AZUSA, Calif. -- Seven newcomers represent half of the 14-player 2009 Azusa Pacific volleyball roster that sixth-year Cougar head coach Chris Keife has announced. Along with the return of senior outside hitter Jill Baker, the program’s first-ever 2-time first team selection as an NAIA All-American as well as the single-season and career kills record holder, the Cougars have 6 more returnees to go with the 7-player recruiting class brought in by Keife.

“This class is going to make our team a lot deeper,” Keife said. “We have a lot of strong volleyball players with both of the transfers, as well as young players who will contribute to the program down the road.

Five of the 7 newcomers stand 6-feet or taller, giving Azusa Pacific 7 6-footers that makes the 2009 Cougar squad the tallest in program history. Leading the way is 6-foot-4 sophomore middle blocker/right side hitter Krista Brenner, who comes to Azusa Pacific after playing at NCAA Division I Baylor University in 2008 and redshirting the 2007 campaign at the University of Tennessee in 2007. Brenner is joined by another sophomore transfer, 6-foot-1 right side hitter Whittany Radcliffe, who played in 22 of UC Santa Barbara’s 25 matches as a 2008 true freshman.

A pair of true freshman 6-footers join the competition at setter to help offset the loss of Azusa Pacific all-time assists leader Allison Kincheloe. Sophie Burns joins the Cougar program from Valencia’s West Ranch High School, where she led the Wildcats to back-to-back CIF playoff appearances and was a 2-time All-Foothill League honoree. Also in the mix at setter is the athletic 6-foot-1 Breezy Funk, who originally committed verbally to Pac-10 member University of Oregon after her 4-year career at Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe, Arizona. Funk was a 2008 all-state and all-city selection, and she was a 3-time All-5A Pima League pick, as well.

Jenn Gaines, a 5-foot-10 freshman middle blocker, is a San Dimas native who helped lead Charter Oak High to back-to-back CIF playoff appearances. Lenna Madden is a 6-foot outside hitter/middle blocker from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Christian Academy, where she was an all-state selection when she helped lead the Eagles to the state 2A championship during her 2006 sophomore campaign. Rounding out the group of newcomers is 5-foot-7 defensive specialist Shelby Ackermann, who played 4 varsity seasons at Santa Ana’s Calvary Chapel High School.

Azusa Pacific’s 14-player roster features 12 players with less than 2 seasons of competitive collegiate experience, although all 5 returning sophomores played vital roles in the Cougars’ 2008 NAIA Tournament run to the playoff round. All-GSAC middle blocker Amy Alkazin is joined in the middle by the team’s 2008 blocks leader, Ariel Beetstra. Setter Raechel Jones split setting duties with Kincheloe as a 2008 freshman, and libero Robin Portela was the Cougars’ 2008 digs leader with 409 digs in her collegiate debut. Marguerite Hanna returned late in the season from an injury as an explosive option at outside hitter off the bench. Junior defensive specialist Julia Wehsener is 1 of just 2 players on the roster with 2 seasons of collegiate experience under her belt, and she was a regular off the bench in 2008, appearing in 29 of the Cougars’ 36 matches a year ago.

“I’m excited about the level that they’re going to bring to practice from a competitive standpoint,” Keife said. “They’re a great group, and I’m excited that everyone seems to be on the same page by working hard and trying to achieve some new and exciting goals.

Azusa Pacific opens the 2009 season with 4 matches in the 2-day, 8-team Cougar Classic that begins Friday, Aug. 21 at the Felix Event Center.