NEWARK, Del. – University of Delaware volleyball head coach Bonnie Kenny announced the signing of two standout high school student-athletes who will attend Delaware and begin competing for the Blue Hens in the fall of 2009.

Alissa Alker (top right) and Logan Sebastian (bottom right) will both join the storied Delaware volleyball program as members of the team’s 2009 recruiting class.

Alker, a 6-0 right-side hitter from San Diego, California, has been a four-year varsity standout for the Scripps Ranch High School team. An All-CIF selection during each of her first three seasons, she also earned first-team Western League honors as a sophomore and junior.

A competitor for the Epic Club Team, she helped the squad finish 5th at the 2008 Junior Olympic Nationals in Dallas, Texas.

Off the court, Alker has been a four-year member of the student government and currently serves as class secretary. An honor roll student with plans to major in either business or psychology, she also earned a Black Belt in Taekwondo and has been an active member of the March of Dimes Youth Council since 2004.

“Alissa is a versatile player that will be able to help us in a variety of ways during her career here,” said Kenny. “She has a tough and intense demeanor everyday in training, and during competition, she is ferocious. She will be a nice addition to our program, and we expect her to make an impact for us as soon as she gets to campus.”

Sebastian, a 6-2 outside hitter from McLean, Virginia, has been a four-year stalwart on the Langley High School volleyball team. As a senior, she has earned first-team All-District and All-Region accolades for her efforts on the court.

A former Virginia State finalist and Washington Post Honorable Mention All-Metro selection as a junior, she has also been a key member of the Virginia Elite Club team.

A standout student as well, Sebastian has been a Scholar-Athlete Award recipient during each of the past three years. At Delaware, she plans to major in business.

“The first time we saw Logan play, she reminded us of former CAA Player of the Year Colleen Walsh,” said Kenny. “She has a long, athletic frame with a whip of an arm-swing. Once she finishes growing and gets strong, she is going to be a force to be reckoned with at this level. We are looking forward to her arrival on campus.”

The two recruits will join a program that is looking to defend its 2007 Colonial Athletic Association title when the conference tournament begins next week.