Stephanie Shumaker, a 5-foot-2 defensive specialist, libero and setter for Kentwood High School in Kent, Wash., has signed a letter-of-intent to play volleyball next fall at Lewis-Clark State College, Warrior assistant coach Burdette Greeny has announced.

Shumaker helped Kentwood to a third-place finish at the Washington 4A State Tournament last year. This season, the team is undefeated and ranked No. 2 in 4A by the Seattle Times.

 “Stephanie is a setter for her high school team, but we are looking at her as a defensive specialist/libero for us,” Greeny said.  “It always helps to have someone with good hands playing in the back row, and good setters have those hands.  Stephanie plays in arguably the region’s best club system in Kent Juniors and her KentwoodHigh School program has been a state contender for years now.  That is significant to us in that she has consistently had quality coaching and is used to winning.”

Shumaker, the daughter of Floyd and Vicky Shumaker, has played on the KHS varsity all four seasons under coach Bil Caillier. She earned honorable mention South Puget Sound League North Division honors her sophomore year when the team placed fourth at state. Last year, she was a second-team all-league North Division selection, and also helped her Kent Juniors Volleyball Club team to a fifth-place finish at the Junior Olympics tournament.

She has been playing club volleyball for seven years and it was at one of those club tournaments last summer under coach Kellie Ryan where Shumaker caught the eye of LCSC coach Jennifer Greeny and her husband, Burdette.

“Jen and I saw her play last spring at a tournament where were both watching three courts going at the same time,” Burdette said. “Jen turns to me and ask me what I thought of the libero for KJ and I reply that’s exactly who I was watching at that moment and had been watching for a while. We both thought that Stephanie is someone we would like to play with. She is very energetic and her enthusiasm is contagious. That is an integral characteristic for us.”

Burdette said Shumaker has a 3.60 GPA and has been on the Kentwood High honor roll since her freshman year. She plans to major in Nursing at LCSC.

“Stephanie loved the team and the campus,” Burdette said.  “With her intended major being Nursing, the construction of the new 16 million dollar Nursing/Health Sciences building opening next fall definitely helped.”

The Warriors are currently 23-1 on the season and ranked No. 10 in the NAIA. The team has four seniors, who will be honored during Senior Night on Friday prior to LCSC’s 7 p.m. match against Westminster.

Shumaker is the second recruit to sign with LCSC for next season, following Alyssa Wold, a 5-10 setter/right-side hitter from Spokane, Wash.

“We feel Stephanie is a wonderful fit for our team,” Burdette said. “It’s important to have selfless, hard working, and passionate players striving for shared goals.  We believe Stephanie possesses these attributes and are very excited to have her in our family.”