COPPERAS COVE, Texas (March 18, 2019) – Jada Close, a standout middle hitter for Copperas Cove High School, has signed with Oklahoma Christian's revived women's volleyball program, OC coach Barry Wheeler said Monday.

Close, a 5-foot-11 middle hitter, earned 12-6A All-District second-team honors as Copperas Cove went 41-4 and reached the area round of the Texas Class 6A postseason. She led Copperas Cove in aces and was named as the team's most valuable server. Close also made the All-District team as a junior and earned Academic All-District honors three times.

"Jada will bring an excitement to the program," Wheeler said. "She may be undersized as a middle hitter but is very athletic and moves quick and jumps very well. She has proven to be a team leader and holds her teammates to a high standard on and off the court. Jada is a great fit for OC and I feel very blessed to have her in our program."

Close's older sister, Jennifer Eubanks, just finishes her junior season of college volleyball at Northwestern Oklahoma State.

She joins Cloie Mitchell of Oklahoma City in OC's 2019 signing class, with more signees expected to be announced in the coming days and week.

OC announced in July 2018 it would revive its volleyball program, after originally fielding a varsity program from 1976 to 1983. The university hired Wheeler in January, with plans for him to begin recruiting players to begin participating in the program this fall, practicing and preparing for competition in 2020.