Coming off a 3-0 sweep of Brewton-Parker College last night, the Loyola University New Orleans volleyball team returned to First NBC Court on Saturday morning to square off against (RV) College of Coastal Georgia.
Powered by three players with 10-plus kills, the Mariners (21-7, 14-3 SSAC) swept the Wolf Pack (13-19, 7-10 SSAC) 3-0 (17-25,20-25,19-25) in Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) action.
Coastal Georgia raced out to a comfortable 8-1 lead to start the opening set. Tylar Beckham collected back-to-back kills to bring the score to 8-3 before three-straight Mariners' kills put the visitors up 11-3. Up 16-10, Coastal Georgia strung together three unanswered points to stretch the advantage to 19-10. The Wolf Pack managed to outscore the Mariners 7-6 down the stretch but it would not be enough as Coastal Georgia grabbed the opening set 25-17.
A kill from Beatriz Agosto (FR/Miami, Fla.) off an assist by Maddie Huekels (SO/Dyer, Ind.) kicked off the second set to put Loyola up 1-0. With the set knotted at one a piece, Coastal Georgia strung together a 5-1 spurt to take the early 6-2 advantage. With her team down 9-4, Malea Howie (FR/Greenwood, Ind.) collected two-straight kills to cut the deficit to 9-6 in the second set. With Coastal Georgia leading 17-13, Loyola put up three-straight scores to chip the lead down to just one at 17-16. A 7-2 run by the Mariners gave the visitors a 24-19 cushion late in the set which they were able to hold on to en route to the 25-20 win in set two.
The third set was the closest of the day, with the scoreboard showing tied seven times. With the score at 18-18, Coastal Georgia put up three-straight points to grab the 21-18 lead. With the victory in sight, the Mariners ended the third set on a 4-1 run to take the set 25-19 and complete the sweep.
As a team, Loyola recorded a 0.208 (31-15-77) hitting percentage with 26 assists, 25 digs and five blocks on Saturday morning.
Beckham led the Wolf Pack with 10 kills to go along with two blocks. Huekels collected a team-high 21 assists against the Mariners and Allison Hartmann (SO/Slidell, La.) paced the Loyola defense with three blocks while adding seven kills.
Cayley Meiners handed out a match-high 42 helpers on Saturday and Kyra White and Rachel Amundson both collected 12 kills in the victory.
Loyola returns to First NBC Court tomorrow, Oct. 30, to take on Middle Georgia State at 11:00 a.m. This contest will be the final home match for the Wolf Pack this season.
Dan Friend and Lorelee Smith with Rae Analyn in the Lewis gym
Lewis men’s volleyball coach Dan Friend is entering his 13th season at the Romeoville, Illinois, school about 31 miles from Chicago. His record of 240-127 includes five MIVA tournament finals, one MIVA tournament title and a 2015 NCAA Division I-II national runner-up finish. Accordingly, Friend was the Volleyball magazine men’s coach of the year.
His wife, Lorelee Smith, is in the middle of her 10th season as the Flyers’ women’s head coach. Her record of 267-69 includes four Great Lake Valley Conference titles and two NCAA Division II regional final appearances. Her Lewis teams are 145-21 in GLVC play.
Smith gave birth to their daughter, Rae Analyn, June 5, but she was four months premature and weighed just 1 pound, 8 ounces. She’s doing great and this past Friday Lewis held a “Playing For Preemies” fundraising and awareness event that coincided with the school’s women’s volleyball match with McKendree.
The Friend/Smith family with Achilles, left, and Thor
The annual American Volleyball Coaches Association convention is the time of year where coaches from all over the country gather to network and share best practices. It also happens to be the venue that spawned a marriage between two of the sport’s collegiate coaches. Back when the convention was in Dallas, Friend, then the head men’s and women’s coach at Newman University in Wichita, Kansas, met Smith. She was an assistant at Central Missouri State.
“This was right before I took the Lewis job,” Friend said. “We started dating and doing the long-distance thing and then got engaged. The following year the Lewis women’s job opened up.”
The couple has been married eight years.
This June, of course, their lives were turned upside down.
“I went in for my monthly ultrasound on a Tuesday and everything was good,” Smith recalled. “On Wednesday I didn’t feel good. I was struggling. I went to the hospital and I was going into labor.”
But Rae wasn’t due for another four months, 16 and a half weeks to be exact. To complicate matters further, Smith hadn’t reached the 24-week mark of her pregnancy — a key benchmark of sorts in the medical community in terms of viability of survival if premature birth occurs. A child born at that early stage is called a micro preemie.
“At 23.4 weeks old the odds of survival are 30 percent,” Friend explained. “If you make it 24 weeks the odds jump to 60 percent. That’s a pretty big thing if you can make it those extra three or four days.”
Thus, Smith needed to hold off giving birth as long as possible.
“I went in on a Wednesday and 24 weeks was Sunday,” she said.
Two rounds of magnesium injections (plus steroid injections during that time to help Rae’s growth) did the trick. Rae was born June 5.
“She came on Sunday,” Smith says. “I was so blessed and lucky the magnesium worked.”
Rae was born 1-pound, 8 ounces, and measured 12 inches.
“She fit around the palm of my hand,” Friend said.
But the delivery brought its own set of complications.
“When she went into labor that was the scariest part for me,” Friend said. Smith explained that Rae’s umbilical cord became prolapsed. The doctor who discovered the situation had to ride on the cart with Smith into the operating room in order to keep things from getting worse.
Smith had to have an emergency C-section.
“Dan got left behind since it was an emergency,” Smith said. “Being left in the dark for a few hours was frightening for him.”
During delivery Rae’s arm was broken but that was not discovered until a day later when X-rays of where the PIC line (to make it easier to administer intravenous medicine) was located.
“Those 24 hours were probably the most scariest thing ever,” Friend said.
Coming home
Rae remained in the Loyola University Medical Center (located just outside Chicago in the city of Maywood) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit until September 13.
“We watched her grow in a box in the NICU and then in a crib,” Smith said. “It was like you were visiting someone in the hospital.” Rae ended up going home two weeks earlier than her regular due date.
“It’s a testament to Loyola’s NICU,” Smith said. “Rae could have had a ton of complications and she didn’t. They are really good there.”
Friend, used the word shocked to describe the initial days when it was evident Rae would be born prematurely, but added the couple was put at ease due to the outstanding care it received at Loyola.
“They start throwing stats and numbers at you,” he said. “I know they have to do that, but it becomes almost a morbid thing. They are talking about complications such as cerebral palsy and brain bleeds and her lungs not being developed.
“It becomes overwhelming really fast. While we were at Loyola during Rae’s stay we saw a lot of heartbreak and we saw a lot of joy with other people. She was there 105 days and every day we drove 45 minutes each way. It opened my eyes what Loyola NEQ did for us.
“We feel extremely blessed.”
Friend and Smith also had an additional scare related to a spit-up and chocking incident during a feeding that necessitated a 911 call and a short stay back at Loyola.
“Her stomach was still developing and there was a little bit of acid reflux and she was spitting up,” Friend said. “So we had to back there and they told us it’s not uncommon to have that in this situation.”
Smith added, “We went through that twice. We were scared and freaked out. Every time we would feed her we would get really nervous and worried that she would go into that choking thing or that she wasn’t breathing right.”
Today, Rae weighs 7 pounds, 6 ounces. Rae’s first name is a nod to the middle name of Smith’s father, while her middle name is in recognition of the middle names of both parents’ mothers.
“She’s at the weight of a smaller newborn right now,” Smith said. “A big thing was waiting for her lungs to grow. They weren’t fully developed and she had a breathing tube for a while. She’s off that now and breathing on her own. We’re the happiest parents in the world.”
Smith, 40, and Friend, 41, say their ages played a big role in helping them get through the past few months.
“They place us into the mature parents category,” Smith said with a laugh.
“I’m not sure we could navigate what we went through if we were 25 or 26 years old,” Friend said.
Giving Back
Friend credits Smith’s assistant coach, Rudi Balich, for coming up with the idea of “Playing for Preemies.”
“We wanted to raise funds for premature babies,” Friend said. “We wanted to give back to Loyola for everything they did for us.”
All fans were encouraged to wear purple in recognition of Premature Birth Awareness. All ticket proceeds went directly to Loyola Medicine’s NICU. Lewis also sold T-shirts and both teams made donations. Lewis will ended up donating about $2,000 to Loyola through this effort.
Smith, whose team is ranked No. 19 in the country in the most recent AVCA Division II coaches poll, says she also was involved in a previous Playing for Preemies Night involving former St. Joseph (Indiana) head coach Jill Schopieray.
“She also had a preemie but not quite as premature as ours,” Smith said. “This one was bigger just because it involved Rae and it’s directly related to our program as opposed to joining in on another program.”
Looking back, both Friend and Smith are thankful for the outpouring of support Lewis University has given them over the past four months.
“Lewis has been great through the entire process from the administration to both teams and the coaching staffs,” he said.
“We’ve received so much support from the school and the volleyball community. I’d post some updates on Facebook and they would get 400-500 likes. The volleyball community is amazing. We look out for each other. We’re so blessed to be part of this community.”
If you’d like to donate to Loyola Medicine’s NICU, please click here.
Loyola takes on (RV) College of Coastal Georgia tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.
With the stands filled of family, friends and supporters, the Loyola University New Orleans volleyball team welcomed Brewton-Parker College to First NBC Court on Friday evening for Senior Night.
The Wolf Pack (13-18, 7-9 SSAC) celebrated the big night by dominating the Barons (1-20, 0-15 SSAC) 3-0 (25-12,25-9,25-14) to snap a four-match losing streak.
Up 2-0 to start the set, Loyola manufactured eight-straight points - thanks in large part to some great serving by Katie Philippi (SR/Metairie, La.) - to take the commanding 10-0 advantage in the opening frame. The home team held a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the set and used a 5-0 spurt to close out the first set 25-12.
The second set proved to be much of the same, with the Wolf Pack jumping out to a big 10-2 lead early on. Up 13-5, Loyola used numerous Baron errors paired with kills from Layne Estes (FR/Metairie, La.), Accacia Grant (SO/College Park, Ga.) and Arielle Lewis (SR/New Orleans, La.) to end the set on a 12-4 run to take the 25-9 victory.
Set three was the closest of the night as Loyola was only able to grab a two-point advantage early on. Up 15-12, the Wolf Pack turned it on down the stretch with a 13-2 run to take the set 25-14 and the match 3-0.
The Wolf Pack collected a .300 (35-14-70) hitting percentage with 28 assists, 29 digs and three total blocks on Friday.
