Queen Bees Sign First Volleyball Recruit

(Manlius, IL – December 15, 2006) St. Ambrose women's volleyball coach Bruce Billingsley announced today that Bureau Valley High School's Angie Bickett has signed a letter of intent to commit to the Queen Bees volleyball program for next fall.

Bickett, a 5-7 setter, was the Trac 8 Conference Player of the Year this fall. She was a unanimous First Team Trac 8 All-Conference selection and named to the Bureau County Republican First Team, Sauk Valley News First Team and News Tribune Second Team. Bickett, a team captain for the Storm, was named her team's MVP and earned the Most Assists Award for a second year.

The Bureau Valley volleyball team was regional champions her senior year and Elite Eight qualifiers her junior year. As a junior, Bickett set a school record for assists in a single season (578).

Academically, Bickett has been on the honor roll all four years, is a member of National Honor Society, the Society for Academic Achievement and an Academic All-Conference selection in volleyball, basketball and track. She is a Principal's Leadership Award nominee and a nominee for the Wendy's Heisman Award.

The St. Ambrose women's volleyball team places an emphasis on community service, with each team member participating in three or more service projects each year. Bickett will fit right in on the service front, she has participated in a blood drive, canned food drive, American Legion poppy flower sales, volunteered at her church pork dinner and has been a vacation bible school teacher. In addition, she has logged over 100 volunteer hours at OSF St. Francis Hospital.

Bickett joins a St. Ambrose squad that finished 33-10. winning the Midwest Classic Conference this season and finishing second in NAIA Region VII. The Queen Bees were awarded the American Volleyball Coaches Association's Team Academic Award, honoring their academic achievements.

SAU coach Bruce Billingsley said, "This is an exciting day for me, Angie was at the top of our recruiting list for next season. Angie attended our camps last summer and we were impressed with her athleticism and coachability. She will be a great addition to our program and we look for her to compete right away. Angie is a strong fit for our program academically, athletically and with her spirit of community service."