Three former Wood River High School volleyball players are performing well for their teams at the collegiate level.
One, Principia (Mo.) College junior Rachael Richards, of Bellevue, was named the "Player of the Week" for the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Sept. 24-30.
The setter and top server for defending SLIAC champion Principia, Richards averaged 9.29 set assists in five matches played during that week. The 5-11 Principia co-captain recorded 34 set assists, five service aces and 15 digs as the Panthers defeated University of Wisconsin-River Falls 3-0.
Her younger sister Hannah Richards is a 5-10 sophomore middle blocker for Principia who is second best statistically in digs and fourth best in kills.
Principia (14-8, 10-1 league), which won its first SLIAC championship last fall, played league-leading Webster (14-6, 11-0) Tuesday, Oct. 9. The Richards sisters are daughters of Tim and Kim Richards.
University of Alaska-Fairbanks senior Jessica King is a 5-9 outside hitter and co-captain for the Nanooks in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC). Majoring in communication, Jessica is one of six children of Jim and Susan King of Hailey.
Rachael Richards was the 2004 Great Basin Conference West Most Valuable Player and Hannah Richards was the co-MVP of Wood River's 2005 varsity squad as a senior. King was the best player on Wood River's 2003 squad that went 31-14 and finished second in the State 3A volleyball tournament.