Malea Howie (FR/Greenwood, Ind.) led Loyola with nine kills on 13 attempts (.538) while Maddie Huekels (SO/Dyer, Ind.) handed out a match-high 15 assists. Katie Philippi paced the Wolf Pack defense with eight digs and Sunni Blanchard (FR/Pierre Part, La.) added nine helpers in the victory.
Destinee Benton was tops on Brewton-Parker with four kills on Friday night.
The Wolf Pack return to First NBC Court tomorrow, Oct. 29, to take on (RV) College of Coastal Georgia at 11:00 a.m.
Paul Bischoff, a setter from Illinois, is a top recruit for Stanford/Photo courtesy of Christine Giunta
By Mike Miazga for VolleyballMag.com
Parity in sports can be a good thing.
And if the results of the 2016 VolleyballMag.com men’s college top recruiting classes are any indication, the influx of incoming talent this season will help many teams. Six teams earned at least one first-place vote in the polling, which comes from a panel of NCAA Division I-II coaches. Only 12 voting points separated the first- through fourth-place teams.
Stanford checks in at No. 1 in the rankings, completing a recruiting sweep for the Cardinal, who also earned the top spot in this year’s VolleyballMag.com women’s college recruiting rankings.
Coach Dan Friend’s Lewis Flyers check in at No. 2, further adding to the long-term high-quality program run out of the small south-suburban Chicago town of Romeoville.
A tale of polar opposites round out the four teams with UCLA (only three recruits) at No. 3 and defending NCAA champion Ohio State (with a massive incoming class of eight) taking up residence at No. 4.
UC Santa Barbara also did itself plenty of future favors with the massive class it assembled. Here’s the complete rundown of this year’s top classes.
Stanford’s John Kosty has the opportunity to coach the VBM top-ranked recruiting class/Stanford photo
1. Stanford Cardinal Incoming players: Eric Beatty (6-7, OH, Huntington Beach (Calif.), HBC/949 Athletics), Paul Bischoff (6-5, S, Glenbard (Ill.) West, Sports Performance), Stephen Moye (6-9, MB, El Segundo (Calif.), SCVC), Jacob Thoenen (6-6, MB, Christian (St. Charles, Mo.), St. Louis HP), Mason Tufuga (6-5, RS, Costa Mesa (Calif.), OCVC), Eli Wopat (6-5, RS, Dos Pueblos (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Santa Barbara VBC/SMBC)
The skinny: Stanford churns out another top-notch class, headlined by Bischoff, a suburban Chicago product from the tradition-rich Sports Performance club who was named the 2016 VolleyballMag.com Boys’ High School Player of the Year.
“Paul has the talent to become a premier setter in the MPSF and the work ethic to match,” Stanford coach John Kosty said. “Of the many prospects in this class, he probably is the best athlete in the position, but he is much more than that. He has command of the offense and has the ability to run the offense at a very quick pace. He can make bas passes look good and is an above-average defender. Best of all, Paul fits our Stanford profile. He is a tremendous person with great passion, drive and humility.”
Including Bischoff, this class features four players named to the VolleyballMag.com 2016 Boys’ Fab 50 list. Beatty comes from a successful prep pedigree at Huntington Beach High School where he played on two unbeaten teams.
“Eric Beatty, quite simply, is a winner,” Kosty said. “Every team he has been on has enjoyed tremendous success. At 6-7, he brings good size and physicality to the court. He is well-skilled as a passer and a net player, and is a strong attacker out of the front and back rows. He will bring intensity and fire to our team. We truly are fortunate to have this young man in our program.”
Lewis coach Dan Friend: “This is one of the best recruiting classes, top to bottom, that I’ve had since being at Lewis.”
2. Lewis Flyers Incoming players: Kyle Bugee (6-5, OH, Homestead (Cupertino, Calif.), Bay to Bay), Joe Crosby (6-10, MB, Mc Quaid Jesuit, Rochester, N.Y., Pace Bootlegger), Jake Dixon (6-6, OH, Bethel Park (Pa.), Pittsburgh), Grant Holve (6-3, libero, Carlsbad (Calif.), Coast), Zack Meyer (6-4, OH, Wheaton (Ill.)-Warrenville South, Sports Performance), Tyler Mitchem (6-10, MB, Bolingbrook (Ill.), Sports Performance), TJ Murray (6-9, MB, Barrington (Ill.), Sports Performance), Ryan Van Loo (6-3, S, Burroughs (Burbank, Calif.), SMBC)
The skinny: Coach Dan Friend’s recruiting class is large times two. Not only does the Flyers’ Class of 2016 feature eight players, but it also has five players above 6-5 and three above 6-9. Bugee, Dixon, Meyer and Mitchem are 2016 VolleyballMag.com Fab 50 selections.
“This is one of the best recruiting classes, top to bottom, that I’ve had since being at Lewis,” Friend said. “There are several Fab 50 and All-Americans within the group. I look for this group to make a lasting impact on the program.”
One other coach on the voting panel had this to say about the Flyers group: “Lewis has a big and very good recruiting class that will have an immediate impact.”
The Flyers also kept the Illinois talent pipeline open, snagging Sports Performance club standouts Meyer, Mitchem and Murray.
UCLA setter/outside Sam Kobrine
3. UCLA Bruins Incoming players: Sam Kobrine (6-3, S-OH, Corona del Mar (Newport Beach, Calif.), 949 VBC), Daeanan Gyimah (6-8, MB-OH, Mowat Collegiate Institute (Toronto, Ontario), STVC Nemesis), Sam Jones (5-9, libero, Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), SCVC)
UCLA libero Sam Jones
The skinny: The theme here for the Bruins is 3-for-3. UCLA has only three incoming recruits, but those three players have high enough potential for members of the voting panel to rate this class at such a high level at No. 3.
“Our recruiting class this year is small, yet it’s a really important one,” UCLA assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Brad Keller said. “We have our entire starting lineup returning from last year and we lost only two players. The three guys coming in complement this group extremely well. Daenan is an explosive quick-twitch player who touches over 12 feet and has a big ceiling. Sam Kobrine is a dynamic, explosive athlete that can possibly __play three positions for us. Sam Jones is a fast-twitch libero that brings a ton of experience and a great touch on the ball.”
Kobrine and Jones both are 2016 VolleyballMag.com Fab 50 selections. Gyimah played for the Canadian boys’ youth national team and earned Canadian National All-Star honors.
Ohio State coach Pete Hanson: “This is one of the best recruiting classes in program history.”/ Jay LaPrete photo
4. Ohio State Buckeyes Incoming players: Tyler Alter (6-4, OH, Laguna Beach (Calif.), 949 VBC), Jason Bruggemann (6-5, MB, Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), Cincinnati Attack), Dejon Clark (6-5, OH-RS, Pickerington (Ohio) North, Vanguard), Reese Devilbiss (6-2, OH, Northeastern (Manchester, Pa.), Yorktowne), Jake Hanes (6-10, RS, Sandburg (Orland Park, Ill.), Ultimate), Paul Henken (6-3, S, University (St. Louis, Mo.), St. Louis HP), Maxime Hervoir (6-5, OH, France), Andrew Hillman (6-3, S, Parkland (Allentown, Pa., Yorktowne), Shawn Hughes (6-4, OH, University (St. Louis, Mo.), St. Louis HP)
The skinny: The defending NCAA champions reloaded in a big way here with eight newcomers and one transfer (Hervoir, from France, is a junior in class standing). This class features five VolleyballMag.com Fab 50 picks (Alter, Devilbiss, Hanes, Hillman and Hughes) and three AVCA high-school All-Americans (Devilbiss, Hanes and Hillman).
“We’re very excited about the amount of well-rounded volleyball players and proven winners we have coming in here this fall,” said Ohio State coach Pete Hanson, whose team won the 2016 NCAA title. “Every member of our 2016 class has taken their respective high school and club teams to new heights and we expect them to do the same at Ohio State. This is one of the best recruiting classes in program history.”
Henken and Hughes come from the same successful high school and club teams in St. Louis. Hanes was named the player of the year by the Daily Southtown in the Chicago south suburbs, while Hughes was the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s player of the year. Hervoir played for the French national team in 2014 and is a two-time French Cup winner who also was named best outside hitter in 2015.
UC Santa Barbara outside hitter Roy McFarland/Ralf Stier (Ralf’s Photography; www.ralfsphotography.com)
5. UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Incoming players: Davis Boehle (6-0, libero-S, Loyola (Los Angeles, Calif.), MB Surf), Randy Deweese (6-6, S, Natomas Prep, Sacramento, Calif.), Spencer Fredrick (6-3, RS, Valley Christian (San Jose, Calif.), Dynamic), Brad Maricle (6-4, OH-RS, Palos Verdes (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.), SCVC), Roy McFarland (6-3, OH, Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), SCVC), Casey McGarry (6-0, S, Loyola (Los Angeles, Calif.), SCVC), Keenan Sanders (6-6, MB-RS, Scripps Ranch (San Diego, Calif.), Coast), Jack Truman (6-10, MB, Loyola (Los Angeles, Calif.), MB Surf), Grady Yould (6-0, libero-OH, Dana Hills (Dana Point, Calif.), 949).
The skinny: A well-deserved top-five ranking here for the Gauchos, who stayed entirely in the Golden State to secure this nine-player class that mixes players with strong high-school and club pedigrees.
“We brought in nine guys we like a lot,” Santa Barbara coach Rick McLaughlin said. “Four or five of them already have very high volleyball IQs, sound skills, have won a ton and will really help our training environment immediately. The other four or five have incredible potential and could become very successful players in the MPSF after a few years. We are very excited about all nine and can’t wait to get them in our gym.”
Santa Barbara features five players on the 2016 VolleyballMag.com Boys’ Fab 50 list (Boehle, Deweese, McFarland, McGarry, Sanders and Truman) and five that made the 2016 VolleyballMag.com Boys’ High School All-American teams (Boehle, McGarry, McFarland, Maricle and Truman).
6. Penn State Nittany Lions Incoming players: Cameron Bartus (6-10, MB-OH, West Seneca (N.Y.) West, Eden), Kyle Mackiewicz (6-8, RS, J.P. Stevens (Edison, N.J.), Atlantic Valley), Declan Pierce (6-0, libero, Eden (N.Y.), Eden VBC), Nathan Smith (6-5, S, Los Altos (Calif.), Bay to Bay), Bobby Wilden (6-9, OH-MB, Briar Woods (Ashburn, Va.), NVVA)
The skinny: Bartus, Mackiewicz and Wilden are 2016 VolleyballMag.com Boys’ Fab 50 selections, while Pierce earned 2016 VolleyballMag.com Boys’ High School All-American second-team honors.
Penn State assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Colin McMillan likes this group’s versatility.
“Our class added size and athleticism to our team at a variety of positions,” he said. “The ability of these players to be put in multiple positions will give us good options and lineup flexibility for years to come.”
