Jelena Sunjic Signs With Bowling Green Volleyball - WICU12/WSEE Erie, PA News, Sports, Weather and Events

Jelena Sunjic Signs With Bowling Green Volleyball

BOWLING GREEN - Bowling Green State University volleyball coach Danijela Tomic has announced that Jelena Sunjic (pronounced yell-AN-ah SHOO-niche) has signed her National Letter of Intent to play for the Falcons beginning in 2013. Standing 6-foot-3, Sunjic hails from Metkovic, Croatia.

"We are extremely happy and excited to announce that Jelena is joining our program and the Falcon Family starting in the summer of 2013," Tomic said. "She will make an immediate impact on our team and the MAC with her athleticism and international experience. Jelena comes from a great family whose values and goals match our program's values and goals. She solidifies our already very talented 2013 recruiting class, and with all of our returners, the future looks very bright for BGSU Volleyball."

Sunjic is the daughter of Zoran and Ankica Sunjic and is a May of 2012 high school graduate. She is a member of the Croatian Junior National Team, competing in the 2012 CEV (Confederation of European Volleyball) Junior European Championship. At that event, Sunjic ranked 25^th out of more than 400 volleyball players with 112 points and added 13 blocks with a .363 attack percentage.

In 2011, Sunjic took part on teams that played in the FIVB (Federation of International Volleyball) Junior World Championship and the CEV Youth European Championship.

Sunjic joins a program at BGSU that is already poised for success in the future. Under first-year head coach Tomic, Bowling Green went 22-11 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The Falcons, seeded second for the conference tournament, won just their second MAC Tournament crown ever. BGSU returns 5-of-6 starters and all three of its first-team all-conference players, while putting together an impressive recruiting class as well.

Along with Sunjic, Bowling Green has announced six other newcomers for the 2013 season, adding Desi Klaer (6-5 hitter from Fort Collins, Colo.), Carlyn Stella (5-11 outside hitter from Montgomery, Texas), Alyssa Maloney (6-0 middle blocker from Homer Glen, Ill.), Madeline Garda (5-4 libero from West Chester, Ohio), Delaney Arkeilpane (5-8 defensive specialist from Orlando, Fla.) and Amanda Schiavo (5-7 defensive specialist from Pittsburgh, Pa.).