Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Volleyball Signs Four Student-Athletes
June 21, 1999 | Women's Volleyball
February 3, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech volleyball program signed four student-athletes to National-Letters-of-Intent Wednesday during the early signing period. Texas Tech head coach Jeff Nelson's four signees include six-foot outside hitter Jenny Donohoo (Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa H.S.), five-feet-10 outside hitter Melissa McGehee (Kerrville, Texas/Tivy H.S.), six-foot-two middle blocker Stacey Poole (Las Cruces, N.M./Onate H.S.) and six-foot outside hitter Ann Romjue (Papillion, Neb./LaVista H.S.). All four will arrive at Texas Tech as freshmen next fall.
"We are extremely pleased with our four signees," Nelson said. "As a group all four are very experienced and have played at a high level. All four have a chance to come in and make an immediate impact. It's the first recruiting class that we've had where every kid has a chance to come in and play as a freshman. We're very excited and it's good for the program. It's easily the most experienced, most trained and most knowledgeable group we've had come to Tech."
"Athletically, they're all big players and all have good size," Nelson said. "They all jump well and all four can touch the basketball rim at 10-feet. What they can do is jump, hit the ball and look an opponent in the eye. To compete in the Big 12 Conference we need kids that can play at this level. They're all dynamic and very fast. These kids are all outstanding athletes. Because they're such good players already, it'll give us a better arsenal in terms of depth, strength and being able to play above the net."
Donohoo committed to Texas Tech last summer. She was a three-time All District player at Amarillo's Tascosa High School where she was named the District's Newcomer of the Year as a freshman. She also has an extensive junior club team experience. Tascosa volleyball coach Carrie Slechta thinks Donohoo will excel at Texas Tech.
"She'll do great," Slechta said. "Jenny is a phenomenal athlete. Her all around skills are great. She's also very competitive. She was very impressed by the whole Texas Tech coaching staff- Jeff Nelson, Nancy Todd and Gregg Nunley. They got on her and stuck to her and she never had any other real interest in another school."
McGehee is a late signee for Nelson. A three-time All State and three-time All West Texas player at Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, McGehee is an honor roll student who decided to stay close to home and sign with Texas Tech.
"I think Melissa can be a big-time performer up there," McGehee's high school coach Danny Vernor said. "She's the type of athlete that will be able to perform well at that level. She's a great athlete. She absolutely flies in from the backcourt. Melissa wanted to stay in Texas. Texas Tech is great academically, the volleyball program is great and its in one of the premier conferences in the nation."
Both Donohoo and McGehee are from West Texas. The duo represents the first regional players Nelson has recruited to Texas Tech.
"In the past, we haven't had much success in recruiting local players," Nelson said. "But we received commitments from two local West Texas players who are both talented and will come in here and be successful. I'm extremely excited that we'll have someone from West Texas on the team."
Poole has attended the Texas Tech volleyball camp during the past two summers and committed to Texas Tech during the summer. She is a two-time All State volleyball player who Nelson labels as "strong, with a big jump." Poole led Las Cruces Onate High School to state runner-up honors last year.
Romjue, a four-time All State player, led her Papillion High School squad to state runner-up honors in Nebraska. Romjue broke the Nebraska high school record for career kills last year and is also an established high jumper after placing second at the Nebraska state meet as a junior. She was also named the Omaha Player of the Year in basketball last year. She has been listed by many coaches as the "Best High School Volleyball Player" in Nebraska.
"Ann serves well, she passes well, she plays good defense and she hits well- Texas Tech is very fortunate to get her," Romjue's high school coach Gwen Egbert said. "I think she'll be able to go in there next fall and contribute immediately. She liked Texas Tech because of the quality program, coaching and they're always ranked in the top-25 nationally."
Texas Tech finished its 1998 season with a 23-11 overall record (12-8 in the Big 12). The Red Raiders were ranked nationally all season long and appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last four seasons. Tech returns six letterwinners to the 1999 team.
1999 TEXAS TECH VOLLEYBALL PLAYER SIGNEES' BIOS
JENNY DONOHOO
Outside Hitter/Right Side Hitter, 6-0, Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa H.S.