Pierce comes from a family volleyball background. His father, Robert, is heavily involved in the club scene and sister, Kendall, played at Penn State, while other sister, Lainy, is currently on the Penn State women’s team.
George Huhmann is a 6-11 Princeton middle.
7. Princeton Tigers Incoming players: Parker Dixon (6-6, OH, St. Mark’s (Dallas, Texas), Summit Nitro), Shane Gooding (6-4, S, Corona del Mar (Newport Beach, Calif.), Balboa Bay), George Huhmann (6-11, MB, University (St. Louis, Mo.), St. Louis HP), Greg Luck (6-5, OH, South Pasadena (Calif.), SG Elite).
The skinny: Coach Sam Shweisky continues to improve the talent pipeline at Princeton, as evidenced by this Top 10 class. Huhmann is a 2016 VolleyballMag.com Boys’ Fab 50 selection who was part of the 2015 boys’ youth national team that placed seventh at the U19 worlds. Dixon, a multi-sport athlete in high school, comes out of Texas and was selected to three USAV training teams. Gooding comes from the well-regarded Corona del Mar high-school program and the Balboa Bay club program. Luck was part of two South Pasadena teams that won CIF titles.
“2016 could turn out to be the best recruiting class we have ever had in the history of the program,” Shweisky said. “George is a 7-foot starting middle on the junior national team, while Parker and Greg are both 6-5/6-6 pins who could start right away and have a huge impact on our program. What I like most about this class is its size and athleticism.”
UC Irvine’s class includes, from left, Zach Mills, Sean Dennis, Scott Stadick, Austin Wilmot and Patrick Sohacki/UCI photo
8. UC Irvine Anteaters
Incoming players: Sean Dennis (6-11, MB, Bonita (La Verne, Calif.), SG Elite), Zack Mills (6-5, RS-OH, Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), 949 VBC), Patrick Sohacki (6-6, RS-OH, Eastlake (Chula Vista, Calif.), Coast), Scott Stadick (7-0, MB, Watertown (Wis.), Milwaukee Sting), Austin Wilmot (6-9, OH, Crespi Carmelite (Encino, Calif.), West Edge)
The skinny: The Anteaters added three 2016 VolleyballMag.com Fab 50 selections in Dennis, Sohacki and Stadick, whose sister, Katie, plays at Illinois, and another sister, Deb, who played at Iowa State. This class also features considerable size with Stadick at 7-feet (the tallest in the class), Dennis right behind him at 6-11 and Wimot measuring 6-9.
“The human and athletic potential of this recruiting class is special,” said Anteaters coach David Kniffin. “The personalities will be fun to work with and if they are willing to do the work, these five could be significant contributors to future championship campaigns.”
The skinny: Loyola-Chicago ties Ohio State and UC Santa Barbara for the most 2016 VolleyballMag.com Boys’ Fab 50 selections with five (Cowen, Freeman, Kotsakis, Linsky and Piekarski). Loyola, like Chicago-area brethren Lewis, tapped into the talent-rich Chicago pool and secured Baranski, Kotsakis (who teamed in high school and club with Stanford recruit Paul Bischoff) and Piekarski.
Jake Freeman Kyle Piekarski
“This class solidifies our roster in a lot of important places and will instantly increase the competitiveness of our gym,” Loyola coach Mark Hulse said. “Five are Fab 50 selections and every guy brings something new to the gym, which gives you a route to the starting lineup, potentially right away.”
(Loyola photos by Steve Woltmann/Loyola Athletics)
Trevor Briggs
10. Long Beach State 49ers Incoming players: Trevor Briggs (6-0, libero, Bishop Alemany (Mission Hills, Calif.), Legacy VBC), Zane Griggs (6-8, OH, Eastside (Lancaster, Calif.), Legacy VBC), James Thomas (6-2, OH, Santa Margarita Catholic (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), Balboa Bay.
Zane Grigg James Thomas
The skinny: The 49ers addressed their needs at the pin and in the back-row with this small, but strong recruiting class. Briggs is a 2016 VolleyballMag.com Boys’ Fab 50 selection. Briggs was a three-time all-league performer in high school, while Griggs earned a player of the year honor during his Eastside time. Thomas was an all-state selection at Santa Margarita Catholic as a senior and was a four-time all-league first-team choice.
“Trevor has a high volleyball IQ and is a volleyball junkie,” 49ers coach Alan Knipe said. “Zane is a big kid who can __play multiple positions. He started the sport late, but will make it up fast. James is a solid all-around player who has won a lot and can help us in many ways.
“We didn’t go for numbers with this class. We love the quality. They all help us as players and add to our already great team culture.”
Others receiving votes: BYU, George Mason, Pepperdine, USC
Quiana Ware was one of three Western Michigan players with 12 kills apiece against NIU/WMU photo
For many of the NCAA Division I volleyball conferences, Friday marks the start of the second half of their respective league seasons.
There are some big matches on Friday’s 112-match slate when almost all the ranked teams are in action.
Thursday was a big night for a handful of mid-majors, as both division leaders in the MAC — Northern Illinois and Miami — won to stay unbeaten in league __play at 11-0 — and UNLV won again to stay atop the Mountain West.
First a look at Friday’s biggest matches:
In the Big Ten, all eight of its ranked teams are in action in a league where two teams are tied for first and three others are two games back and tied for fourth. The big one is No. 10 Penn State (17-4, 9-1) at No. 4 Wisconsin (16-3, 8-2). Wisconsin is No. 2 in the RPI, while Penn State is ranked only No. 22, so it’s a chance for a big road statement for the Nittany Lions.
No. 1 Nebraska (18-1, 9-1) plays host to No. 24 Illinois (14-7, 7-3) and No. 3 Minnesota (15-4, 7-3) is at home for Rutgers (4-19, 0-10), which has won one set in league __play this season.
No. 13 Michigan (18-4,7-3) is at Purdue (13-8, 3-7), which finally fell out of the AVCA poll this week. No. 15 Michigan State (17-5, 6-4) goes to Indiana, while Maryland (10-13, 2-9), which beat the Buckeyes in Maryland on Wednesday, returns the favor and goes to No. 19 Ohio State (14-9, 4-7). And Northwestern (8-14, 1-9) goes to Iowa (15-7, 5-5).
The big one in the Pac-12 — which had three teams tied for second — features No. 18 Washington State (17-5, 7-3) at No. No. 17 Stanford (13-6, 7-3).
League leader No. 7 Washington (18-3, 8-3) plays host to Cal (8-12, 2-8).
No. 12 UCLA (16-4, 7-3) entertains Colorado (12-8. 4-6), Arizona (13-9, 5-5)goes to No. 20 Oregon (14-5, 7-3), No. 21 Utah (15-6, 6-4) goes toNo. 24 USC (14-7, 6-4) and in the only match not involving ranked teams, Arizona State (8-14, 1-9) goes to Oregon State (8-13, 1-9).
The ACC has a full slate, starting with No. 8 North Carolina (18-2, 10-0) at Virginia Tech (8-13, 3-7) and No. 11 Florida State (16-3, 2-8) at Louisville.
Notre Dame (18-4, 9-1) plays host to Miami (9-13, 3-7), while Georgia Tech (18-5, 9-2) goes for its ninth win in a row when it plays host to Virginia (4-17, 1-9). Also, Wake Forest is at Syracuse, NC State is at Pittsburgh and Duke goes to Boston College.
There are three SEC matches on tap, including No. 9 Florida playing host to Ole Miss. Tennessee is at Alabama and LSU goes to South Carolina.
The Big 12 has the night off, but Saturday No. 2 Texas plays at No. 6 Kansas.
No. 14 Hawai’i (14-5, 7-1) is back on the mainland when it goes to UC Riverside, while league-leader Long Beach State 14-7, 8-0) is home for UC Irvine.
The two ranked West Coast Conference teams are at BYU on Friday. No. 5 San Diego goes to No. 16 BYU. USD swept the Cougars in San Diego earlier this season.
No. 23 Western Kentucky tries to keep its stranglehold on Conference USA when the Lady Toppers (22-2, 9-0) go to Marshall.
It’s a busy, busy night for the mid-majors, including Dayton (23-1, 9-0) entertaining Saint Louis (12-2, 7-2) and the nation’s kills leader in Danielle Rygelski in a key Atlantic 10 matchup.
Wichita State, ranked 32 in the RPI, has a Missouri Valley match with Northern Iowa and Marquette, 35 RPI, goes to Villanova.
MAC-tion: NIU, Miami keep dominating
NIU lost the first but bounced back for a 19-25, 26-24, 25-19, 25-20 victory at Western Michigan. Coach Ray Gooden’s team, he pointed out, is simply keeping pace with the top team in the other division, Miami. That’s because Miami won its 18th consecutive match, which tied the school record, by beating visiting Bowling Green.
NIU is 19-4, 11-0, atop the West Division. Miami’s record is identical and the Red Hawks sit atop the East Division.
Mary Grace Kelly led NIU with 23 kills, tying her career best, while hittinga career-high .564. She also had 11 digs. Jenna Radtke added 10 kills.
“Every place in our league, their home court is very difficult and her at Western Michigan it is no different,” NIU coach Ray Gooden said. “It’s always been a big challenge for us because they bring a lot of energy and there’s a great atmosphere so for us to battle through, especially in that first set, and then to rally through the next three was big for us.”
Miami sophomore setter Mackenzie Zielinski had 18 assists and a team-high 19 digs. Junior libero Maeve McDonald had 18 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Stela Kukoc led with 10 kills and Maris Below had eight.
UNLV gets its 20th
The Rebels beat visiting San Jose State, which was coming off a big victory over Colorado State. The 25-20, 26-24, 25-13 victory left UNLV 20-3 and 9-2, tied with Boise State at the top of the Mountain West.
Boise State won at Nevada 32-30, 25-22, 25-22 and is 18-6, 9-2. Both UNLV and Boise are a half game ahead of Colorado State (14-7, 8-2) and a game up on Wyoming (15-9, 7-3).
CSU was off on Thursday, while Wyoming beat Utah State 20-25, 25-14, 25-20, 25-23.
UNLV, 28th in the RPI, got 13 kills from Alyssa Wing, who hit .600. Bree Hammel had 11 kills and four blocks, one solo.
“Our defense set the pace tonight with solid blocking and really good digs,” UNLV coach Cindy Fredrick said. “The hitting was solid with few errors. Alyssa’s kills were so strong tonight and Alexis (Patterson) was very active offensively, as well. It was a good, overall team performance tonight.”
Boise State, 37th in the RPI, got 19 kills from Sierra Nobley, who hit .415. Kaitlyn Oliver had 12 kills and hit .524.
