FAIRFIELD LADY EAGLE Kiresten Cox signs a letter of intent to play volleyball at Trinity Valley Community College. Attending the signing were: front l-r, Daniel Ransom, Yolanda Ransom, Miss Cox, Adante Austin and Dianne Manning; back l-r Fairfield girls athletics coordinator Stephen Heers, TVCC coach Tosha Spain, Fairfield head volleyball coach Dennis Johnson, assistant coach LaDonna Brackens and Fairfield athletic director Darrell Piske. Fairfield 3-sport athlete Kiresten Cox picked one on which to concentrate last week when she signed a letter accepting a volleyball scholarship to Trinity Valley Community College in Athens.

The signing ceremony was held Friday at Fairfield high school and was attended by family members, coaches and teammates.

Snacks, a cake in the red and white TVCC colors and soft drinks were laid out for the event.

“We’re very proud of you, Kiresten,” FHS girls’ athletic coordinator Stephen Heers says. “You lead by example.”

TVCC is establishing a volleyball program to start competing in fall under the direction of coach Tosha Spain, who has been the head girls’ volleyball coach at Athens high school.

In her position at AHS, coach Spain witnessed Miss Cox’s talents firsthand, noting: “Unfortunately, we had to play against her.”

The coach has been recruiting players for the debut season, but the FHS athlete is the only one picked up from District 20-AAA.

“I’m excited about the group of girls. It’s a good group,” coach Spain says.

Miss Cox, a 17-year-old FHS senior student, lettered three years in volleyball for the Lady Eagles and was an anchor for the squad that won the district championship title in 2008 with an unbeaten record and shared the district title in 2009.

She was named “Offensive Player of the Year” in the district her junior and senior seasons.

The TVCC recruit plays outside hitter, a position coach Spain says she will probably fill in college, and averaged 11.8 kill shots per match in 2009.

Miss Cox attended a practice at TVCC with about 60 prospects, even though she had already been offered a scholarship, participating in drills, physical tests and games.

The Lady Eagle spiker is five feet, eight inches tall, and showed a vertical reach of 10 feet, six inches.

“She’s never the tallest one on the floor, but she compensates with athletic ability. She jumps really high, she’s strong and she’s quick,” Fairfield head volleyball coach Dennis Johnson says.

In addition to volleyball, Miss Cox has lettered three years each in basketball and track.

The 17-year-old plays the post position on the Lady Eagles basketball team and was picked first team All-District last year.

She runs three track relays and competes in long jump and has advanced to the region meet as a relay team member and in long jump.

Miss Cox plans to major in elementary education for two years at TVCC and continue school at a 4-year university—-the next stop may be determined on whether she is still playing volleyball.

“I hope to go on and play more,” the athlete says.

The athlete is a Fairfield native and the daughter of Daniel and Yolanda Ransom, and Adante Austin. She is a member of Cornerstone Baptist Church.