Jayhawk Volleyball Signs Two to National Letters of Intent

Nov. 9, 2011

Volleyball Signees
Name	Pos.	Hometown
Tiana Dockery	OH	Richmond, Texas
Janae Hall	MB	Centennial, Colo.

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Head coach Ray Bechard and the University of Kansas volleyball team signed two members of the 2012 recruiting class to National Letters of Intent Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday marked the first day of the early signing period, and with that, Bechard announced two high-profile recruits, Tiana Dockery and Janae Hall, will suit up for the Jayhawks next fall. Hall, a middle blocker listed as one of the top 25 volleyball players in the 2012 class by ESPN Rise, will move to Lawrence from the Denver area. Dockery, selected by VYPE Magazine as one of the Top 25 Players in the Houston area, comes to Kansas as a six-rotation outside hitter.

“We had specific needs at the outside hitter and middle blocker positions,” Bechard said. “We found two young ladies that are really going to do a great job early on in their careers at Kansas. They’re both dynamic, athletic young ladies who will adapt well to the Big 12 Conference, not only with the physicality but the speed of Big 12 play. We’re thrilled with Tiana and Janae and what they will add to our program.”

The duo joins a Jayhawk squad in the heart of its Big 12 Conference season. After posting an 11-1 start, the program’s best since the 2002 season, Kansas sits at No. 45 in the RPI projections and remains in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament bid. According Bechard, both members of his 2012 class are fairly new to the sport, but the 14-year head coach can already see the impact his pair of signees will have on the continued success of his squad.

“This team has played at a high level at times this year and we look for that to continue next year with the addition of these two young ladies,” Bechard said. “We’ll need a little bit of help on the outside with Allison Mayfield graduating after this year and we need quality depth in the middle. With (middle blocker) Tayler Tolefree being a senior next year, we’ll have a need for that in the future, too. They both fill spots that will be critical in next year’s success.”

TIANA DOCKERY | OUTSIDE HITTER | 5-9 | RICHMOND, TEXAS
The daughter of Gerald and Treena Dockery, both collegiate athletes during their time at Eastern New Mexico University, Dockery comes from an athletic family. Dockery is still competing in the Texas state playoffs as a leader of the Foster High School Falcons, where she plays for coach Tara Domel.

“Tiana is one that we feel will be a six-rotation player,” Bechard said. “With the loss of Allison Mayfield next year, who does several things for us, Tiana is someone we can count on to step in right away. When I say six-rotation, that means there will be a lot of opportunities for her to add value with her pass, serve, attack, block and dig.”

Dockery has been named First Team All-District three times with the strong possibility of a fourth after the conclusion of her senior season. She was recognized as the 2010 Setter of the Year in her district following her sophomore campaign before landing on VYPE Magazine’s Top 25 Players in the Houston area list for the first time as a junior. A two-sport athlete, Dockery lettered for three years on the varsity track team, topping it off with a 2011 State Championship in the long jump last year.

“We feel that Tiana’s extremely capable,” Bechard said. “She’s also somewhat new to the sport, but over the last year, she and Jenae both have made tremendous gains. Physically, they’re both dynamic athletes and they have a great approach to how they play.”

Dockery is in her sixth year playing club volleyball for the Southwest Juniors for coach Ebi Azimi.

JANAE HALL | MIDDLE BLOCKER | 6-2 | CENTENNIAL, COLO.
The daughter of former Denver Broncos defensive back Darryl Hall and Tammy Hall, who played women’s basketball at both the University of Washington and University of Portland, Hall’s athleticism is in her blood. Hall attends Regis Jesuit High School, plays for the Raiders under coach Laura Dunston.

“Janae’s a tremendous athlete who catches on extremely quick and she’ll be the type of athlete that can really add value to our program early in her career,” Bechard said. “She’s still somewhat new to the sport so her best volleyball is still ahead of her.”

Also a two-sport athlete, Hall also lettered on the basketball team from 2009-10 at RJHS in addition to earning a varsity letter all four years in volleyball. She earned the team’s Most Improved Player award following her freshman year and earned Most Valuable Player recognition from the junior varsity squad during her sophomore campaign.

Her last two years of high school, Hall saw her career take off toward the direction of a Division I scholarship. Following her junior season, Hall was named First Team All-Conference as well as All-City in Aurora, Co. Prior to her senior season, Hall was one of three Colorado players selected to play for the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team in the 2011 FIVB Volleyball Girls’ Youth World Championship in Ankara, Turkey.

“Janae is having a great high school career and beyond that, she plays for a high-level club, the Front Range Volleyball Club in the Denver area,” Bechard said. “She was also a member of our youth national team that traveled to Turkey last summer. So she’s had a tremendous year and number of volleyball experiences that really helped her development.”

Hall plays for coaches James Beasley and Jim Meret with the Front Range Volleyball Club.