Right now, Bailey Webster has to feel as if she is the grand prize in a really big sweepstakes.

Last season’s All-Metro Volleyball Player of the Year and the Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year, Webster is now a senior at St. Paul’s and college coaches are in hot pursuit.

This week, the 6-foot-3 outside hitter was named by PrepVolleyball.com as the top recruit in the country for the Class of 2009.

Four colleges remain in the running to sign Webster, said St. Paul’s coach Kelli Wilkinson: Texas, Florida, Stanford and Alabama. Webster will visit each one over the next four weekends. Wilkinson said the coaches from Alabama and Stanford both have been in town in the last week.

"It’s a whirlwind," said Wilkinson, "but how often do you get to coach the No. 1 recruit in the country?"

Webster’s stock was already high with her immense presence at the net and her 6.38 kills per game average from a year ago when she led the Gators to the IAAM A Conference championship. Over the summer, she rose to another level, making the junior national team and helping it win the gold medal at the NORCECA World Championship in Mexico in July.

Not much changed when she returned to the Gator green. In her first two matches this season, both three-game sweeps, Webster had 47 kills – a 7.8 per game average.

-- Katherine Dunn