MOREHEAD, Ky. – A 15-member class that features multiple members with collegiate and international experience highlight coach Paul Cox‘s first full recruiting class for the Morehead State women’s soccer team. The group also includes three state champions and three others with state finals experience.

The global group features players from Switzerland, England, California, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey and Kentucky. Virtually every newcomer enters MSU with a long history of playing for highly successful and championship teams.

They will join 10 returnees from an Eagle squad which finished 2024 with a 9-8-6 overall record and a 4-3-2 Ohio Valley Conference mark, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, while setting school records for best road mark, lowest team goals against average and most games played.

“We are excited to bring in a wealth of players that offer something different,” Cox said. “We brought in four transfers in the spring who helped rejuvenate our team culture. We are now bringing in a large freshman class that has international experience for national teams. We have players coming from top level clubs as well as some in-state talent that is going to help our program grow again this year as we look to go back to the NCAA tournament.”

Cox hit the portal hard with five transfers, including four who enrolled in the spring and played with the Eagles in the 2025 offseason. One freshman also joined the squad in January after graduating early from high school. That group helped MSU post an undefeated (4-0-1) spring campaign and outscored its opponents 12-1.

Junior midfielders Hannah Carter (Bowling Green, Ky./Murray State) and Molly Tapak (Greenwood, Ind./Southern Illinois), junior forward Keara Chafee (Blair, Neb./Omaha), redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Sofia Rodriguez (Taylor Mill, Ky./Western Carolina) and freshman defender Faith Peper (Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) joined the program earlier this year.

Carter spent two years at Murray State, where she played in 35 matches, starting 20. During that time, she recorded 12 shots and had one assist. As a freshman, she recorded the second most minutes on the squad. A graduate of Greenwood High School, her teams finished with a 69-17-6 record over four seasons, winning the state title in 2019 and advancing to the state semifinals in 2020. In her final two years, GHS was the regional runner-up. As a senior for the Lady Gators, Carter recorded 15 points on seven goals and one assist. She finished second in goals and third in points on the team. Overall, she tallied 13 goals, seven assists and 33 points. Academically, she was a member of the National Honors Society. She played for the Nashville United club side.

Tapak comes to MSU after two seasons at Southern Illinois. In her time as a Saluki, she played in 27 games, starting 20, and finished taking 12 shots. In her first season, she played the full 90 minutes in 14 of 17 contests, finishing with the second-most minutes on the team and fourth most in program history. A two-year starter and team captain at Center Grove High School, her squad was a semi-state runner-up after winning the regional and sectional. She also competed in gymnastics and track and field, qualifying for the state meet in two events in the latter sport. Tapak earned Academic All-State and Second Team-All District honors and also won a team sportsmanship award in track and field. She was a starter for her club team, Indy Premier United GA, which qualified for nationals.

Chafee enters MSU after spending two years with Omaha, where her Mavericks’ teams posted a 17-8-12 overall record. As a sophomore, she played in 16 games and recorded one assist and one shot. As a freshman, she saw action in 11 outings, starting once, and taking one shot. She led her Blair High School team in scoring as a freshman with 20 goals and 10 assists in just 13 games. For her efforts, she earned first-team all-conference and honorable mention all-state honors, as well as being named both the Team and the Offensive MVP. On the club level, she was a member of the Gretna Elite Academy ECNL. There, she earned first-team all-conference honors in the 2021-22 campaign. Her team qualified for the ECNL Nationals three years. She graduated high school after the fall semester and was an early enrollee at Omaha.

Rodriguez did not see the pitch in either of her two seasons at Western Carolina and consequently earned a redshirt. The Newport Central Catholic graduate played and started two seasons for the Thoroughbreds, earning team MVP honors both times. In 2020, she averaged 6.5 saves per game, while posting a 2.8 goals against average and five shutouts. In 2019, she notched 4.7 spg and a 2.0 GAA, while collecting three shutouts. She was recognized as first-team all-state as a sophomore and “Defensive Player of the Year” as a freshman. Rodriguez was named on the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll in 2023-24. She spent three years with the Cincinnati United Premier club team, with the squad finishing third nationally in 2020-21.

