STAUNTON – Four Staunton High School student-athletes – Felicity Jones, Marc Geffrard, Maliq McCauley and Dashawn Shifflett - announced their college destinations Thursday afternoon in the Paul Hatcher Gymnasium and all four will continue their playing careers in the ODAC.

Felicity Jones Headed To EMU

Staunton volleyball’s dynamo libero Felicity Jones announced her decision to play at Eastern Mennonite University.

In a sport dominated by height, Jones proved that players of a much smaller stature can impact the game in a big way.

“Confidence is the key, If the ball hits the floor, the point’s over. Every point matters. As the libero, you have to keep the ball in play,” Jones said. 

“She’s the best high school libero I’ve seen,” said Emmy Burks, Jones’ high school coach. “She just has a knack for digging the ball up that you can’t teach. As a senior, she improved on reading the opponent’s hitters. She was just so much fun to watch and coach.”

Jones started playing volleyball in the sixth grade, but it wasn’t until her junior season on varsity when she realized she may be good enough to play in college.

“My first two years on varsity I was really nervous,” Jones said. “As a junior I started to gain my confidence, and I realized I was a pretty good player.” 

The speed of the game at the next level will be a big adjustment, but it’s one Jones is confident she can handle.

“The game definitely moves at a faster pace. I’ve played against some really good players here at Staunton and we played some good teams that played the game fast. I’ve seen that level of play at times,” Jones said.

Jones felt a community, family type atmosphere at EMU.

“Everyone there was very welcoming. It really made me feel comfortable. The coaches at EMU were in contact with me all the time. They made me feel confident in my ability to play there,” Jones said.

Jones plans to major in business.

McCauley, Shifflett Bound For BC

Maliq McCauley and Dashawn Shifflett will continue as teammates as both are committed to Bridgewater College.

McCauley played quarterback as a senior for the Storm but will switch to the other side of the football at Bridgewater.

McCauley played on defense as a junior, but head coach Mikey Bell was hesitant to use McCauley on defense this past season. “He was too valuable to our team as our quarterback to play him both ways,” said Bell.

The Staunton senior is a dynamic athlete who should make a seamless transition to defense in college. As a junior, McCauley was an all-district wrestler during the winter. This past winter he switched to the basketball court and became a valuable contributor for Kevin Madden’s district championship team.

“Bridgewater wants me to play safety,” said McCauley. “It’s football and I’m a football player. Whatever gets me on field is what I’ll do.”

He admits he will miss having the ball in his hands as an offensive playmaker. “Down the road, if Bridgewater needs me to run the ball a few times, I’m up for that.”

The short trip from Staunton to Bridgewater factored into his decision.

“Being close to home was definitely something I liked. Talking to the Bridgewater coaches, it just seemed like the right opportunity. It felt like family,” said McCauley.

McCauley plans to major in business with a minor in sports management.

Shifflett was a first-team All-Shenandoah District selection for the Storm at defensive end and a second-team selection along the offensive line. He’ll likely end up playing defensive end for the Eagles.

“I loved the atmosphere when I visited Bridgewater. It was a really good visit. I like the way they do things,” said Shifflett.

Getting bigger, stronger and more fit are next on the agenda for the two-sport standout who also enjoyed a stellar wrestling career for the Storm.

“Dashawn kept his weight down to wrestle, He’s working in the weight room now and he’s already put some weight back on,” said Bell.

“Cardio. I’ve got to work on my cardio,” added Shifflett. “And, I know I’ve got to get after it in the weight room.”

Shifflett plans to major in business while at Bridgewater.

Geffrard Set To Become a W&L General

Marc Geffrard was one of the most electrifying players this past season in the Shenandoah District. He was a first-team all-district pick at three positions – defensive back, punt returner and all-purpose offensive players.

At Washington and Lee, Geffrard, who plans to study business, will play running back in the Generals’ potent option attack.

In an earlier interview for a feature article on City-CountySports.com Geffrard discussed the recruiting process and his future with W&L.

“The coaches at Washington and Lee took their time with me. They understood I had other options, but they told me to take the time to make my decision. They made me feel like they really wanted me there.”

Running back is a high-usage position at W&L. The run-happy option attack ran the football on 564 out of 633 offensive plays this past season. “When I visited, the coaches showed me how I would be used in that offense. It’s a different offense than what I’m used to, but I’m a quick learner. I think I’ll pick things up quickly.”

The Next Level

The next time Geffrard sees McCauley and Shifflett on the football field, they will be opponents in the ODAC.

McCauley admits he has already considered the fact that he might just have to put a good hit on his Storm teammate.

“Yeah, can’t wait. We’ll see what happens. That will be a big game,” said McCauley.

“When that time comes, it’s going to be fun playing against them.” Geffrard added.

As a head coach, Bell cherishes events such as Thursday’s commitment day,

“Words can’t express how proud I am of those three,” Bell said. “When I took the head coaching job, this is the group I came in with. It was a privilege to coach them and be a part of their development. I’ll still be here for them if they need me, but now it’s up to them. They have to want it and do what it takes to compete at the next level.”

McCauley cherishes the time he spent as part of the Storm football program. “You will always remember the big games, but it’s the locker room, it’s the brotherhood that means the most. Making those memories with your teammates is special.”