William and Mary Adds Three Players to 2010 Volleyball Team

Alexandra Ciaccio, Paulette Grand Pre, Monika Stanciauskas Sign With Tribe

12/16/09 4:25PM

WILLIAMSBURG - Head volleyball coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton '91 announced today the signing of three student-athletes to enter William and Mary next fall. The three freshmen will look to help the Tribe regain the CAA Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001.

"When assembling our incoming class," said Shelton, "we searched for players who were determined to succeed; possess high level athletic ability; and love to work hard. We believe our efforts on the recruiting trail have resulted in a group of student-athletes who each have the potential to be major contributors to the success of our team over the next four years."

Paulette Grand Pre (Aliso Viejo, Calif.)
Laguna Beach High / Cal Juniors (2009) and Surf City (2010)

Prep: Named Second Team All-CIF (Southern Section, Division I) and co-MVP of the Orange Coast League as a senior ... Captained Laguna Beach to a 17-10 record the section semifinals in 2009, including a perfect 8-0 league record ... Two-time first-team all-league, and also named second-team once ... Honor roll student all four years ... Superintendant's Scholar-Athlete award each of the past three years.
Personal: Daughter of Wendy and Michael Grand Pre ... Plans to major in biology.

"Paulette is a first rate athlete with terrific volleyball skills," Shelton said. "She's very quick with a fast arm and big vertical jump. When I first saw her play, I was struck by how athletically similar to Lauren Powell (Tulsa, Okla.) she is, but just inches taller. Paulette has the ability to compete for a six rotation starting spot upon her arrival to campus in August."

Alexandra Ciaccio (Houston, Texas)
Memorial High / Texas Tornados

Prep: Named to the PrepVolleyball.com Senior Aces list as one of the nation's top players ... Twice named first-team all-district ... Led Memorial in both kills and blocks as a senior ... Ranked first in blocks in the greater Houston Area last season ... Club team posted three top-five finishes at the Junior Olympic Championships, and took third at the AAU National Championships in 2008 ... Three-time academic all-district ... Member of the National Honor Society and French Honor Society.
Personal Daughter of Alice and Roderick Ciaccio ... Father played basketball at UC Irvine ... Grandfather played basketball at Duquesne ... Undecided on major.

"Alexandra was our first commitment from the class of 2010," noted Shelton. "She is an extremely versatile volleyball player, who will be able to play any hitting position for us. She's exceptionally good off one foot behind the setter, something our current team lacks depth in. She's upbeat and hard working - someone all her teammates love to play with."

Monika Stanciauskas (Wheaton, Ill.)
Wheaton Warrenville South / Sports Performance

Prep: First-team all-conference and all-area as a senior ... Honorable-mention All-State ... Named to the Chicago Sun-Times pre-season top-50 ... Wheaton Warrenville South's Captain, MVP, and Offensive Player of the Year ... Her 120 blocks is the top single-season mark at WWS since 1981 ... Illinois State Scholar ... Two-time academic all-conference ... Four-year meber of the high honor roll ... Member of the National Honor Society, Symphonic Orchestra, and the Key Club.
Personal: Daughter of Alexandra Eiva ... Mother was a member of the track and field teams at Illinois-Chicago ... Brother, Ramunas, is a sprinter and hurdler at Loyola (Chicago) ... Plans to major in biology with a pre-med emphasis.

"Moni was a late find for us, but is a perfect fit for the College and our program," said Shelton. "She brings us a strong, physical presence in the middle. Her lateral quickness is exceptional and she can terminate both in front or behind the setter. The club she plays for uses the same systems and footwork we do, so she'll be able to assimilate to our game right away."