Pirates’ Reed commits to play at Hope International

Orange Coast College sophomore women’s volleyball standout Jacqi Reed has verbally committed to continue her career at Hope International, Coach Chuck Cutenese confirmed.

The 6-foot-1 outside hitter twice earned first-team All-Orange Empire Conference recognition. She was an all-region pick as a sophomore, when she also was named MVP of the team.

The Esperanza High product helped lead the Pirates to a 15-7 record in 2007, 9-5 in conference. She was a part of the repeat state championship squad from 2006.

Reed led the Pirates with 317 kills in 2007, more than double the amount of the second-most productive hitter. Her 686 career kills rank second behind Kiwi Winkler in OCC annals. Her 91 career aces rank fourth all-time at OCC and she is sixth on the program’s career digs list with 409.

Reed entered OCC out of Esperanza High, where she was a star middle blocker. Cutenese, however, elected to move her to outside hitter.

“She had been a middle blocker for six years in high school and club and she’s one of the few players to have played that long in one position that we moved to another position,” Cutenese said. “And in my time here, she is the player who had the most success while making the transition. I really believe she is going to continue to get better.”

— Barry Faulkner