“I thought this was an overall good team victory, everyone contributed to this win tonight,” Boise coach Shawn Garus said. “Nevada is a really good team, they beat us earlier in Boise, so we knew it was going to be tough tonight. Both teams played hard and for us to get this sweep down here speaks volumes to how hard we worked in practice this week and how far we’ve come this season, improving each week. I can’t say enough about how proud I am of this team tonight. Now we have to turn our focus to San Diego State on Saturday.”
Also Thursday Northern Arizona lost for only the second time in league play as it got swept at Sacramento State 25-15, 25-18, 25-19. It dropped the Lumberjacks, who still maintain first in the North, to 19-5 overall, 9-2 in the Big Sky. Sacramento State is 14-11, 8-3.
Also in the Big Sky, Idaho put an end to Idaho State’s seven-match win streak.
Maddy Kerr, second from right, joins her family after her dad, Steve, coached the Golden State Warriors to the NBA championship
The daughters of former pro athletes. Moms and dads who were stars in their day. Siblings not only in volleyball but all over NCAA rosters. The apples don’t fall far from the tree.
So we set out to find as many Division I players as possible who had family backgrounds where one or more relatives played (or in some cases still are playing) sports at a significant level.
To say the least, the response was overwhelming.
Using conference sports information directors as the starting distribution point and then relying on the responses of individual team SIDs, more than 80 schools got back to us — some with amazingly detailed histories. As you will see, this is more than just a “look who my famous dad is” type of story. Yes, some players have very famous relatives, but more importantly the focus here is on how coming from a significant family athletic background has shaped these collegiate volleyball players into the athletes, and more importantly, the people they are today.
Just as with our adjacent list, we welcome corrections, additions and any thoughts on the subject. Please email lee@VolleyballMag.com.
We’ve also compiled a remarkable list. Please click here to see just how many amazing athletics-ties stories there are in NCAA volleyball.
Here are some of their stories:
The Cockrell siblings: Anna, Ross, and Ciera
Never a dull moment Davidson University sophomore outside hitter Ciera Cockrell says growing up with two siblings produced a stream of nonstop competition. Her brother, Ross, is a cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, while sister, Anna, finished seventh at the USA Track and Field Olympic Trials this past summer and now is a freshman hurdler at USC. Their father played football at Columbia University.
“Everything was a competition, sometimes friendly, sometimes not,” says Cockrell, one of the team leaders in kills this season. “We would make up games inside and out to play. It always was my sister and I against Ross. We would be going somewhere as common as the grocery store and take off in a dead sprint across the parking lot trying to see who could make it to the entrance first.”
Chanelle Hargreaves of Florida/UAA Communications photo by Jim Burgess
Christmas competition
At the Hargreaves home, the competitive spirit is in full force on Christmas Eve, as Florida freshman defensive specialist Chanelle Hargreaves explains. Her brother, Vernon III, is a member of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while sister, Carina, is the coordinator of defensive operations for the University of South Carolina football team. Their dad is the linebackers coach at Arkansas.
“Every year my mom hides a fake pickle in the Christmas tree and whoever finds it first gets to open a gift on Christmas Eve,” she says. “It definitely ranks as one of the most competitive events in our house. We take it so seriously if we don’t win.”
UCLA freshman outside hitter Torrey Van Winden also can relate to Christmas-related athletic competitiveness.
Her mom, Kelly, was an All-American outside hitter at Cal Poly, while dad James played basketball at the same school. Older sister, Adlee, is a sophomore on the Cal Poly volleyball team, while cousin Micah Ma’a is a standout on the UCLA men’s volleyball team and was a heralded recruit (VolleyballMag.com Fab 50 selection) coming out of high school in Hawaii. Ma’a is a family-tie story by himself, since his father, Pono, was a star at Hawai’i and on the beach, and his mother, Lisa Strand Ma’a, also played at Hawai’i and on the beach. Lisa and Kelly are twin sisters and Kelly is the former coach at Sonoma State.
“Every Christmas we would have sports day,” Van Winden explains. “We would put together a mix of different sports and we would tally up the points at the end. It was very competitive and so much fun, but with our competitiveness it could get intense.”
The Engles, from left, Kelly Potts, Rachel Engle, Sydney Engle, Ashley Potts
Always fierce family competition
Western Kentucky junior outside/right-side hitter Sydney Engle is not the first family member to pass through the Lady Toppers program. Older sister, Rachel, played from 2012-2015 and cousins Ashley and Kelly Potts also played for WKU.
“It was a competitive atmosphere all the time,” Engle says. “We made everything into a competition even if it was who could get done eating the fastest. It also meant we always had fun and never really had a dull moment in our house.”
Sibling competition ran rampant through the Kerr household as well. Cal senior libero Maddy Kerr, the daughter of Golden State Warriors basketball coach and former NBA player Steve Kerr, recalls many a spirited battle with brother, Nick, who was one of only 25 students accepted into the USC film school screenwriting program.
“My brother and I always were super-competitive with each other in everything from backyard baseball to ping-pong,” she says. “The first time I beat Nick he threw the ping-pong paddle at me. After we would compete in anything, there was a decent period of time where we wouldn’t talk to each other because one of us was so upset about losing. It’s funny thinking back on it because we are so close, but we were so competitive.”
Kentucky freshman defensive-specialist Kylie Schmaltz, whose brothers, Nick (Chicago Blackhawks) and Jordan (St. Louis Blues), are professional hockey players, recalls no location was off limits for a little competitive fun.
“We found joy in passing around any type of object we could find in what most would consider inconvenient places,” she says. “For instance, if we were in an airport or downtown in a big city we would toss a ball or find some crazy game to play. We could never sit still. It brought a lot of excitement and entertainment.”
But that competitive family atmosphere, Kerr says, helped shape her into the athlete and person she is today.
“I always had to work hard in everything I did growing up and I have maintained that work ethic over time,” she says. “I am a perfectionist, but I think it’s because my parents held us to such high standards in terms of work ethic when we were little. My mom wouldn’t be happy with grades lower than A’s because she believed we were naturally smart enough to do well if we put in the work and she was right. We live by the quote, ‘To whom much is given, much is expected.’
“My brother never played a single sport but my parents encouraged him to do what he loved. He has been writing screenplays since he was 12 and worked his butt off to get into USC.”
Brooke Smith with her parents, Jeanine and Warren
Their parents set the standard
Nebraska sophomore defensive specialist-libero Brooke Smith’s parents also have elite athletic backgrounds. Her father, Warren, was a pole vaulter and decathlete at Texas, while mother, Janine was part of the 1988 NCAA women’s volleyball championship team and later was the head coach at UT-Arlington.
“There are a lot of stories through club volleyball but one that sticks out is when I would be the captain on her team,” Smith explains. “She always thought she knew what was best so I had to go protest for her with refs all the time.
“It turned into a joke with my dad and I, but I always was having to protest and fight for her.”
But Smith’s life lessons go well beyond chats with club-volleyball referees.
“My parents are great examples of what it means to be humble and what it means to truly work hard and give 100 percent every day. They are great teachers of that,” she says. “They taught me how to give my best day in and day out and to work to better myself every day.”
UConn sophomore setter Emma Turner notes she has a live reference guide always at her fingertips in the form of father, Jeff, who played 10 seasons in the NBA for the Orlando Magic and New Jersey Nets. “The greatest part of growing up in an athletic family is my dad had already done all the things I wanted to accomplish,” she says. “He knew what it took to get there. He always has been the perfect person to bounce ideas off of from questions on leadership to improving mental toughness.
“I learned early on how important working hard is to achieve anything. It sounds very cliché, but I saw how successful my dad was on the court and how difficult the road to get there was. I knew how many hours I had to spend in the weight room and the gym. I was driven by knowing what it would take to accomplish my goals and that’s something that has helped me at the collegiate level.” South Florida senior outside hitter Dakota Hampton, the daughter of NFL Hall of Fame offensive lineman Dan Hampton, echoes similar sentiments. “Being in an athletic family was the best because they could relate to my struggles and successes and would give me great advice moving forward,” she says.
“Having an athletic family shaped me to be the best person I can be on and off the court. They have pushed me to become what I am today.”
Hampton’s South Florida teammate, junior middle blocker Joli Holland (whose dad, Johnny, played for the Green Bay Packers from 1987 to 1994 and is now a linebackers coach for the Cleveland Browns), says her greatest benefit from being around an athletic environment has come on the mental side of the game.
“Sometimes kids are patted on the back when they make mistakes. My parents are not like that,” she says. “They drove my passion to be my best, which allowed me to grow my desire and heart.”
Van Winden also received an early dose of mental training thanks to the family she grew up in. “Being in an athletic family matured me very fast in the realm of sports,” she says. “I was around good athletes and my parents both played so the mental side of my game developed at a young age.”
Inspirations on many levels
Auburn senior middle blocker Breanna Barksdale had a major source of inspiration growing up in her grandfather, Don Barksdale, a 1942 Olympic gold medalist and a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
“I heard stories about my grandfather’s ability to overcome adversity from the color of his skin to being cut from the high-school team every year. He got there through hard work, humility and mental toughness,” Barksdale says.
“Growing up knowing all he accomplished inspired me. During high-school tryouts, I walked in not knowing anything about volleyball and by the end of the week I had put in countless hours working to catch up to the other girls. Every day going into practice I knew I would have to work 10 times as hard as everyone else and I was OK with that. I focused on competing with myself. I still have the drive and passion to constantly compete every day.”
UCLA junior outside hitter Reily Buechler felt more at ease growing up knowing the sports backgrounds of her parents. Father, Jud, was part of three NBA championship teams with the Chicago Bulls, while mom, Lindsey, was a standout setter at Arizona and still ranks in the top 10 in several statistical categories there. What’s more, Jud Buechler also played volleyball at Arizona.
“It’s nice knowing you have people you can look up to and relate to,” she says. “They were such great athletes that I knew I could rely on them for advice. It’s nice to have a support system where people know what they are talking about. I’m very lucky to have that.” Southern Illinois University senior setter Hannah Kaminsky, whose brother, Frank, starred on the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team that made it to the 2015 NCAA title game and now is a member of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, says sports has brought her family even closer.
“I grew up in the gym and so did my brothers and sisters,” said Kaminsky, whose parents also played sports in college. “We’re able to share our love for sports with the family and that makes an extra bond we have with each other.”
Jerry Sloan and Megan
Sound advice from knowledgeable parents
Another benefit of growing up in athletic families is the amount of advice and tips that are constantly available.
UConn senior outside hitter Jade Strawberry leans on her father, former Major League Baseball player Darryl Strawberry, for words of wisdom during her climb up the athletics ladder.
