Avery Moore and Brittney Barren will be part of the Queens class of 2014.
CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Queens University of Charlotte is proud to announce the addition of two early signees set to join the Royals in the 2010-11 volleyball season. Avery Moore and Brittany Barren will be joining the team as part of Head Coach Angela McGuire’s class of 2014.
Avery Moore is a 5’9 setter hailing from Arlington, Texas. In Arlington, Moore attends Lamar High School where she was a two-sport standout in both volleyball and soccer. A two-year member of the varsity volleyball team, Moore was awarded the Jimmy Jones “Most Dedicated” Award in 2008. During that same year her team won the 4-5A Bi-District championship. In 2009 they were Area champions and made it to the regional quarter finals before losing to the eventual Texas 5A state champions. While being named to the All-District team in 2009, her play helped lead the Lamar Vikings to a 32-9 overall record during their 2009 campaign. The 2007 varsity MVP is also a reason the Vikings have been so successful over the years.
Moore is also a setter and three year captain for Texas Image Volleyball Club 18-1 Smack under coaches Susan Kaufman and Tammy Clark, and she is also a Junior Olympic participant. Her club team has been ranked in the top 10 in the North Texas Region for the past two years. Outside of sports, Moore is a member of the National Honor Society and Soar Mentoring Program for AISD, the president of Interact Club, and a Peer Assistant Leader. The daughter of Mark and Tracy Moore, Avery plans to major in business at Queens.
Coach McGuire had a few things to say about Moore. “What I love about Avery is that she truly loves Queens and everything that we as a volleyball staff are striving to build with this program. She is the true package of what I am looking for in a setter. She possesses the leadership and take-charge personality that is really necessary from that position. Not only does she play in an extraordinarily competitive high school region in Texas, but she trains with a great club program as well. Her desire to better herself through private lessons and extra work will certainly pay off next year as she is looked upon to take over the starting spot.”
A native of Ham Lake, Minn., Brittney Barren will become a Royal in 2010 with one of the strongest
volleyball backgrounds to ever come in to Queens. A 5’11” middle blocker, Barren will be joining the Royals to help strengthen and secure the team’s offense and defense at the net. A three-year varsity letter winner at Blaine High School, Barren helped lead her team to winning back-to-back Northwest Suburban Conference championships and section runners-up in 2007 and 2008. She also helped cap of an impressive fifth place finish in the class 3-A Minnesota State Championship Tournament in 2007. Barren was awarded Most Improved Player for the season. In 2008, she was named to the All-Conference Team and ranked #14 among state statistical leaders for aces.
As team captain to her 2009 squad she helped her team finish second in the conference while being named team MVP. She was also named to the All-Metro Third and Class 3A All-State Honorable Mention Teams. Barren’s season statistics for 2009 had her ranked at the top of the conference in numerous categories. She was number one in aces (70), aces/s (.82), and blocking (77). She was ranked fifth in the state for her 77 blocks and 14th for her 70 aces.
Barren plays for Mizuno Northern Lights 18-2 team coached by Chad Becker. In 2007 she played for the AAU National Championship team and repeated that same feat in 2008 when her team once again won the title. An AAU All-American selection, Barren’s team last year also took fifth place at the Big South Qualifier, third at the President’s Day Qualifier and first at the North County Regional Qualifier. The daughter of Scott Barren and Brenda Opheim has been named to the “A” Honor Roll twice and will major in nursing.
“Signing Brittney early really solidifies the middle position for us as a team next year. She brings in a tremendous wealth of volleyball knowledge and hails from one of the strongest club programs in the country. The biggest compliment to Brittney is that she has been brought in to be a sparkplug for this team. Her energy and enthusiasm first attracted us to her. She plays with unbridled passion and competes from start to finish. She will compete for a starting role in the middle or potentially the right side with her strong block,” said Coach McGuire about Barren.