Coach Randy Evans secured the first two signees ever for Cleveland State volleyball Friday, and each is an accomplished outside hitter named Smith.
Ariana Smith of Sale Creek, a 2016 Best of Preps first-team selection, and Libby Smith of Berean Academy, a two-time Tennessee Association of Christian Schools state tournament MVP, have been friends for years and attended each other's signing celebration.
"I love Ariana. We played club together a couple of years ago, and we've been in the same volleyball circles for four or five years," said Libby Smith, who also has known Evans for a long time.
Berean has won the TACS state tournament three of the past years, finishing second the other, and Libby was all-tournament all four.
"She's a very key player," coach Beth Ware said.
Ariana Smith had 448 kills and 758 digs this past season for Sale Creek's state-tournament team. She had planned to go to Dalton State College, but then DSC dropped volleyball.
"I think she'll do well for Cleveland State. I'm real happy for her," Lady Panthers coach Debbie Hill said. "She's a hard worker and has good skills. She played all the way around for us for three years. She's a good hitter, but she's a strong defensive player, too."
"I've known Ariana's dad, Jarvis, since elementary school and she was going to give us a look anyway," Evans said. "When Dalton State fell through, that really opened the door for us. And I've known Libby through the years, coaching in the volleyball world, and she's the kind of girl who's infectious with her team and keeps everybody positive. I had told her I would help her get on a college team even before I had any idea Cleveland State was going to have a program and I would be the coach."
Based on other players already committed, Ariana said she thinks "we're going to have a really good team for a first year."
"It's exciting to be one of the first people to sign," she added, "and Libby and I have been friends so long, it's really great we're taking the next step together."