Extensive Academic, Athletic Opportunities Lead Mostrom to KU
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas volleyball head coach Ray Bechard announced the addition of incoming freshman Jacqui Mostrom to the 2016 roster on Thursday.
Mostrom, a 5-foot-3 defensive specialist, graduated from Glendale High School in Springfield, Missouri, a semester early to attend Wichita State and train with the Shockers’ volleyball team – which includes sisters Danielle and Gabi – in the spring of 2016. But her hunger to find an academic program compatible with her career ambitions, while continuing to compete at the highest level, brought her to Lawrence.
“The University of Kansas volleyball has always been a really impressive program and KU’s academic program for chemical engineering, which is what I’m interested in, is really rigorous,” Mostrom said. “Both academically and athletically, everything is very challenging and held to a high standard, which is what I want. If I had to give up something good for something great in the long run, then I was willing to do that.”
The soon-to-be chemical engineering major attended Parkview High School during her first two years of high school, earning first team all-conference honors, before transferring to Glendale High School as a junior and senior. She led Glendale to the 2015 Ozark Conference title and a No. 3 seed in Missouri State High School Activities Association Class 4-District 11 playoffs as a senior.
“Although it’s late in the process for adding someone to our team, Jacqui comes in as very skilled and prepared to succeed at this level,” Bechard said. “Having had a ton of high-level club experience, she could push for playing time early.”
Mostrom gained her high-level club experience with the Springfield Junior Volleyball Club and aims to contribute to the Jayhawks in a variety of ways from day one.
“Coach Bechard and I talked a lot about leadership as my role on the team,” Mostrom said. “Coming in as a freshman, you can still be a leader in different ways, whether its academics or on the court. No matter what level you’re at, you’re working hard to get better and gain respect from teammates based on how you decide to work. I look forward to working hard and doing my best.”
Mostrom joins a Kansas team which features five returning starters from a 2015 squad that finished the season ranked No. 4 in the nation and advanced to the program’s first-ever NCAA Championship semifinal. The 2016 season begins in less than a month against Mississippi State on Friday, Aug. 26 in Starkville, Mississippi.
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