High School: Played volleyball for head coach Carrie Slechta at Tascosa named First Team All District for three years named Chamber of Commerce Player of the Month during her senior season selected as the District 5A state Freshman of the Year.
Junior Experiences: Played for Amarillo Juniors team named All Tournament in 1996 at North Texas Regional Tournament selected Most Valuable Player at North Texas Regional Tournament in 1995 selected to named to Long Star Classic All Tournament team in 1994 played in Dallas last summer.
Personal: Born Jenny Lynn Donohoo on October 21, 1979 daughter of Missy and Lynn Cook has two sisters- Amy and Jessica committed early to Texas Tech last summer.
MELISSA McGEHEE
Outside Hitter, 5-10, Kerrville, Texas/Tivy H.S.
High School: Played volleyball for head coach Danny Vernor at Tivy High School in Kerrville three-time All State volleyball player selected to First Team All State honors as a senior and Honorable Mention All State as both a junior and sophomore three-time recipient of First Team All West Texas Regional honors earned two tournament MVP honors as a senior led team to district championship three years in a row hit .420 with 29 service aces, 507 kills and 237 digs as a senior four-time All District selection including honorable mention as a freshman led team to state 4A quarterfinals as a senior named to four all-tournament teams and two Most Valuable Player selections in her first three years of high school volleyball also plays basketball and was selected for All District honors as a junior.
Junior Experiences: Played for Kerrville Juniors for head coach Karin Strey has also played in San Antonio for club team.
Personal: Born Melissa Lynn McGehee on June 2, 1981 daughter of C.D. and Kathy McGehee has sister Mandy outstanding student with close to a 4.0 grade point average honor roll student also considered Baylor, Texas A&M, Southern California, Houston along with Texas Tech in the recruiting process sister Mandy attends Texas Tech.
STACEY POOLE
Middle Blocker, 6-2, Las Cruces, N.M./Onate H.S.
High School: Played volleyball for head coach Calleen Hackney at Onate led Onate to state runner-up finish as a senior two-time First Team All State player in New Mexico's 4A class level three-time All Regional and All District selection selected District 3-4A Honorable Mention as a sophomore along with 1996 Sweet-16 All Tournament team honors played only two games on the junior varsity before being moved up to the varsity as a freshman also plays basketball.
Junior Experiences: Played for Desert Sky Juniors team.
Personal: Born Stacey Lynette Poole on December 6, 1980 daughter of Milton and Debra Poole has sister Iris committed early to Texas Tech last summer attended Texas Tech volleyball camps during the past two summers also considered Georgia and Tennessee interested in majoring in nursing at Texas Tech Honor Roll student in high school.
ANN ROMJUE
Outside Hitter, 6-1, Papillion, Neb./LaVista H.S.
High School: Played volleyball for head coach Gwen Egbert at Papillion also participates in basketball and track and field four-time All State volleyball player broke Nebraska state high school career kills record notched 548 kills as a senior named All Nebraska, All State, All Metro after 1998 season after leading team to runner-up finish in state tournament team also won district and regional titles named to All Nebraska Third Team, All State Class 2A and All Metro team after leading team to state qualifier and district title as a junior named All State Honorable Mention after sophomore season helped lead team to Omaha Metro championship and state semi-finals started for a state-runner-up team as a freshman led team to District championship four-year varsity volleyball letterwinner and starter two-time All State Honorable Mention and All Metro basketball player selected Omaha Metro volleyball and basketball Player of the Year placed second at state meet in high jump as a junior won district high jump championship (5-5) and qualified for the state meet in the shot put placed fourth at state meet in high jump as a sophomore.
Junior Experiences: Played for Mizuno Nebraska Juniors since 1995 for coach Jake Moore led team to first place finishes at tournaments in 1998 in Minneapolis and Milwaukee team finished ninth in the JOVC in 1998 team finished ninth in Denver in 1997 led team to 1995 club title in Orlando
Personal: Born Ann Marie Romjue on February 25, 1981 daughter of Milt and Jo Romjue of Papillion, Neb. has brother Andy and sister Amanda four-year honor roll student in high school also involved with P-Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the school newspaper interested in majoring in sports medicine and would like to get into coaching selected Texas Tech over Kansas.