Peper graduated a semester early from Mahtomedi High School after the Zephyrs won the Class 2A state title with a 17-2-1 record last fall. As a senior, she finished with six goals and five assists. She was named to the all-classes, all-state team by the Minnesota Star Tribune and 2A First-Team All-State by the state coaches’ association. Peper also earned All-Metro East honors. She was named the Zephyrs co-Best Defender of the Year after helping hold her opponents to just seven goals all season. Mahtomedi had a successful run while she was there, finishing with a 60-10-3 in her four years. Her club team was the Tonka-Fusion Elite.

Aston Villa FC’s Charlotte Lee (Nottingham, England) and Olivia Lowe (Nottingham, England), as well as freshman forward Joni Bandi (Bern, Switzerland) add international flavor to the roster. Lowe, a freshman defender, and Lee, a freshman midfielder, both have extensive experience with their U21 WSL Academy club, while Bandi, who is already 21, plays in the first tier Swiss Women’s Super League with the Thun Berner-Oberland club.

Lee has been a member of the U19 Welsh National Team for the past year. She also has been a regular starter for her Aston Villa side. In 2022-23, AVFC finished 14-6-2 (W-L-T), with Lee appearing in all but one contest and starting all but three. That season, she tallied two goals and six assists. In 2021-22, she played in four games, starting two. That team finished 15-2-3. She is a graduate of Sutton High School.

Lowe made her international debut as a 13-year-old in 2020-21. She has been training as a member of the Premier League Futures Program since June 2024. Prior to that, she played at Redhill Academy from 2017-23. In Aston Villa’s 2022-23 season, she played and started in one game, with the team finishing 14-6-2 (W-L-T). She graduated from Nottinghamshire High School.

Bandi most recently played for Thun Berner-Oberland in the top league in Switzerland. She saw action in 17 matches, starting nine, scoring twice and collecting four points in 2024-25. The team finished 2-14-2 (W-L-T). In the two previous years, she also played in the Swiss Women’s Super League. In 2023-24, she also was a member of Thun Berner-Oberland, where she again played in 17 matches, starting nine, and was on the pitch for 770 minutes. She also scored twice that year. As a 17-year-old, she spent her first season in the WSL on the Young Boys club, where she saw action in three games.

Graduate student midfielder Karissa Vela (Chino Hills, Calif.) is joining her third collegiate program after spending the last two years at West Virginia State and her first two campaigns at junior college powerhouse Mt. San Antonio. She earned all-conference honors at both schools.

In 2024, Vela helped lead WVSU to the conference tournament title and its first-ever Division II national tournament, where it won its opening game before falling in the second round. The team finished 16-4-3. She started all 22 games as a senior, tallying four goals, four assists and 12 points on 37 shots (18 shots on goal). She also had two game winners and was named second-team all-conference. As a junior, she started 18 games, was a reserve in another, and recorded two goals, one assist and five points on 21 shots. As a sophomore, Mt. SAC posted a 20-2-1 record, won its conference tournament and advanced to the fourth round of the playoffs. She again was named second-team all-conference after registering 16 goals, seven assists and five game-winning goals for a total of 39 points. She did all that in just 26 shots. That season, she started 22 of the 23 games and had a hat trick versus Citrus College and three assists against Compton College. As a freshman, Vela helped the squad to a 16-3-6 mark and the semifinals of the California Community College Athletic Association, after winning another conference tournament crown. That year, she had eight goals, three assists and 19 points, while playing in 22 games, starting 10. She also had three game-winning goals and took 17 shots. At one point in the middle of the season, she scored in five consecutive games that she played. Vela graduated from Chino Hills High School, where she was first-team all-league and named the Most Improved Player. She played club soccer for Legends FC.

Six additional freshmen enter MSU with a bevy of impressive credentials. Included among that group are midfielder Hailey Hernandez-Repreza (Huntington Park, Calif./Warren HS), midfielder Natalie Lentine (Fraser, Mich./Regina HS), midfielder Alyssa Brians (Saint Leon, Ind./East Central HS), forward Lily Burt (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional HS), midfielder Addison Petry (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy) and goalkeeper Hannah Sullivan (Louisville, Ky./Eastern HS).

Hernandez-Repreza has spent time with El Salvador’s national team playing in the CONCACAF Women’s U17 Championship. She topped the squad during that tournament with three goals. She also trains at the country’s U20 National Team Camp. As a senior at Warren High School, Hernandez-Repreza helped the squad post a 21-4-3 record and was the Division 3 state runner-up for Southern California. In her four seasons at Warren, the team boasted a 46-32-16 mark. She also played for FRAM SC.

