UCLA and CU), and Kim Dorrell of Brentwood, Tenn. She has one older sibling, Chandler, who is a wide receiver for Vanderbilt. She enjoys shopping, listening to music and making people laugh. Dorrell is undecided on a major, but is interested in a variety of majors that include engineering management, architectural engineering and business communications.
One of the nation's top recruits, Dorrell was heavily recruited by many schools, including Stanford, Virginia, Arizona State, North Carolina and Louisville. She picked CU because it was her first unofficial visit and she felt “at home” (Dorrell was born in Louisville, Colo.).
Quotes:
Colorado Head Coach Liz Kritza
“Lauren is a wonderful addition to the Buffs volleyball family. She is an accomplished student and a brilliant athlete, who will represent the Buffs in an extremely positive way. She has a very bright volleyball career ahead of her because of her athletic ability coupled with a fiery competitiveness that sets her apart from her competition. She can play on either pin and with her jumping ability and quickness, she looks to be a top player in the Pac-12 and she is going to be a really fun player to watch. We are excited to get her on campus and start her journey towards all the great things she will accomplish in a Buffs jersey. “
Father Ryan High School Head Coach Jinx Cockerham
“Lauren had a solid regular season with a spectacular postseason. She put our team on her shoulders and carried us through four sets of grueling volleyball. She was honored as the State MVP in Division 2, which has many, many good players. She posted a high 101 kills and 59 digs in our state playoff matches. Lauren has a tremendous passion for competition and has worked extremely hard to improve all facets of her game. She is true to her Church, her family, her school and team. She will be such an asset to the Colorado program.”
“Dorrell is a complete athlete. She has the obvious skill and athleticism, combined with her passion and constant want to grow in the game. She also has a strong ability to lead on and off the court and an even stronger determination to win.”
Lauren Dorrell
“I am excited to officially be a Buff. I chose Colorado because the Pac-12 is the best volleyball conference and I am most comfortable with this coaching staff.”
 |
Justine Spann, 5-11, OH, Chandler, Ariz./Arizona Storm VBC
Spann, a 2015-16 AVCA Under Armour Girls High School Third Team All-America selection, tallied a state-leading 710 kills on 1,427 attacks and hit .348, the third best in Arizona, with only 214 errors. She also posted 47 blocks and tallied 536 digs as Basha High School finished the season 24-16. She was named the MaxPreps/AVCA High School Player of the Week for Arizona after recording 60 kills, 24 digs and six blocks the week of Sept. 7-14, 2015. Spann was named the MaxPreps Player of the Match seven times over the course of the 2015 season.
A three-time captain, she earned numerous awards during her senior season, including Basha Varsity Volleyball Player of the Year, Arizona Central Female Athlete of the Week (Oct. 8-15), Nike Invitational All-Tournament Team and Basha Player of the year.Spann, a 2015-16 AVCA Under Armour Girls High School Third Team All-America selection, tallied a state-leading 710 kills on 1,427 attacks and hit .348, the third best in Arizona, with only 214 errors. She also posted 47 blocks and tallied 536 digs as Basha High School finished the season 24-16. She was named the MaxPreps/AVCA High School Player of the Week for Arizona after recording 60 kills, 24 digs and six blocks the week of Sept. 7-14, 2015. Spann was named the MaxPreps Player of the match seven times over the course of the 2015 season.
As a junior in 2014, Spann helped the Bears to a 28-14 record with 620 kills, again the most kills in Arizona that season. She was named to the Nike Invitational All-Tournament team, Arizona Republic Second Team, All-Chandler School District First Team, All-Section First Team (Division I, Section II) and All-Division First Team.
Spann was named second team All-State in 2013 as she helped Basha High School to a 20-18 record with 339 kills. She also earned All-Chandler Unified School District First Team honors, as well as all-section first team, Division I-Section II Player of the Year, Division I First Team All-State and was inducted into the BHS Hall of Fame.
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A member of the Arizona Storm Volleyball Club, Spann's teams were very successful. In 2014, they won the Junior National 16 Open and in 2013, her team was the 15 Open champions. Arizona Storm was the 17 Open runner-up in 2015. During those three season, Spann earned consecutive USA Volleyball All-America honors.
She is also a part of the USA Volleyball pipeline. Spann started out in 2010 on the USAV Arizona Region High Performance team and in 2011, she was selected to the USAV Future Select A1 team. In 2012, Spann was chosen to the USAV Youth Select A1 Team.
Spann is the daughter of Creig and Terri Spann. Her mother, a former standout and All-Pac-10 player at Arizona State, is her high school and club coach. She also coached at the collegiate level, spending time at ASU and Texas Tech. Her father played football at ASU and in the National Football League. Spann also has two younger brothers who are heavily involved in sports. She is undecided on a major, but is interested in law and business.
Southern California also recruited Spann, but she picked CU because she “loved the campus and area.”
Quotes:
Colorado Head Coach Liz Kritza
“We are very excited that Justine is part of the Buffs volleyball family. She will leave her mark here and will contribute greatly to the continued success of this program. Not only is Justine a highly decorated player and an extremely talented athlete, she is a fantastic young woman who takes her studies, training, and leadership of a team very seriously. Justine has always been one of the best players on the court on all her respective teams, but she is also the best teammate because she knows how to win and how to make all those around her better. On the court she will bring a high level of ball control in her serve reception and defense, and her attacking is dynamic and highly intelligent. We are looking for big things from her as she gets to work with us to prepare for an excellent career in a Buffs jersey.”
Basha High School/Arizona Storm Head Coach Terri Spann
“Justine is one of the most decorated volleyball players out of Basha High School. As an undersized outside hitter, she has proven to be one of the best volleyball players in the country. She dominates in the front row with her explosive leaping ability and smart choices, and in the back row her natural ability to read her opponent and her quick feet. Justine's volleyball IQ has always been her strength so she expected to contribute where needed at CU.”
Justine Spann
“It's always been a dream of mine to play in the Pac-12, and now my dream has finally come true! I am looking forward to playing for a coach like Liz, who is as passionate about the sport as I am and with teammates who are as competitive as well. I am very excited to be a Buff!”
