@MizzouVB Welcomes Melanie Crow to Program
7/5/2016 2:48:00 PM | Volleyball
Crow joins the Tigers after competing with Ole Miss from 2013-15
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Volleyball increased its 2016 roster with the addition of transfer Melanie Crow (Wildwood, Mo.), as announced Tuesday by head coach Wayne Kreklow. Crow, a 6-1, outside hitter, will join Mizzou after playing with Ole Miss from 2013-15.
Crow was granted a full release from Ole Miss by the Southeastern Conference and will be eligible to play immediately for the Tigers. She will enter the 2016 campaign as a redshirt junior and have two years of athletic eligibility remaining.
"We are excited to have Melanie join the Mizzou Volleyball family," Kreklow said. "She brings good size, physicality and athleticism to this year's team. Melanie is a very talented player and has proven herself in the SEC with Ole Miss. We can't wait to have her in Columbia and see her in black and gold starting on Aug. 8 with the first day of practice!"
In three seasons at Ole Miss, Crow tallied 688 kills, 28 assists, 44 service aces, 189 digs, 146 total blocks and 810.0 points. From 2013-14, she started in 60-of-63 matches for the Rebels. Crow was once again among the Ole Miss starters in 2015 before suffering a season-ending injury after only five matches.
Crow kicked off her collegiate career with a standout 2013 campaign. She was second on the team in SEC play with 2.65 kills per set and her 74 block assists were the sixth-most in Ole Miss single-season history. In her 2014 sophomore season, Crow started in all 32 matches and set the single-season aces record (42) at Ole Miss. She also reset career highs in single-match kills (23), attacks (54), hitting percentage (.552) and service aces (five) throughout the year.
Before suffering her early-season injury in 2015, Crow was outstanding with 64 kills (4.00 kills per set) in 16 sets played. In only five matches, she reset new career highs in single-match assists (four) and digs (16).
Crow enjoyed a standout high school career with Lafayette High School in Wildwood, Mo., prior to her first year at Ole Miss. She was named All-Region and All-State in her senior campaign, in addition to earning All-Conference honors three times and All-District accolades twice throughout her tenure. Crow helped lead the Lancers to four district championships and three conference championships from 2009-12.
The Wildwood, Mo., native played a key role into Lafayette's consecutive Missouri state championships from 2011-12. Lafayette's 2012 squad went 40-0 overall with a perfect 80-0 set record, leading to a No. 2 national ranking by PrepVolleyball.com and No. 3 national ranking by MaxPreps Volleyball.
During the 2012 Missouri state tournament, Crow led all participants with a sensational .405 hitting percentage. In 2009, she was named Rookie of the Year and held the highest kill percentage as a freshman. PrepVolleyball.com honored Crow with Honorable Mention Top Freshman in 2009, Honorable Mention Top Sophomore in 2010, Top 85 Recruits in 2011 and Senior Aces Top 100 in 2012.
Crow has shined academically both at Lafayette and Ole Miss. In high school, she held a 4.15 GPA and was named Academic All-State all four years. In Oxford, Miss., Crow was named to the Capital One Academic All-District VI Team, SEC Academic Honor Roll and Chancellor's Honor Roll in 2014. This past season, she once again earned Chancellor's Honor Roll recognition.
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