SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate volleyball team and head coach Jennifer Calloway announced the signing of Simmie Bray to the Spartans' 2012 roster.

Bray is a libero from Woodstock, Ga., who played for Etowah High School. She is a two-time All-County and All-Area selection, earning the honors in her junior and senior seasons. As a freshman, Bray led the Eagles to a 32-12 record and garnered her team's Coaches' Award. In 2011, she was Etowah's Best Defensive Player, accounting for 82 percent of the team's digs. Bray also acquired the squad's highest serve percentage with 93 percent accuracy.

"I believe Simmie will be a wonderful addition to solidify our recruiting class of 2012," Calloway said. "She fit in well with our close-knit team, has a clear understanding of what it takes to be successful as a student-athlete and I simply loved her positive attitude, work ethic and competitive nature."

The Georgia native was a member of the club team A5 Pure Volleyball in Alpharetta, Ga. In addition to playing volleyball during the last four years, Bray also was a successful track & field athlete. She was a sprinter for Etowah and also competed in the shot put. She will be a dual-sport athlete for the Spartans as well, joining the Upstate volleyball team and the Upstate women's track & field team for the 2012-13 school year.

"One of the reasons I chose Upstate was the warm feeling immediately received from the coaches," Bray said. "They made me feel like I was already a part of the team during the entire visit. I knew when I left that I did not need to consider any other college, as I knew then, that USC Upstate would be my home for the next four years. I also enjoyed the time with the team. The dorms and the athletic facility and staff were also a great impact on my decision. Being able to run track along with playing volleyball meant a lot to me."  

Bray joins Javon Gates, Jaina Jackson, Shannon Weiss, Lexi Gober and Kayla Eversgerd in the 2012 Spartan volleyball recruiting class. Upstate graduates two four-year starters from the 2011 squad in outside hitter Kelsie Queen (Blythewood, S.C.) and middle blocker Morgan Thomas (Plantation, Fla.).

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