“I grew up around many different sports,” Strawberry says. “It helped me to get a jump-start into sports. The best advice my dad has given me is by explaining to me that times will get tough being an athlete and when the times do get tough, I have to push myself as hard as I can and work as hard as I can to be the best I can be.”
Megan Sloan, Louisville’s freshman outside/right-side hitter, says a key piece of advice she received from her father, Brian (part of an Indiana NCAA championship men’s basketball team), and grandfather, Jerry (former longtime Utah Jazz head coach), also pertains to those times when the going gets tough.
“Always be the hardest worker and be the best teammate you can be,” Sloan says. “Even if things aren’t going your way, you have to buy into the system.”
Oregon freshman right-side hitter Willow Johnson says her father, Randy (who enjoyed a Hall of Fame pitching career with several teams, including the Arizona Diamondbacks), always stressed paying attention to smaller details such as keeping one’s body healthy.
“He talks about the extra things,” she says. “My dad has been a big part of my growth as an athlete. He taught me to never settle for anything mediocre, to push myself to be the best I can be and go and do the extra things so I can be a better player. He helped bring me to the success I’ve had in my career. He taught me to be better.”
Johnson’s freshman teammate, middle blocker Ronika Stone, appreciates the bluntness of her father, Ron Stone, a former NFL Pro Bowl player. “He would ask me if I wanted a cookie for doing my job,” says Stone, one of five siblings. “His best advice is always do something better than the best.”
Stone also recites an additional piece of dad advice that’s larger than the confines of a volleyball court. “He says stay true to who I am and don’t change on or off the court.”
Katie Sato, a junior libero at Cal State Northridge, whose dad Gary played at UC SantaBarbara, said he told her “Always stay humble.”.
“Many of my family members have accomplished so many things in their volleyball careers, but they always have remained humble and didn’t let it go to their heads. They also have taught me there is always room for improvement and to always work hard.” Long Beach State junior middle blocker Ashley Murray, who appreciates that her parents allowed her to try different sports, says her father (Lamond Murray, who played 11 years in the NBA) provided a constant source of inspiration growing up.
“I had an immediate idol for what it’s like to be a professional athlete, as well as being able to have someone there for advice on and off the court,” she says. “I also learned very early what the work ethic of a successful athlete is like.”
North Carolina sophomore defensive specialist-libero Casey Jacobs didn’t have to stray too far for volleyball advice growing up. She’s the cousin of sport great and 1984 Olympic silver-medalist Sue Woodstra.
“She always told me it didn’t matter how small I was,” says Jacobs, a former outside hitter. “Although in volleyball in 2016 the game has changed and it does matter, but I __play back row so it’s good I’m small. I never thought of myself as someone who wasn’t going to __play volleyball in college at the Division I level at a highly ranked school. Since I first touched a ball when I was 11, I knew this way my sport and nothing else mattered.”
Texas A&M’s Stephanie Aiple
Texas A&M setter Stephanie Aiple also grew up in a volleyball family. Her mom, Connie, played at Long Beach State, while her aunt, Diane Watson, was an All-American at Texas and was Aiple’s coach at Round Rock High School. Her dad, Matt, played on the AVP tour for two years.
“My parents never forced me to do anything growing up,” Aiple says. “Volleyball wasn’t something I just woke up one day and was like, ‘Hey, I’m going to try volleyball today.’ It was more natural because I grew up around it. Even though I have a huge background in volleyball, it’s been something that’s been my passion, too. I can’t think back far enough where volleyball wasn’t part of my life.
“My parents have navigated me through it all just because of their experience, but it’s definitely a sport I fell in love with from the beginning.” Davidson’s Ciera Cockrell admits gaining confidence is something she’s had to work on throughout her athletic endeavors. But that process was aided by the presence of her sister.
“My sister is quite the opposite,” she explains. “When she steps on the track, she trusts herself and her training and tells herself she is the best athlete out there, even if it’s not the case. Through talking to her about our different experiences and watching her do her thing on the track, I’ve learned how important believing in yourself, your ability and your training is when you step on the court.”
Strong advice: Work hard, be balanced
Nebraska’s Smith said, “The best advice my parents gave me is to stay true to yourself and not let anybody in the gym, school, class or in life outwork you. Be the hardest worker you can be and do the best you can to your abilities.”
“Never let anyone outwork you,” Cockrell says. “Out-working people still is something I try to carry with me in my college career. The next girl may be more talented or more technically sound than me, but I always turn to hard work to give me that extra edge on the court and in life.”
UConn’s Holland received similar advice from her father about the benefits of a strong work ethic.
“The best advice my dad gave me was to be so good nobody can deny you,” she says. “It simply means if you work to be the best at what you do, no matter what odds are against you, you’ll overcome.”
Alex Banister of Baylor, a senior libero, is the daughter of the manager of the Texas Rangers,
But she said some of the best advice she got was from Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutcheon when Jeff Banister was a Pirates coach.
“He said it doesn’t matter what you do,” Bannister recalls, “it matters about the people you affect and the lives you can change throughout the game of baseball or whatever game you play.”
Several players say the best advice they’ve received from family members relates to life without sports.
“Sports are not the be-all-end-all of life,” Turner says. “As sad as it is, there will come a time when I don’t get to play volleyball anymore. Of course, this helps remind me to enjoy every day I get to be in the gym with my teammates.
“My dad’s advice about this really changed my point of view in that I now can see the bigger picture, which is sports gives me the chance to do what I love while providing a platform to impact and serve others. This helps prevent me from defining myself by my performance and piling on all that pressure, Instead, I try to focus on gaining confidence in working each day to be a better player and person.” Engle hears a familiar refrain from her sister and cousins regarding the bigger life picture.
“They have taught me your on-court performance isn’t the only piece of college that matters,” she says. “They have made life-long friends through Western Kentucky and they never want me to pass up the memories they were able to make. They always tell me how much they miss playing and to enjoy the time I have because they would do anything to go back.
“They also taught me to focus not only on my sport, but also on school. Two of my four relatives that played at Western Kentucky are currently in pharmacy school. We all have dedicated a lot to our studies in hopes it will better prepare us for our future after being an athlete.”
Kerr notes her father’s advice to her has always been to look ahead.
“As big of a role that basketball plays in my dad’s life, he is very conscious of the fact it is just a sport,” she says. “There is a lot of other stuff going on in the world and winning and losing are definitely not all that important in the grand scheme of things, no matter how competitive we are. After a loss or a rough game, he always reminds me that I have a lot more ahead of me in life and a lot more to accomplish outside of volleyball.”
A reminder that we’ve compiled a remarkable list. Please click here to see just how many amazing athletics-ties stories there are in NCAA volleyball.
She took the job after being at Penn State as an assistant the past couple of years. We talked about what she expects, being back in the Pac-12 where she won a national title as a player at Washington, and never having been a head coach before.
The Van Winden family: Adlee, Kelly, James and Torrey
Most of the information on this list was supplied by conference and college sports information directors. All Division I women’s volleyball conference SIDs were contacted for this presentation.
There’s no way to get them all, but if you see any mistakes, know of anyone who should be included or have more information for those on the list, please email lee@VolleyballMag.com.
We will attempt to update this list continuously during the 2016 season.
Akron Patience Brown: Dad (football Illinois State); Mom (track and field Illinois State) Brenna and Callie Mack (twins): Dad (hockey Minnesota and NHL Quebec Nordiques); Mom (gymnast Minnesota) Cara Park: Dad (baseball Akron); Mom (volleyball Akron; also played professionally) Ashley Richardson: Mom (softball Akron); Aunts (Cheryl and Dani, softball Akron) Julie Shallman: Mom (swimmer Michigan State); Cousin (Wyatt, football Michigan); Cousin (Emily, swimmer Hillsdale College)
Arkansas Breana Jones: Mom (Delphina Banks, 14-time All-American track and field); Grandfather (Harlem Globetrotter); Sister (soccer Birmingham Southern); Brother (soccer at Mercer University, works for Big 10 Conference)
Breanna Barksdale of Auburn
Auburn Breanna Barksdale: Grandfather (Don, 1942 Olympic gold medalist; Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame)
Karis Beasley: Mom (Sandy, Canadian national softball team, 1996 Olympian)