Lentine’s Regina High School soccer team was the state runner-up this spring. She also ran track and cross country, and was a member of the basketball team. Over the last two years, her RHS soccer squad posted a 15-11-8 record. She is a member of the state ODP team and also coaches soccer at the Lake St. Clair Sports Club. On the club level, she plays for the Nationals 07 Girls Academy Gray Team. Academically, Lentine boasts a GPA of over 4.0. She twice attended the State Leadership Conference and was a presenter there in 2023.

Brians was a standout for the state semifinalist East Central High School soccer team, which notched an 18-3-1 record this past season. She tallied eight goals and added six assists for the Trojans. Her squad surrendered just six goals in her senior campaign, finishing the year with 17 shutouts. As a junior, ECHS posted a 17-2 record, with Brians tallying three goals and five assists in 16 games. In her four years with the team, it boasted a 66-12-4 record and advanced to the state playoffs each season. She finished her career with 12 goals, 13 assists in 71 games. The Trojans went 27-1 in conference play during her tenure, and she earned the Top Team Player Award from the state coaches’ association. She also is a member of the volleyball team. She notched a 4.0 GPA in high school and was recognized for her academics. She plays for the Ohio Elite club side.

Burt’s Eastern Regional High School was the state runner-up in her senior season. She collected 19 points on eight goals and three assists for the Vikings, which posted an 18-7-2 record. As a junior, ERHS was 19-2-3, with Burt accounting for 29 points on eight goals and 13 assists. As a sophomore, the squad went 23-2-2, with her scoring twice and adding eight assists. She also ran track for the school. She is a member of the PDA South club team.

In 2024, Petry played in all 27 games for Sacred Heart, one of the nation’s top girls’ soccer sides. The Valkyries finished the campaign with a state title and a 24-1-2 record. The club allowed just 10 goals all season. Multiple organizations ranked Sacred Heart among the top 20 teams in the country. In 2023, the Valkyries finished 20-3-3 and were the state runners-up. In that campaign, she played in 24 contests, finishing with a goal and an assist. As a sophomore, she recorded two goals and three assists for the 20-4-0 district champs. In her three years on the varsity, SHA posted a 64-8-5 mark and allowed just 48 goals. She is a member of Racing Louisville FC.

Sullivan was a teammate of Petry on Racing Louisville’s U19 Purple side. At Eastern High School, she was a four-year starter in the net. In 16 games in 2024, she averaged 10 spg, had five shutouts and a 2.8 GAA. The previous season, she posted a 2.3 GAA, with three shutouts and 12.6 spg. In 2022, she finished with a 3.2 GAA and 10.6 spg. As a freshman, she registered a 3.0 GAA with 12.3 spg and two shutouts.

Three All-OVC honorees return from a squad that was among the league’s best defenses. However, the club will have to replace 16 players, including three graduates.

Morehead State begins preseason camp on Monday, July 28. The team’s first exhibition game is on Thursday, Aug. 7 at home against Brescia (Ky.), before opening its regular season on Thursday, Aug. 14 at home against Marshall.

Coaching Awards and Honors:
* 2007 USTFCCCA Division II Men[apos]s Assistant Coach of the Year
* 2007 USTFCCCA West Region Men[apos]s Assistant Coach of the Year

Outstanding Athletes Coached:

Blake Eaton
* 2010 NCAA Outdoor Bronze Medalist (Shot Put)
* Two-Time NCAA All-American
* Two-Time Big Ten Outdoor Champion (Shot Put)
* USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year

Joe Kovacs
* Two-Time NCAA Indoor Bronze Medalist (Shot Put)
* 2011 Big Ten Indoor Champion (Shot Put)
* Two-Time USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Indoor Field Athlete of the Year

Karlee McQuillen
* 2010 NCAA Bronze Medalist (Javelin)
* 2011 Big Ten Champion (Javelin)
* 2009 and 2010 Big Ten Silver Medalist (Javelin)
* 2011 USATF Finalist

Kim Hanslovan
* 2009 NCAA Qualifier (Javelin)
* Penn State Javelin Record Holder (178-4/54.35m)

