Boiling Springs, N.C. - Gardner-Webb volleyball's four incoming freshman of Taylor Lillard, Emily Steele, Brianna Starr and Kacy O'Connor all wrapped up stellar senior seasons this spring, raking in accolades and recognition to conclude their high school careers.

Lillard (Victorville, California/Victor Valley H.S.) was most recently named the Daily Press Athlete of the Year, the Citrus Belt Player of the Year and the Gabrielson Athlete of the Year. Lillard was also recognized as a U.S. Army National Scholar-Athlete, a DSL Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete and the Victor Valley High School Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The four-time All-League selection and a three-time First-Team All-Area honoree has helped to guide her Club West club team to a No. 26 national ranking by Prepvolleyball.com heading into this summer's USA Junior Olympic National Championships.

Steele (Greenville, N.C./J.H. Rose H.S.) has since been named the Mid-Eastern 4A Conference Player of the Year since signing with the Runnin' Bulldogs last fall. Steele was also tabbed as the Team MVP and broke the school record for career blocks with over 200 during her four years at Rose High School.

Starr (Blue Springs, Missouri/Blue Springs H.S.), a four-time All-District and All-Conference volleyball selection already, finished the 2013 spring season as a two-time State Finalist in the triple jump event for track & field. Starr was an All-Region, an All-District and an All-Conference selection in track & field this spring and was also named to the Missouri All-Star Track Team. She was one of two Blue Springs High School students nominated for the National Scholar-Athlete Award, as she graduated Summa Cum Laude in May 2013.

Like Lillard, Starr's club team is currently nationally ranked, as her team Invasion is No. 33 overall in the nation according to Prepvolleyball.com.

O'Connor (Southport, N.C./South Brunswick H.S.), a 2013 spring commitment, was a setter and defensive specialist at South Brunswick High School in the Wilmington, N.C. area. The four-year letter award winner was a multi-sport athlete at South Brunswick, as she was a three-time First-Team Waccamaw All-Conference selection and earned a spot on the All-Area Team her senior season. The 2013 Tidal Wave Tournament All-Tournament Player was also a four-time Waccamaw All-Conference performer on the basketball court and a two-time Waccamaw All-Conference recipient in softball.

Recognized as a Wendy's High School Heisman nominee, O'Conner, who also plays for the Brunswick Junior VBC and the Wilmington Elite 18 Open club teams, was a member of the A/B Honor Roll all four years and served as the National Honor Society Secretary. She also was the DECA Club President and a member of the Key Club at South Brunswick H.S.

The Runnin' Bulldogs will kick-off its 2013 season on August 30-31, as head coach Leo Sayles and his squad will open up the year at the Belmont Invitational in Nashville, Tenn. GWU's first home match is slated for Tuesday, September 3rd, at 7 p.m. versus Montreat College in Paul Porter Arena.

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