Gwyn Jones: Mom (Jill, volleyball Kentucky); Dad (Paul, football Eastern Kentucky); Aunt (Mary Jones Buczek, volleyball Kentucky; former head coach at Wake Forest and Georgia) Brenna McIlroy: Sister (Erin, volleyball John Brown); Dad (basketball Stephen F. Austin) Abigail Miller: Sister (Lauren, volleyball Franklin Pierce); Sister (Megan, verbally committed to Nebraska for volleyball) Mary Reece: Dad (Steve, basketball Vanderbilt); Mom (Dana, basketball Vanderbilt); sister (Taylor current basketball at Samford) Kelly Stewart: Brother (Kohl, No. 4 selection in 2013 by Minnesota Twins) Brienna Tankesley: Sister-in-law (Jill, volleyball Temple); Cousin (Brittani, volleyball Juniata)
Alex Banister of Baylor
Baylor Alex Banister: Dad (Jeff, current MLB Texas Rangers manager) Ashley Fritcher: Dad (Roger, football Texas) Camryn Freiberg: Sister (Jordan, soccer UTEP) Mackenzie Davis: Brother (Grant, football UAB); Dad (Ron, football Tulane) Braya Hunt: Dad: Melvin (basketball Baylor; current assistant coach NBA Dallas Mavericks) Darla Richards: Sister (Jess, current rowing Michigan State)
Boston College Jane Dejarld: Sister (Ryann, current volleyball Notre Dame) McKenna Gross: Dad (1984, 1988 Olympic handball teams)
Jill Strockis: Brother (golf UC Santa Barbara) Anna Skold: Brother (football Tulane) Natalie Canulli: Dad (Michael, basketball Quincy University); Sister (Alexandra, softball Yale); Sister (Laura, softball Seton Hall); Sister (Danielle, basketball Lake Forest College) Makenzie Morrison: Dad (Daniel, lacrosse Fairleigh Dickinson); Brother (Gannon current lacrosse Marist)
Bucknell Celeste Barker: Dad (Bruce, football Stanford); Brother (baseball UC Davis) Sophie Bullard: Dad (William, America’s Cup sailing; member of crew that set world sailing speed record in 1979) Stefanie Alpert: Dad (Scott, soccer, volleyball Harvard) Brooke Stark: Dad (Stephen, baseball Stanford)
Bradley Kathryn Graf: Dad (Rick, eight-year NFL veteran)
Maddy Kerr of Cal
Cal Maddy Kerr: Dad (Steve, Arizona, NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, current Golden State Warriors coach) Jenelle Jordan: Dad (Darin, NFL Pittsburgh, Oakland, San Francisco)
Katie Sato of CSUN
Cal State-Northridge Katie Sato: Dad (Gary, volleyball UC Santa Barbara, former Japan men’s national team coach); Brother (Andrew, current volleyball Long Beach State); Aunt (Liane, volleyball UC Santa Barbara and San Diego State, U.S. national team); Uncle (Eric, U.S. men’s national team)
Cincinnati Dasha Cabarkapa: Related to former NBA player Zarko Caparkapa Carly Nolan: Mom (volleyball Texas Tech) Elly Ogle: Dad (basketball, baseball, golf Centre College); Mom (volleyball Eastern Kentucky) Parker Shepherd: Mom (volleyball Oklahoma) Jade Tingelhoff: Grandfather (Mick, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Minnesota Vikings); Dad (Patrick, football Minnesota) Jordan Thompson: Dad (Tyrone Doleman, basketball Harlem Globetrotters, pro basketball overseas); Uncle (Chris Doleman, football University of Pittsburgh, NFL Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons) Sabrina Wolf: Grandfather (Charles, football Notre Dame, basketball coach NBA Cincinnati Royals and Detroit Pistons); Dad (Steve, basketball NC State and Xavier); 11 other family members played a sport in college
College of Charleston Elizabeth Hurring: Dad (Michael, college basketball South Alabama, professionally in New Zealand; New Zealand Olympic team)
Jade Strawberry of Connecticut/Steve Slade photo From left, Jeff Turner, Emma, Allie and Dee Dee
Connecticut Jade Strawberry: Dad (Darryl, former Major League Baseball player) Emma Turner: Dad (Jeff, former NBA player with Orlando and New Jersey)
Davidson Ciera Cockrell: Brother (Ross, football Duke, current Pittsburgh Steelers): Sister (Anna, track and field USC, 2016 U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials); Father (Keith, football Columbia) Elise Edman: Brother (Tommy, Stanford baseball; St. Louis Cardinals draft choice); Dad (John, baseball Williams College)
Dayton setter Jane Emmenecker/Dayton Athletics
Dayton Jane Emmenecker: Mom (Beverly, water polo Ohio State); Dad (James, water polo Ohio State); Sister (Julie, tennis Hillsdale); Sister (Jacki, volleyball Wingate); Brother (James, rugby Ohio State); Brother (John, current lacrosse Robert Morris)
Drake Makena Schoene: Dad (Russ, NBA veteran, currently works for WNBA)
Florida Chanelle Hargreaves: Brother (Vernon III, current NFL Pittsburgh Steelers); Dad (current linebackers coach Arkansas); Sister (Carina, coordinator defensive operations for football at South Carolina) Lindsey Rogers: Mom (softball Florida State); Dad (football Florida) Allie Monserez: Sister (Madison, volleyball Florida); Sister (Marlie, verbally committed for volleyball at Florida)
Young Dena with her dad Rod, a former American Gladiator
Florida Atlantic Alex Cardona: Dad (Alexander, baseball, St. Louis Cardinals minor league system) Kristi and Dena Tekavec: Sister (Chelsey, indoor and beach volleyball); Father (former American Gladiator)
Florida State Hailey Luke: Mom (Jenni, Hall of Fame Nebraska-Kearney); Uncles (volleyball University of Florida); Cousin (Lara Caraway, current defensive specialist at Penn State) Natasha Calkins: Mom (1988 Canadian Olympian; professional track and field in France); Father (basketball, Grande Prairie Regional College)
Georgia Tech Lauren Frerking: Dad (basketball Missouri), Sister (Katie, current basketball at Auburn), Brother (Andrew, football, quarterback, Baylor); Mom (cheerleader Kansas)
Georgia Southern Kendra Koetter: Dad (Dirk, current head coach for NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
High Point Jenna Weidner: Dad (Kirk, volleyball Carleton College, pro beach); Mom (Angie, volleyball Memphis); Brother (Erik, volleyball Saint Olaf); Sister (Hannah, current volleyball Liberty)
Hofstra Luisa Sydlik: Mom (Katherin, 1988 volleyball Olympian East Germany)
Holy Cross
Lizzie Webb: Mom (Dorothy, volleyball two-time NCAA champion at Pacific; current head coach Wellesley College) Emily Popp: Mom (Laura, volleyball Michigan Tech) Lynsey Petersen: Mom (Pam, volleyball Chapman University)
Kristen Somerville: Sister (Courtney, volleyball Hamilton College)
Houston Baptist Kayla Armer: Dad (Chip, basketball Michigan); Mom (Michelle, swimming Michigan); Sister (Jacqui, current volleyball LSU); Aunt (Kristina Higgins swimming Penn State) Bailey Banks: Dad (Robert, NFL veteran, Houston Oilers, Cleveland Browns, Notre Dame football) Melissa Fuchs: Dad (Ray, professional volleyball Brazil, BYU alum); Mom (Val, professional volleyball Brazil); Brother (Phillip, volleyball BYU); Sister (Becca, volleyball Weber State) Madison O’Brien: Sister (Morgan, volleyball Sam Houston)
Idaho Klaree Hobart: Dad (Ken, football Idaho, USFL Jacksonville Bulls and Denver Gold, CFL) Becca Mau: Dad (Gregg, baseball Minnesota) Kaela Straw: Dad (Jim, baseball Eastern Washington); Mom (Nancy, track Eastern Washington)
Illinois State Jaelyn Keene: Brother (Dalton, current Illinois State football) Courtney Pence: Dad (Mike, baseball Kankakee CC); Mom (Nancy, track and field Illinois State); Brother (Tyler, All-American track and field Southern Indiana) Jacqueline Twing: Dad (Tim, baseball Black Hawk CC); Sister (Morgan, current volleyball Illinois Central College) Jordan Weatherless: Mom (Renee, softball national champion Arizona); Aunt (volleyball Kentucky) Lexi Varga: Brother (Fred VanVleet, basketball Wichita State, current NBA Toronto Raptors)
Kansas Addison Barry: Brother (Brogan, football Kansas State) Jada Burse: Father (Christoper, football Alcorn State) Kayla Cheadle: Twin sister (Chayla, current basketball Kansas) Patricia Montero: Dad (Efrain, Cleveland Indians baseball draftee; Puerto Rico national baseball team); Brothers (Jamie, Efrain Jr., baseball Mount Vernon Nazarene) Jacqui Mostrom: Dad (Dan, cross country, track Iowa State); Sisters (Danielle and Gabi current volleyball Wichita State) Allie Nelson: Dad (Scott, minor league baseball San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers); Mom (Ellen, volleyball Iowa) Tayler Souci: Dad (Darren, basketball Nebraska-Kearney, high school volleyball coach for Tayler); Brother (Brendan, runner Kansas) Cassie Wait: Dad (Darrell, high jumper Kansas State); Brother (Kyle, pole vault Kansas State)
Kansas State Bryna Vogel: Dad (Randy, football Kansas State); Uncle (Elmer Schmitz, football Kansas State); Sister (softball Emporia State) Kersten Kober: Brother (Colin, current golf Baylor) Cheyenne Hooper: Cousin (James Michael McAdoo, basketball North Carolina) Katie Reininger: Dad (Robert, bronze medalist in rowing) Elle Sandbothe: Sister (Taylor, current volleyball Ohio State); Mom (Teri, four-time All-American track and field Missouri); Dad (Mike, Missouri basketball); Brother (Garrett, basketball Central Missouri)
Kaz Brown of Kentucky/UKathletics.com photo
Kentucky Kaz Brown: Dad (basketball) Olivia Dailey: Mom (volleyball at UAB); Dad (baseball at Ole Miss; Alabama); Sister (volleyball South Florida); Uncle (football Auburn) Leah Edmond: Dad (football North Carolina State) Harper Hempel: Brother (football Harvard); Grandfather (baseball Kentucky) Kylie Schmaltz: Brother (Nick, hockey, Chicago Blackhawks system); Brother (Jordan, hockey, St. Louis Blues system) Anni Thomasson: Mom (volleyball Ohio State); Dad (high jump Ohio State)
Kent State Maddie Moxley: Dad (Tim, Washington Redskins draft pick, football Ohio State); Uncle Don Moxley (wrestling Ohio State); Uncle Chuck (wrestling Ohio State); Cousin (Jordan Moxley, swimming, track and field Ohio State); Cousin (Jaclen, current lacrosse Ohio State); Uncle Michael Conner (golf Toledo); Uncle (Tim Connor, wrestling John Carroll)
Lamar Dannisha House: Brother (Danuel, NBA Washington Wizards draftee, college Houston, Texas A & M)
Liberty Payton Carter: Mom (Mandy, basketball Winthrop) Anna Gragg: Dad (Scott, football Montana, NFL veteran); Mom (Toni, basketball Carroll) Hannah Morris: Sister (Rachel, volleyball Liberty) Sirena Vorster: Sister (Jade, volleyball Hawaii and Liberty) Hannah Weidner: Sister (Jenna, current volleyball High Point); Mom (Angie, volleyball Memphis); Dad (Kirk, volleyball Carleton, pro beach)
