2018 Recruiting Class Honored By PrepVolleyball

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The ECU volleyball 2018 recruiting class has been tabbed in the High Honorable Mention category by PrepVolleyball.com, according to a recent release by the organization.

The Pirates currently have seven newcomers set to compete with the team in the fall, including a pair of outside hitters in University of Minnesota transfer Sydney Kleinman and 2017 JUCO All-America selection Page Hiebert. Also joining the program are five talented freshmen – Gabby Ferguson (MB/Stafford, Va.), Natalie Tyson (OH/Winston-Salem, N.C.), Janiece Jeffries (S/RS/Germantown, Md.), Alden Willis (DS/Raleigh, N.C.) and S'Mara Riley (MB/Encino, Calif.).

ECU produced a 22-11 overall record in 2017, marking the first 20-win season for the program since 2005 as well as the second-most victories in a single season. The Pirates also turned in a 13-7 mark in American Athletic Conference play – finishing fourth in the league standings after being selected 11th of 12 teams in the conference's preseason coaches poll. ECU returns a solid core of four starters in 2018, including AAC Freshman of the Year and setter Shelby Martin.

Sydney Kleinman
2017
Saw action in 14 matches and 30 sets during her freshman season at Minnesota ... Posted 38 kills and averaged 1.27 kills per set ... Played in the UTSA match of the Diet Coke Classic ... Experienced action in nine sets of the Boise State Classic and recorded 16 kills. ... Competed against Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Purdue, Illinois and Rutgers.

High School
Played for Wakeland High School and Dallas Skyline Juniors Volleyball ... Named an Under Armour Second-Team All-American ... Ranked 44th on Prepvolleyball.com's Senior Aces list ... Named to the Texas Association of Volleyball Coaches Preseason All-Texas Team ... Notched over 580 kills, hit .315 and collected 300 digs as a senior ... Tabbed as a two-time all-state selection ... A four-time all-conference selection and Wakeland's Most Valuable Player in 2015 ... Completed for Skyline, was on the 2015 and 2016 all-tournament team at nationals and was part of the 2014 USAV national championship team.

Page Hiebert
Hutchinson Community College
Posted one of the best offensive seasons in Blue Dragon history in leading Hutchinson Community College to a 27-14 overall record, a Region VI Tournament championship and an appearance in the NJCAA Tournament … Led the nation in total kills with 578 and was third in the NJCAA in kills per set at 4.10, resulting in Second-Team All-America accolades … Her 578 total kills ranked third in Blue Dragon single-season history and her 4.10 kills per set ranked second in team season history … Had six matches of 20 or more kills, including tying a Hutchinson single-match record with 28 against No. 2 Iowa Western in the Midwest Superstore/Blue Dragon Classic Sept. 22 … In addition to her stellar offensive output, also posted 379 total digs, 60 total blocks and a team-high 41 aces … Was a two-time first-team All-Jayhawk West Conference selection and was selected the 2016 Jayhawk West Freshman of the Year … Ranks third in Blue Dragon history with a two-year total of 877 kills.

High School
Paced Goessel High School to a 44-0 record and the Kansas 1A Division I state title as a senior in 2015 ... Finished her prep career with 1,602 kills, 982 digs and a .391 hitting percentage ... Named the Kansas Volleyball Association 1A Division I Player of the Year following her junior and senior seasons ... Earned four all-conference nods as well as a trio of first-team all-state laurels ... Led the Bluebirds to a 150-22 overall record in her four years with the program.

Gabrielle Ferguson
High School
Racked up 160 kills, 61 blocks and a .379 hitting percentage as a senior on the way to second-team all-conference honors … Helped lead the Wolverines to a 19-1 overall record, a league title and appearance in the Virginia High School League 5A state semifinals … Earned second-team all-conference accolades as a junior, hitting .299 with 98 kills and 48 blocks … Also competes for the Virginia Juniors club program … Sister Sydney has committed to play volleyball for national powerhouse Penn State.

Natalie Tyson
High School
Helped lead Mount Tabor High School to consecutive Piedmont Triad Conference titles her junior and senior campaigns as well as a 72-25 record in four years on the varsity squad … With Tyson on the roster, the Spartans lost just five conference matches from 2014-17 … As a senior, led the team in both kills and digs while earning all-conference honors and team MVP accolades … Played her club volleyball for Twin City Volleyball Academy and was named to the 2016 Regionals All-Conference Team.

Janiece Jeffries
High School
Led the Jaguars to three consecutive Maryland 4A state championships as well as a 73-5 overall record and two undefeated seasons ... Compiled 1,546 assists in her prep career as well as 195 kills, 363 digs and 133 aces ... As a sophomore, named Montgomery County Player of the Year as well as honorable mention All-Met ... Captured first-team all-county accolades and Second Team All-Met honors her junior season ... Competed for the Metro Volleyball Club and helped the squad to a 13th-place finish at the USA Volleyball 17 Open Nationals.

Alden Willis
High School
Tallied 566 digs and 75 aces in three seasons on the varsity squad at Broughton, helping the Capitals to a pair of conference championships, a 60-8 overall record and 37-3 league mark ... Also competes for the Triangle Volleyball Club 18 Blue team that took third place at the USAV Junior Nationals Northeast Qualifier and earned the right to travel to Anaheim, Calif., for the national tournament.

S'Mara Riley
High School
Spent the first two years of her prep career at Chaminade College Preparatory High School before transferring to Bishop Alemany High School for her senior year ... Named a 2016 PrepVolleyball All-American ... Part of a San Gabriel Elite (SGE) club program whose 2018 class is ranked No. 1 nationally ... Led the Warriors to a 28-5 overall record in 2017 ... Put down 24 kills against Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy ... Led Bishop Alemany to the 2017 Chatsworth High School Tournament and Las Vegas Classic Tournament championships where the Warriors defeated nationally-ranked Bishop Gormann ... Helped guide Chaminde Prep to the 2015 Burbank High School Tournament title ... Earned Sunshine League Second Team honors as a sophomore and all-conference honorable mention accolades her junior season ... Propelled SGE to the 2017 Colorado 16s GJNC Qualifier Open gold medal as well as the 2016 Open Division Los Angeles GJNC 15s Open Division bronze medal and Colorado 15s GNJC Qualifier Open silver medal.

Players Mentioned

Gabby Ferguson

Page Hiebert

Sydney Kleinman

Shelby Martin

S'mara Riley

Natalie Tyson

Alden Willis

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