Laura Loht
* 2011 Big Ten Bronze Medalist (Javelin)
* 2011 NCAA Qualifier/Second Team NCAA All-American

Kim Hanslovan
* 2009 NCAA Qualifier (Javelin)
* Penn State Javelin Record Holder (178-4/54.35m)

Emma Schmelzer
* 2009 Big Ten Co-Field Athlete of the Championships
* Three-Time Big Ten Silver Medalist
(Indoor; Weight, Outdoor; Hammer, Discus)
* NCAA Regional Qualifier (Shot Put, Hammer, Discus)

Tanner Evak
* 2009 Big Ten Javelin Champion
* 2009 Penn Relays Javelin Champion
* USATF Qualifier

Inger Appanaitis (Nevada)
* 2008 NCAA Qualifier (Javelin)
* 2008 US Olympic Trials Qualifier (Javelin)
* 2008 WAC Champion (Javelin)
* 2008 NCAA Regional Qualifier
(Shot Put, Discus, Hammer, Javelin)

Cameron Neel (Central Washington)
* Five-Time NCAA All-American (Division II)
* Eight-time GNAC Champion
* Four-time GNAC conference record holder

Former NCAA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year T.J. Crater is in his fourth year on the Nittany Lion coaching staff. Crater came to Happy Valley following coaching stints at Nevada and Central Washington and coaches the Nittany Lion throwing events.

Over his first three years in Happy Valley, Crater has led the Nittany Lion throws contingent to outstanding success, overseeing a trio of NCAA bronze-medal finishes, six NCAA All-America efforts, and five Big Ten victories.

Crater, who guided nine athletes to the NCAA First Round competition in 2011, also coaches world-class shot putter and Nittany Lion volunteer assistant, Ryan Whiting. Whiting qualified for the final at the IAAF World Championships last summer, and is one of the top five-ranked athletes in the world in the event.

Crater[apos]s throwers were sensational at the conference level in 2011, with senior Joe Kovacs taking the Big Ten indoor title in the shot put, thanks to an NCAA automatic-qualifying effort of 65-1.25 (19.84) – which also stands as the second-best throw in the Nittany Lion record books.

Outside, Crater tutored senior Blake Eaton to his second-straight Big Ten outdoor title in the shot, with Kovacs following in second to complete the Nittany Lion sweep. Senior Karlee McQuillen would also add a Big Ten victory, taking top honors in the javelin. Crater[apos]s women[apos]s javelin contingent put on a clinic at the conference meet, with freshman Laura Loht placing third, and classmates Megan Boyer and Kaitchen Dearborn finishing fifth and seventh, respectively, to build on McQuillen[apos]s victory.

Nationally speaking, Crater guided Kovacs and Eaton to NCAA berths during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Kovacs would place third at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, adding his second NCAA bronze medal to the Nittany Lion trophy case, after finishing third in the event at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2010.

On the women[apos]s side, Crater led McQuillen to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the third-straight year, along with Loht, who made her first-career NCAA appearance in 2011. Both athletes would earn Second Team All-America status.
Crater also oversaw notable improvements from a trio of Nittany Lion newcomers in 2011, with junior Jane Swenson posting an effort of 52-6 (16.00) – the fourth-best toss in school history – in the shot put. Also showing outstanding promise was freshman Taylor McNally, who recorded a season-best toss of 157-6 (48.02) in the discus, and would go on to qualify for the USATF Junior Championships in the event. On the men[apos]s side, redshirt-freshman Will Barr also proved to be one-to-watch in the over the next three years, ending the 2011 season with a top toss of 179-0 (54.55) in the discus.

Under Crater[apos]s watch, the current crop of Nittany Lion throwers have rapidly made their into the Penn State record books, with Eaton (64-2.50/19.57) and Kovacs (62-10 /19.15) ranked second, and fourth, respectively, in the all-time Nittany Lion outdoor shot put standings, and Crater coached athletes claiming three of the top six spots on the the discus top 10 list.

Prior to 2011, Crater coached a Big Ten winning effort from Tanner Evak in the javelin in 2009. The same year, Crater saw Emma Schmelzer earn Big Ten Field Athlete of the Championship honors, thanks to 21-point total indvidiual via second-place finishes in the discus and hammer, and a fourth-place standing in the shot.
In just one year at Nevada, Crater led senior Inger Appanaitis to a WAC title in the javelin, as well as appearances at the NCAA Championships and U.S. Olympic Trials. Appanaitis was also an NCAA regional qualifier in all four throwing events. Crater also saw Wolfpack sophomore Constance McAlman also recorded regional qualifying marks in the hammer and discus.