Ashley Murray of Long Beach State
Long Beach State
Ashley Murray: Dad (Lamond, 11-year NBA veteran)
Louisiana-Monroe Sarah Woods: Father (Jason, minor-league baseball New York Mets, football Lamar, Utah, Texas A &M-Kingsville) Ana Ribeiro: Brother (Volleyball internationally) Mikaela Worley: Brother (Austin, football Huntingdon College), Sister (Katie, softball Georgia State), Mom (Sherry, volleyball Livingston University), Dad (Alan, football Livingston University)
Louisiana Tech Alex Lister: Dad (Alton, basketball Arizona State, Milwaukee Bucks)
Louisville Megan Sloan: Dad (Brian, NCAA basketball champion Indiana); Grandfather (Jerry, former NBA coach with Utah Jazz) Jasmine Bennett: Dad (Winston, basketball Kentucky); Ashley Pettibone: Brother (Jonathan, pitcher Philadelphia Phillies)
Mackenzie O’Brien of Marist
Marist Katie Brierley: Sister (Kirsten, lacrosse Tampa) Nikki DeSerpa: Father (Rick, tennis Cal Poly) Kelsey Ediger: Dad (Lance, drafted by Milwaukee Brewers; football Oregon) Megan Fergus: Sister (Miranda, diving SUNY Cortland)
Ashton Korona: Brother (Sterling, current football Duke) Lexi Millington: Dad (Scott, crew UCLA) Mackenzie O’Brien: Sister (swimming Indiana) Sydney Rojek: Grandfather (MLB for the Dodgers, had his locker next to Jackie Robinson); Brother (Andrew, baseball Gannon); Sister (Lauren, volleyball Slippery Rock) Stephanie Stone: Grandfather (Edward O’Neil, boxing Harvard): Dad (Bill, football, basketball St. Lawrence) Melanie Snyder: Grandfather (basketball Washington; played against original Harlem Globetrotters) Taylor van der Biezen: Father (Michael, cross country Wittenberg)
Lauren Waide: Dad (Paul, golf Hofstra)
Michigan State Autumn Bailey: Sister (Magee, current volleyball George Mason)
Maddie Haggerty: Sister (Molly, current volleyball Wisconsin); Sister (Meghan, volleyball All-American Nebraska) Brooke Kranda:Sister (Stephanie, volleyball Butler); Mom (MaryBeth, basketball Notre Dame) Samantha McLean: Twin brother (Jake, baseball San Diego St.) Maggie Midgette: Mom (Mary, softball Saginaw Valley St.) Rachel Minarick: Mom (Deb, volleyball Nebraska-Omaha) Hannah Murdock: Sister (Shannon, current volleyball Rochester College); Sister (Sophie, current volleyball St. Francis); Mom (Deb, track Marquette) Lauren Swartz: Sister (Sarah, volleyball Allegheny College); Sister (Erin, current volleyball American University) Holly Toliver: Dad (Paul, basketball Hope College) Sarah Washegesic: Twin brother (Alec, current baseball Kalamazoo Valley CC); Mom (college volleyball); Dad (Don, baseball Aquinas College)
Minnesota Erica Handley: Mom and dad (both played collegiate sports) Alyssa Goehner: Mom (volleyball); Aunt (volleyball) Maddie Beal: Dad (Doug Beal, USA Volleyball CEO); Brother (Mitch, volleyball Ohio State) Alexis Hart: Mom (basketball) Lauren Litzau: Mom (volleyball Notre Dame) Molly Lohman: Sister (swimming Gustavus) Taylor Morgan: Dad (track director at Minnesota) Regan Pittman: Mom (volleyball Colby); Grandpa (football) Samantha Seliger-Swenson: Mom and dad (Both played collegiate sports)
Mississippi State Blossom Sato: Mom (Liane, volleyball San Diego State; Olympic bronze medalist); Uncle (Eric, 1988 volleyball Olympic gold medalist); Uncle (Gary, volleyball UC Santa Barbara, U.S. men’s national team assistant coach)
Nebraska’s Andie Malloy
Nebraska Kelly Hunter: Mom (Lori, volleyball Nebraska); Dad (Jeff, minor league baseball Boston Red Sox); Sister (Lindsey, volleyball Missouri) Andie Malloy: Dad (Bob, baseball Virginia, Texas Rangers draftee) Brooke Smith: Mom (Janine, volleyball Texas, former head coach UT-Arlington); Dad (Warren, pole vault and decathlon Texas) Lauren Stivrins: Dad (Alex, basketball Creighton and Colorado)
New Orleans Takierra Boughton: Brother (Pierre, track and field Prairie View A&M) Christiana DuBose: Cousin (Brandon Coleman, football Rutgers, current New Orleans Saints) Kaitlyn Grice: Mom (Patti, volleyball Tampa) Lane Hindenburg: Mother (volleyball Harper College) Mikaila Paxton: Sister (Alexis, current volleyball Rollins College) Rhyan Rand: Father (Tony, football TCU)
Sarah Thomas: Sister (Tiffany, volleyball Southeastern Louisiana)
North Carolina A&T Leila Haynesworth: Dad and brother (football at Norfolk State); Mom (track and field Hampton) Camille Uadiale: Mom (basketball Boise State and Arizona State)
Casey Jacobs of North Carolina with her brother, and mother, competitive surfer Dana
North Carolina Casey Jacobs: Cousin (Sue Woodstra; 1984 Olympic silver medalist for U.S. women’s volleyball) Sydnye Fields: Dad (Stacy, football Clemson football); Mom (Jacqueline, basketball Clemson, professional overseas basketball) Greer Moseman: Dad (Karl, AVP pro beach volleyball) Madison Laufenberg: Mom (Staci, volleyball Iowa); Dad (Doug, football Iowa) Taylor Leath: Sister (Randi, volleyball DePaul); Dad (Randall, basketball Florida) Hayley McCorkle: Sister (track South Carolina) Taylor Borup: Dad (Ray, football American International)
Holly Carlton: Dad (Brian, basketball Averett University) Mariah Evans: Dad (Todd, baseball New Mexico) Julia Scoles: Mom (Ginny, field hockey and ice hockey Potsdam College)
North Carolina-Wilmington Kati Smith: Mom (Traci, former Appalachian State volleyball coach) Bella Borgiotti: Dad (Claudio played and coaches volleyball internationally)
Northern Arizona Abby Akin: Dad (John, basketball Northern Arizona); Mom (Sharon, volleyball Northern Arizona) Brittni Dorsey: Cousin (Khalil, current football Northern Arizona) Victoria Ewalefo: Brother (Samuel, football Utah, Abilene Christian); Sister (Vivian, basketball UT-San Antonio); Sister (Julia, current basketball St. Mary’s) Emma Grimsrud: Sister (Jana, current volleyball Montana) Lauren Jacobsen: Dad (Howie, basketball Minnesota State); Mom (Theresa (basketball Arizona State); Brother (Eric, basketball Arizona State) Sydney Lema: Mom (volleyball Weber State)
Northern Colorado Taylor Els: Dad (Ross, current Purdue football defensive coordinator); Twin brother (Bo, current football Morningside College); Sister (Julie, volleyball Doane)
North Florida Kataraina Raicevic: Dad (Goran, Yugoslavia cross-country standout); Brother (Nikola, overseas running)
Northern Illinois Sydney Danker: Dad (Shawn, football and wrestling Central College and Nebraska-Omaha) Bri Horwath: Brother (Brock, wrestling Wisconsin) Mary Grace Kelly: Brother (Danny, basketball Galludet, 2009 Deaflympics competitor in Taipei) Taylor Krage: Sister (Daley, current volleyball USC) Jenna Radtke: Brother (Tyler, baseball Iowa) Meg Wolowicz (Mom, basketball Wisconsin); Dad (Jay, football UW-La Crosse)
Ohio State’s Taylor Sandbothe
Ohio State Jenna Adams: Grandfather (football UCLA); Uncles (water polo at Pepperdine and golf at San Diego St.)
Audra Appold: Father (John, football Miami University) Brooke Bailey: Mom (Linda, volleyball Pittsburgh); Dad (Nate, basketball Pittsburgh); Brother (Evan, current basketball College of Charleston) Abby Fassl: Mom (Joanie, volleyball Iowa); Sister (Megan, volleyball Notre Dame); Sister (Annie, volleyball Cincinnati) Kylie Randall: Father (Danny, basketball Texas Lutheran; professional basketball in Europe) Luisa Schirmer: Sister (Selina, volleyball Samford); Sister (Kaja, volleyball Buffalo and New Hampshire) Taylor Hughes: Sister (Ashley, volleyball Ohio State); Sister (Cassie, volleyball Columbus State); Brother (Ryan, football Malone University) Taylor Sandbothe: Mom (Teri, track and field Missouri; Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame); Dad (Mike, basketball Missouri); Sister (Elle currently plays at Kansas State) Ashley Wenz: Dad (George, baseball Niagara University)
Oklahoma Manuela Conte: Dad (Olympic bronze-medalist volleyball Argentina); Brother (2016 Olympian volleyball Argentina); Brother (Justin, football Colorado and current New Orleans Saints)
Ronika Stone of Oregon/Eric Evans Photography
Oregon Willow Johnson: Dad (Randy, Hall of Fame MLB pitcher) Ronika Stone: Dad (Ron, former NFL football player)
Pittsburgh Kamalani Akeo: Father (Lester, baseball Hawaii Pacific); Brother (Lester III, baseball Hawaii Pacific); Sister Lesli (volleyball, Siena); Grandfather (Lester, football Willamette) Mariah Bell: Sister (Amber, volleyball Moorpark); Cousin (Carly Wopat (volleyball Stanford, professionally); Cousin (Samantha, volleyball Stanford); Cousin (Eli Wopat, volleyball Stanford); Cousin (Jackson Wopat, volleyball USCD and Hawaii); Cousin (Malia Morales, soccer Idaho) Emily Horner: Sister (Jane, volleyball Virginia) Angela Seman: Sister (Catie, volleyball Rhode Island); Uncle (Michael Bonidie, baseball, Pitt) Ellie Watkins: Grandfather (Roger Wehrli, football Missouri, St. Louis Cardinals) Hanna Markewycz: Father (Myron, volleyball UIC, AVP pro beach); Grandfather (Rostyslaw, professional soccer Germany); Aunt (Helen Terleckyj, volleyball Santa Monica City College)
Purdue Danielle and Shavona Cuttino: Mom (Tacila, volleyball Vincennes University); Sister (India, volleyball Vincennes) Lexi Dorn: Dad (Jonathan, track Valparaiso); Mom (Lisa, crew San Diego); Brother (Matthew, current volleyball Ohio State) Ashley Evans: Mom (Ann, volleyball Bradley) Natalie Haben: Brother (Charlie, football Winona State); Sister (Madeline, volleyball Michigan Tech) Brooke Peters: Brother (Brandon current football Michigan) Linnea Rohrsen: Cousin (Quinn Sypniewski, NFL Baltimore Ravens) Azariah Stahl: Dad (John, football Ball State); Mom (Yolanda, basketball Taylor University); Sister (Satori, basketball IU South Bend); Brother (John, basketball Danville CC) Olivia VanZelst: Aunt (Joanie Kampen Dunham, volleyball Purdue)
Providence Jenae Alderson: Dad (football Prairie View A&M)
Michelle Cruz: Dad (volleyball Philippines) Abigail Dix: Mom (tennis William Smith); Dad (golf Hobart College) Valeria Ferandini: Dad (basketball University Puerto Rico)
Sacramento State Kennedy Kurtz: Mom (Noel, track and field Arizona); Dad (Craig, basketball East Central University); Sister (Macy, current volleyball St. Francis Brooklyn)
