Lady Cats' McDonald heading to Kansas

Clovis High volleyball coach Darrel Ray said several schools expressed an interest last season in senior middle hitter Jasmine McDonald.

Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, though, was not among them. But that’s where the 6-footer is headed in the fall.

“I was tickled that she found (a school) that she liked,” Ray said. “I think she’ll be productive for them. I think she’ll be kind of a late bloomer.”

Her first contact with Hutchinson, McDonald said, came when she participated in an all-star game in Amarillo last fall that the Lady Dragons coaching staff scouted. She said she later enjoyed her visit to the school.

“I liked it,” she said of the city of about 45,000 located north of Wichita. “It’s kind of like Clovis.”

McDonald, who also played basketball and high jumps in track at CHS, has started for the Lady Wildcats in volleyball since the middle of her freshman year. She helped Clovis post a 17-7 record in 2007 and reach the Class 5A state quarterfinals.

She recently cleared 5-7 in high jump and has a chance to win that event in the 5A state meet later this month. Still, volleyball may be her favorite sport.

“I’ve always hoped to play volleyball in college,” she said.

Ray said the long-armed McDonald has become better and better with experience.

“She’s been a player who’s grown within the system really well,” he said.

The Lady Dragons are coming off a 26-17 season, including 7-1 for second place in the Western Division of the Jayhawk Community College Conference.