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St. Paul's Bailey Webster, nation's top volleyball recruit, enjoyed process, did her homework, then found right fit with Texas

While navigating the recruiting maze, Webster managed to keep her focus on the Gators, and her teammates had no complaints.

"She's a really great teammate, a really good person, good-natured, easy to talk to," Gators senior Joanna Durham said. "It definitely doesn't seem like she's the No. 1 recruit in the country. She doesn't act like it at all. She wants everyone to get the ball."

Webster averaged 7.1 kills per game this season - twice as many as most good hitters. She led the Gators to the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference regular-season title and the runner-up spot in the tournament this fall. The team went 80-9 with her in the lineup, and in her final match last week, she had 36 kills in a quarterfinal loss to Bryn Mawr in the MD/DC Private Schools Tournament.

Over the summer, her star soared when she earned a spot on the U.S. junior national team and helped it win the gold medal at the NORCECA World Championships in July in Mexico. Then, earlier this fall, John Tawa of PrepVolleyball.com named her the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2009.

With the huge strides she has made in two years, Tawa said, her seemingly unlimited potential earned her the top spot.

"Can Bailey be an Olympian? I think she can," Tawa said. "She's the type of player they're looking for, and if she continues her development and the combination of her athleticism and intelligence and more experience, I think she's bound for the Olympic team. She's going to be a tremendous collegiate player and I think they'll win a national championship with her."