At Central Washington University, Crater was named the 2007 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA)-Division II West Region Men[apos]s Assistant Track and Field Coach of the Year and the 2007 USTFCCCA-Division II National Men[apos]s Assistant Track and Field Coach of the Year. At CWU, Crater coached 30 national qualifying performances from 10 national qualifiers. He also coached nine All-Americans at the Division II level and 12 Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) individual champions. Crater[apos]s throwers recorded 104 of Central Washington University[apos]s 238 points to help lead the men[apos]s track and field team to a 2007 GNAC Title.

One of Crater[apos]s top athletes at Central Washington was Cameron Neel, who finished his career as a five-time NCAA All-American, eight-time GNAC Champion, and was named the NCAA West Region Athlete of the Year in 2007. Crater also made quite an impact on the GNAC conference as Crater-coached athletes hold eight conference records. He lettered four years in track and field at the University of Idaho, from 1998-2002. While competing for the Vandals, Crater was an NCAA Championships qualifier in 2002 (35lb weight) and was a five-time All-Big West Conference Performer, three times in the hammer throw and two times in the shot put.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Eleven members of the Brown football team combined for 13 Phil Steele Preseason All-Ivy honors, the organization has announced. Two Bears landed on the first and second teams, while eight honorees landed on the third team.
 
Reigning Ivy League and Phil Steele Ivy League Rookie of the Year Matt Childs helps headline the first team at running back, along with linebacker John Perdue. Perdue had previously earned a spot on the Phil Steele Second Team in 2024.
 
A pair of seniors in receiver Solomon Miller and defensive back Elias Archie landed on the preseason second team. Archie was a member of Phil Steele’s Third Team last season and earned Second Team All-Ivy honors, as selected by the league’s head coaches.
 
Eight players combined for nine third team honors with Qwentin Brown (RB), Chason Barber (WR), Ty Pezza (WR), Beau Smith (OL), Sam Smith (LB), Ryan Haley (LB), Nick Hudson (DB) and Solomon Miller (AP/PR). Last season, Hudson was named to Phil Steel’s Fourth Team, while Beau Smith and Childs each landed on the publication’s Freshman All-America Team.
 
The Bears are set to open the season on Saturday, September 20 at home against Georgetown. Season tickets are on sale now for all five home games in the 100th anniversary season of Richard Gouse Field at Brown Stadium.
 

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TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The No. 1 distance runner in Kansas has announced where she will continue her career.

According to a social media post from two-time Gatorade Kansas Girls Track & Field Player of the Year, Ryin Miller, she will be taking her talents to the University of Arkansas.

The junior from Seaman set a state record in the 1600-meter run at the Seaman Relays this past season and her time of 4:41.47 ranked No. 8 nationally among prep girls athletes this spring.

Miller won three events at the Kansas Class 5A state meet. Miller finished with a 10:17.74 for the 3200 (No. 41 nationally) and finished with a 2:09.28 performance in the 800 (No. 78 nationally).

Copyright 2025 WIBW. All rights reserved.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – In the nearly 250 days eclipsed since Nov. 24, 2024, NM State Volleyball Head Coach Mike Jordan has been hard at work prepping for another shot at glory in 2025. After bringing in two assistant coaches and Jaelynn Kohli during the spring, the Aggie roster was rejuvenated ahead of summer workouts. Six new student-athletes are set to debut for the Crimson & White next month, including two transfers and a quartet of true freshman. 
 
In total, the newcomers consist of two middle blockers, a pair of outside hitters, one setter and a defensive specialist. The four front-row additions boast an average height of 6-foot-3, including two that would have been the tallest on the 2024 roster. The four freshmen include two New Mexico natives, a Texan and a Canadian.
 
(#77) Zoe Ziegler | Jr. | Outside Hitter | 6-6 | Cypress CC | Pacoima, Calif.
As the tallest Aggie in at least two decades, Zoe Ziegler brings size that simply cannot be taught to the front row. The Cypress Community College transfer appeared in 51 matches, tallying 2.70 kills per set and a career hitting percentage of .306. Last season, she recorded 284 kills and 100 total blocks, doubling the next closest Charger as she averaged 1.18 rejections per set. On Sept. 6-7, she led the team with 35 kills and 18 blocks across three matches. In a bout against San Diego Miramar, Ziegler dominated with five blocks and 14 kills on 17 swings without an error en route to a sweep.
 
