Feb. 1, 2005

George Mason men's volleyball coach Fred Chao has announced the signing of a pair of recruits to national letters-of-intent to play for the Patriots beginning with the 2005-2006 academic year.

Ryan Kwiatkowski, a 6-foot, 5-inch setter from Naperville, Ill. and Ross Hedlund, a 6'2" outside hitter from Glen Allen, Va. Have both committed to playing for the Patriots next season.

"We are very excited to have signed Ryan and Ross early," said Fred Chao, Mason men's volleyball coach. "Both players will have important roles in the future of George Mason men's volleyball."

Kwiatkowski has played four years of volleyball in high school and he was named All-Conference, All-City and All-Area in 2004. He also as played three years for the Sports Performance Volleyball Club. He played in the Junior Olympics where his team was 16-1 and took home the silver. He was recruited by Lewis, Brigham Young, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego and New York University before selecting Mason.

"Ryan Kwiatkowski will be a key player for George Mason volleyball and an important part of the team's future success," Chao said. "He will bring with him the experience of setting for one of the best club programs in the country."

Hedlund has played five years of volleyball at Hermitage High School and this past season, he was named District and Region Player of the Year. He averaged 4.30 kills per game and a .556 hitting percentage as a senior and chose Mason over UC San Diego, Carthage and Stevens Institute of Technology. Hedlund's brother, Ryan, also attended Mason.

"Ross Hedlund is a very versatile player," Chao said. "He is strong in all aspects of the game and he will be a great addition to the program. He is quick, he jumps well and he has good mechanics."

The Patriots are off to a 4-0 start this season and are ranked 15th in the nation. They entered the polls on January 25 for the first time since the final poll in 1995. Mason is in action on Saturday when it hosts New York University at 2 p.m.