WASHINGTON, DC --- The Howard University women's volleyball team produced a historic season in 2013, posting a 21-11 record and earning a spot in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament semifinals. With the majority of the team back and five quality recruits coming into the program, the Lady Bison are poised to raise the bar even higher in 2014.

OUTSIDE HITTER
Howard's attacking group will be paced by sophomore Katherine Broussard, the 2013 MEAC Rookie of the Year. The First Team All-MEAC selection made an immediate impact on the team by posting the fifth best kills per set (3.27) and points per set (3.71) averages in the conference, both team highs. Broussard was also named to the MEAC All-Tournament team.

The pair of senior Meagan Lagerlef and sophomore Dominique Cleggett produced strong 2013 campaigns as well and will look to build on their efforts. Lagerlef and Cleggett were third (190) and fourth (178) on the team in total kills and third (1.84) and fifth (1.52) in kills per set, respectively.

Joining the fray will be freshmen Khaila Donaldson and Jasmine Sasser. Donaldson is an all-around player with her size and skill at the net who will allow the team to keep scoring threats on the floor longer while Sasser brings great athleticism (she was an All-District performer in volleyball and basketball) and tremendous upside to the program.

MIDDLE BLOCKER
The anchors in the middle are led by senior Assata Conway. A First Team all-conference performer, Conway led the conference in blocks (103.0; 1.01/set) and was second on the team in kills (251; 2.46/set) & total points (317.5; 3.11/set) en route to being named to the MEAC All-Tournament team.

Fellow senior Destinee Harrison played extremely well last season. She finished second in the conference in hitting percentage (.330) while logging top-5 team marks of in kills (163; 5^th), kills per set (1.70; 4^th), blocks (68.0; 3^rd), blocks per set (0.71; 2^nd).

Rounding out the middle blockers are sophomores Whitney Fields and Janaya Hampton. Fields will look to expand her impact after playing in 24 matches and logging 72 kills (1.24/set) and 34 blocks in her freshman season. Hampton saw limited action in 2013 but has the size and ability to contribute more this season.

SETTER
The Lady Bison will be on their way to great things if senior Stephanie Shultis replicates her 2013 campaign. Another First Team All-MEAC performer, Shultis was one of three players to play in all 32 games (119 sets) and was the pulse of the Howard offense, posting the second-best total assist (1126, a school record) and third-best assists per set (9.46; tied) numbers in the MEAC. Her assist numbers, along with her 44 service aces (5^th in MEAC) were tops on the team, while her .299 hitting percentage was fourth in the league and second to only Harrison on the team. She is currently 4^th on the school's career record list for assists (2,041), trailing record holder Shannon Grant with 2,705.

Hoping to take the torch from Shultis will be transfer Briana Jackson and freshman Bree Sumner. Jackson, a sophomore from NAIA member Ave Maria University, led her team in assists (427) and service aces (41) while tallying 135 digs and 23 kills in 79 sets. Sumner brings leadership to the Howard program, having been a four-year letterwinner, two-time team captain and senior team MVP in high school while earning all-conference honors as a senior and leading her district in service aces as a freshman.

LIBERO
A quartet of specialists – seniors Allyson Lods & Alexis Skinner, junior Jaleeza Stoudermire and sophomore Morgan Marlbrough – return for Howard. Like Shultis, Lods and Marlbrough played every set of the season and were first and third in digs, respectively. Their combined efforts (part of conference best 1,592 digs, 13.38/set) were part of the reason Howard was able to set their offense (3^rd in conference hitting percentage) limit their opponents' (1^st in conference in opp. hitting percentage).

Lods stood out last year as a junior college transfer. In her first season with the Lady Bison, she was named Second Team All-MEAC, set the Howard record for season digs (471) and was named MVP by her teammates.

Skinner's impact may have been limited in statistical output but her senior leadership will be key to help keep the team focused on their ultimate goal – a MEAC championship.

Stoudermire will look to up her contributions in 2014. She played the fewest sets of the regular rotation members but still posted solid numbers (79 kills, 150 digs) overall.

The lone newcomer to the group, Carlise Cardoza, should have a smoother transition than most as the Silver Spring, MD native brings a winning pedigree (two-time Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champion, WCAC and All-Met honoree) and aggressive playing style to the team.