(#9) Katie Funk | Jr. | Middle Blocker | 5-11 | Tyler JC | Shreveport, La.
Following two seasons with Tyler Junior College, Katie Funk headed west to learn from Jordan and assistant Lia Mosher in hopes of continuing a long line of exceptional Aggie middle blockers. The Louisiana native made her mark with the Apaches, tallying 160 kills and 137 blocks. In 2024, she added eight aces, including five on Sept. 7 against Amarillo College. Funk is set to join the group of 2025 middle blockers that boasts Mia Fox as the lone returner. 
 
(#11) Jaelynn Kohli | Fr. | Outside Hitter | 6-3 | Eastlake HS | El Paso, Texas

Kohli was the first option for the Eastlake offense all fall, leading her team to the UIL 6A Division I Texas Regional Semifinals for the first time. The fourth-year star paced the Falcons in kills (564), kills per set (5.08), hitting percentage (.365), blocks (53), solo blocks (14) and blocks per set (0.47). Kohli drove her squad to the school’s first-ever two-win postseason in history, advancing to the Regional Semifinals before falling to Allen. For the spring semester, she joined the Crimson & White for practice after graduating high school early. Read her release [here].
 
(#14) Mia Mendoza | Fr. | Setter | 5-8 | Los Lunas HS | Los Lunas, N.M.
Mia Mendoza joins the 2025 roster as one of two freshmen from the Land of Enchantment. The Los Lunas product will begin her collegiate career this fall after four seasons as a starter for the Tigers. Mendoza tallied 2,962 career assists, including a career-high 808 as a junior. Across 323 sets played, she averaged 9.2 assists, 2.9 digs and 0.49 aces per frame. Additionally, the New Mexico native posted 364 kills with a .219 hitting percentage over four seasons. Last fall, the squad advanced to the semifinals of the NMAA 5A State Playoffs.
 
(#16) Kate Sinclair | Fr. | Middle Blocker | 6-4 | Ernest Manning HS | Calgary, Alberta
Rounding out the middle blocker rotation is true freshman Kate Sinclair. The lone international product on the roster hails from Calgary, making her the first Canadian on Jordan’s club in five years. In 2024, she competed with her nation’s National Excellence Program. Sinclair, alongside Ziegler, completes a duo that stands nearly 13 combined feet tall at the net. Competing with Team Alberta, she went on to claim a fifth-place finish at the 2023 Canada Cup. 
 
(#17) Jazlyn Vasquez | Fr. | Libero | 5-9 | Centennial HS | Las Cruces, N.M.
From just 3.1 miles away, Jazlyn Vasquez caught the attention of Mike Jordan, leading Centennial High School from the back row. The senior paced the team with 267 receptions in 2024, racking up 254 digs (3.53 per set) along the way. At the net, Vasquez posted 132 kills and 28 total blocks, ranking among the team’s top four in each category. Finally, the defensive specialist tallied 23 aces, including 14 in district play. The Hawks made two trips to the NMAA 5A State Playoffs during Vasquez’s high school career, including a run to the quarterfinals in 2022. That fall, she played alongside Bella Castro and Tess Fuqua; two teammates she is set to reunite with on the floor next month.
 
Who They Join
This fall’s unit will be spearheaded by 13 returners, including a quartet of senior setters. Nellie Reese started all but one match a season ago, landing a team-high 678 assists. The returning crop combined for 250 kills a season ago, accounting for just 15.7% of all 2024 production. Ashley Herman’s 164 kills rank highest among the bunch after appearing in 29 of 33 matches. The back row will boast a trio of returning defensive specialists in Bella Castro, Makayla Martinez and Kaylee Peterson. The grouping combined for 186 digs, 269 receptions and 33 aces a season ago. 
 
For complete coverage of NM State Volleyball, follow us on Twitter (@NMStateVBall), Instagram (@NMStateVBall) and like us on Facebook (NM State Volleyball). You can also follow along with Aggie Volleyball via NMStateSports.com.
 

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