Red Wolves - IU East

You saw smiles all around the new coaches' office at Indiana University East on March 6.

Paige Lay of Bloomington/Normal, Ill., was clearly happy to sign her letter of intent to play for the IU East volleyball program.

"Paige is the type of player who is the next step for IU East volleyball," Charlie Brown said. "She will help us make an impact at the next level.

"She has an understanding of what it takes to be at the national level, and will be a great fit with our current players and current team."

Lay is a 5-9 right side hitter who helped Parkland College (Ill.) finish third in the NJCAA Division II national tournament the past two seasons.

Parkland was ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA Division II at the conclusion of the 2009 regular season.

Lay finished 22nd in the nation in attack percentage at .394 and 35th in the nation in kills per set with 3.03. She led Parkland in both categories.

She finished her sophomore season at Parkland with 482 kills.

She was a first-team all-conference and second-team all-region selection in 2009.

Lay is a native of Bloomington/Normal, Ill.

She graduated from Normal Community High School, where she finished in the school's all-time top 40 in assists, kills, blocks, points and aces.

She led Normal Community to the Sweet 16 in the Illinois state tournament as a senior.

She is leaning toward majoring in business administration. She will join the Red Wolves as a junior.

"I really liked the campus and the academics and the coaches," Lay said. "I liked everything.

"I hope I can step in and make a difference and make an impact."

Lay is the daughter of Mike and Connie Lay. She has a younger brother, Logan, 15.

IU East went 30-12 last season. The Red Wolves won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and reached the NAIA National Championship.

Lay is the third signee in IU East's 2010 recruiting class, joining Caitlin Burroughs of Northeastern High School and Sarah Shilling of Warsaw Community High School.

"IU East volleyball should be fun to watch next year," Charlie Brown said.