Ashlynn Dunbar San Diego State
San Diego State Ashlynn Dunbar: Dad (Louis, basketball Harlem Globetrotters, University of Houston); Brother (Louis Jr., current basketball Oklahoma City University)
San Jose State Luiza Andrade: Brother (Gabriel, current basketball BYU Hawaii) Summer Avery: Mom (Nancy, volleyball Utah State); Dad (Chris, marathon runner) Giulia Gavio: Dad (Giovane, two-time Olympic volleyball champion Brazil) Thelma Gretarsdottir: Mom (Gudrun Elva, played together in 2014 Iceland Cup final) Latahevai Lousi: Brother (Cedric, football San Jose St.) Mariana Mantellato: Sister (Gabriela, water polo Hawaii, Brazilian national team) Erin Singer: Brother (Ryan, basketball San Jose St.) Hana Tresnakova: Brother (Lukas, soccer Czech Republic) Kaitlynn Zdroik: Mom (Kelly Fedel, swimming Air Force); Dad (Dan Zdroik, football Air Force)
South Carolina Courtney Furlong: Mom (swimming St. John’s); Cousins (Division I softball, diving and volleyball); Uncle (Frank Viola, three-time all-star MLB pitcher) Courtney Koehler: Brother (football, Presbyterian College); Sister (Kerstin, volleyball College of Charleston)
Dessaa Legros: Twin sister (Annayka, volleyball, Coastal Carolina) Emma Lock: Uncle (Andy, football Missouri); Cousin (Drew, current starting quarterback Missouri) Mikayla Shields Mom (Najuma, track and field Pittsburgh, 1992 Guyana Olympian); Dad (Brett, track and field, Pittsburgh) Alicia Starr: Dad (Brett, football, track Oregon State); Mom (Julie, gymnast Vermont), Sister (Brianna, current Missouri-Kansas City volleyball) Jesse Turner: Mom (Lesli, volleyball Pepperdine), Dad (Rob, football Eastern Michigan), Uncle (Roman Fortin, NFL veteran)
Southeastern Louisiana Savannah Alcazar: Dad (football Houston) Rachael Bunn: Dad (basketball Biola College, professionally in France) Chloee Holden: Mom (softball, basketball, track and field, Sam Houston) Madi Odom: Uncle (Rodney, basketball UCLA, UNC Charlotte, professionally overseas) Emily Waddell: Grandfather (pro golfer)
Southeast Missouri St. Emily Boggetto: Brother (Brandon, drafted by MLB Washington Nationals)
Joli Holland and Dakota Hampton of South Florida
South Florida Dakota Hampton: Dad (Dan, football Chicago Bears, Pro Football Hall of Fame) Joli Holland: Dad (Johnny, football Green Bay Packers, current linebackers coach Cleveland Browns)
St. John’s Delaney D’Amore: Mom (Nancy, volleyball Marquette) Julia Cast: Aunt (volleyball Hofstra) Mona Karkkainen: Mom and dad (volleyball professionally in Finland) Erica Di Maulo: Mom (volleyball professionally in Italy)
St. Louis Lauren Mershon: Mom (Leslie, volleyball Mankato State); Dad (Rick, football Hamilton University); Aunt (Ashley Buckley Pederson, volleyball Penn State); Uncle (Brian Pederson, professional soccer); Uncle (NFL draftee as kicker) Camila Rivas: Dad (Ramon, basketball Olympian, NBA player)
Stanford Audriana Fitzmorris: Mom (Two-time South American champion and Pan-Am Games silver medalist for Peruvian national basketball team); Dad (played professional basketball in Peru and Sweden); Sister (Alexandra, volleyball Arkansas, Boston College, Moorhead State) Jenna Gray: Dad (baseball Kansas); Mom (track Kansas State); Sister (Rachel, volleyball Virginia); Uncle (Neil Pint, baseball Iowa State) Hayley Hodson: Grandfather (Cotton Dunn, golf Oklahoma St.; PGA pro five decades) Kelsey Humphreys: Dad (football Stanford); Mom (Wendy Rush, All-American setter Stanford; Stanford Hall of Fame); Brother (Ben, current football Duke) Caitlin and Michaela Keefe: Mom (Kristin, volleyball Stanford, Stanford Hall of Fame; 1996 Olympian); Dad (basketball and volleyball Stanford; Stanford Hall of Fame; NBA veteran); Grandfather (Robert Klein, football USC national champion; NFL with Rams and Chargers); Uncle (Jimmy Klein, volleyball and football Stanford); Uncle (Patrick Klein, volleyball at Stanford, helped team win its first NCAA men’s volleyball title) Ivana Vanjak: Uncle (Josko Vukicevic, basketball Croatian national team, professionally overseas); Sister (Ana, volleyball Cornell)
Jazzmin Babers of Texas A&M
Texas A&M Stephanie Aiple: Dad (Matt, AVP pro beach); Mom (Connie, volleyball Long Beach State, Major League Volleyball); Aunt (Diane Wilson, volleyball Texas, 2013 Texas Women’s Athletics Hall of Fame, coached Stephanie at Round Rock High School) Victoria Arenas: Sister (Cristina, volleyball Texas and Alabama); Sister (Daniela, volleyball Rice); Mom and dad (Rodrigo and Kay, tennis McNeese State) Jazzmin Babers: Mom (Susan, volleyball Hawaii); Dad (Dino, football Hawaii, current head football coach Syracuse) Katelyn Labhart: Brother (Travis, football Texas A&M, NFL Houston Texans (never played in a game); Dad (Mark, football TCU); Brother (Jake, football Air Force); Cousin (Shannon, Texas A&M soccer) Kiara McGree: Dad (Kevin, basketball Oral Roberts); Brother (Calvin Haynes, basketball Oregon State Haley Slocum: Grandfather (R.C., College Football Hall Fame; former Texas A&M football coach); Dad (Shawn, associate head football coach Arizona State; Green Bay Packers coaching staff)
Texas Southern Erin Adams: Mom (Jocelyn, track and field Prairie View A&M current Texas Southern volleyball coach) Ashlynn Caldwell: Dad (Adrian, NBA veteran, five teams) Nia Stone: Dad (Travis Batts, football and track Kansas) Ellena Torres: Dad (Johnny, accomplished boxer in Mexico); Mom (Rita; boxer, Golden Gloves champion)
Reily Buechler of UCLA
UCLA Torrey Van Winden: Mom (All-American volleyball at Cal Poly, AVP); Dad (basketball Cal Poly); Sister (Adlee, current volleyball at Cal Poly); Cousin (Micah Ma’a; current men’s volleyball at UCLA) Reily Buechler: Dad (Jud, NBA champion); Mom (Lindsey, setter at Arizona)
Utah Eliza Katoa: Mom (Elizabeth, track and field BYU); Dad (Fotu, football BYU)
Villanova Claire Crutchfield: Mom (volleyball St. Mary’s San Antonio) Allison Fitzgerald: Aunts (two played volleyball at Missouri); Uncle (baseball at Missouri) Jackie Greenberg: Dad (Seth, college basketball coach Virginia Tech, South Florida and Long Beach State, current ESPN analyst); Sister (Paige, setter Virginia Tech) Regan Lough: Mom (volleyball Boise State, coached Regan in high school); Dad (football Redlands University) Michelle Mathews: Dad (football, baseball Hillsdale College) Darcy Wolf: Dad (Joe, NFL veteran Arizona Cardinals, Boston College); Mom (swimming Notre Dame)
Virginia Alex Thorson: Mom (Christina, volleyball Canadian national team) Caroline Scrafford: Uncle (Kirk, NFL player); Mom (Nora, volleyball Texas-San Antonio); Sister (Aubrey, current volleyball University of Chicago) Kiley Banker: Dad (Bill, baseball Purdue); Mom (Lisa, tennis at DePauw); Sister (Alexa, volleyball San Diego) Harley Sebastian: Dad (Mike, football 1978 Alabama NCAA champion); Brother (Parker, football Harvard)
Virginia Tech Rhana and Rhegan Mitchell: Dad (Sam, 13-year NBA veteran, former NBA head coach); Mom (Anita, basketball)
Washington Bailey Tanner: Dad (Troy, U.S. Olympic gold medalist volleyball, AVP, U.S. Olympic beach coach)
Washington State Kyra Holt: Dad (Howard, basketball UC Riverside, professionally in Malta) Claire Martin: Mom (Mary, basketball Idaho and professionally in France) Nicole Rigoni: Mom (Wendy, volleyball Montana); Dad (football, Montana) Casey Schoenlein: Dad (Gary, swimmer USC) Tani Stephens: Dad (Daniel, basketball George Fox)
Western Kentucky Rachel Anderson: Sister (CJ, volleyball Spring Arbor University) Sophia Cerino: Sister (Stephanie, volleyball Evansville) Taylor Dellinger: Dad (Matt, basketball Cleveland State, Towson State); Mom (Stephanie, basketball Cleveland State and Towson State); Brother (Matthew, football Kent State)
Sydney Engle: Sister (Rachel, volleyball Western Kentucky); Cousins (Ashley and Kelly Potts, volleyball Western Kentucky) Kaelin Grimes: Mom (Kelly, volleyball Louisville) Emma Kowalkowski: Dad (Scott, NFL Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles) Jessica Lucas: Brother (Matthew, basketball Oakland City University); Mom (was Jessica’s high-school volleyball coach) Mary Martin: Brother (football, Centre College); Cousin (NFL Dallas Cowboys)
West Virginia Gianna Gotterba: Dad (Ed, baseball San Jose State); Twin sister (Katrin, current volleyball Pacific) Maggie Hallow: Dad (baseball East Carolina) Haley Roe: Dad (Truman, basketball San Jose State, CBA Montana Golden Nuggets); Sister (Jenna, water polo Indiana); Sister (Ashley, volleyball Cal and Georgia Southern) Zuri Smith: Dad (Herman, football Portland State, CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats, NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers, WLAF London Monarchs, current head coach Victor Valley College)
Wichita State Dani Mostrom: Sister (Gabi, current volleyball Wichita State); Sister (Jacqui, current volleyball at Kansas) Tabitha Brown: Brother (Zach, current Wichita State men’s basketball)
Wisconsin Molly Haggerty: Brother (basketball, UW-Milwaukee); Sister (Meghan, volleyball Nebraska); Sister (Maddie, current redshirt sophomore outside hitter Michigan State) M.E. Dodge: Mom (volleyball UW-La Crosse); Brother (basketball West Point and UW-Stevens Point) Julia Saunders: Father (high-school volleyball coach; All-American track and field UIC); Mom (volleyball Oklahoma) Kelli Bates: Sister (Kara, volleyball Maryland and Ball State); Brother (football Illinois State and Olivet Nazarene; basketball several JUCOs); Father (basketball Florida State and Vanderbilt)
Wofford Sutton Alexander: Grandfather (Jim, football The Citadel) Morgan Ballard: Grandfather (Richard Smith, football South Carolina) Catie Cronister: Father (Tim, soccer Haverford College); Mom (Debra, volleyball George Williams) M.E. Eberhardt: Sister (Madison, volleyball Wofford); Dad (football Furman) Lorissa King: Brother (Kyle, football Florida Tech) Lauren Miller: Brother (current basketball Crown College) Bella Santoro: Dad (Vito, baseball Fullerton College); Brother (Mark, football Western Kentucky) Ellie Tallman: Dad (basketball and golf Ball State)
