University of New Hampshire Athletics
Volleyball Signs Eight Newcomers for 2016 Season
4/27/2016 10:32:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
DURHAM, N.H. – Head coach Jill Hirschinger of the three-time defending America East champion University of New Hampshire volleyball team is excited to announce the signing of eight new Wildcats for the 2016 campaign on Wednesday.
The class spans seven states with two coming from California. Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, Texas, New York and Wisconsin each have one recruit joining the Wildcats for the upcoming season. New Hampshire won its third straight conference title in the fall and secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. New Hampshire returns America East Co-Player of the Year Demi Muses (Orangeville, Calif.) and America East Setter of the Year Keelin Severtson (Delray Beach, Fla.) this season.
#6, Serena Mueller
Mueller, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker from San Diego, Calif., played for Torrey Pines High School. The Wildcats' newcomer also competes for WAVE Volleyball under head coach Brennan Dean.
This season, Mueller lifted her team to titles at the California Challenge Championship, Barbara Tournament of Champions and CIF SDS Championship. As a junior, Mueller's team captured the CIF Open Division San Diego Section title. In 2013, her high school won the CIF San Diego Section League Championship along with the Durango Classic.
"We are very excited to add the skill level and work habits of Serena to the UNH volleyball program," said Hirschinger. "She has competed at the highest level and will bring a wealth of experience to the court. Serena is a perfect fit for the type of student-athlete we look for at New Hampshire."
#1, Hannah Petke
Petke, a 6-foot right side hitter from Rancho Santa Margarita Calif., plays at Tesoro High School. She also plays club for 949 Volleyball and TStreet Volleyball. She was a two-time competitor in the Girls Junior National Championships and was named Second Team All-League her junior season.
"Hannah will add depth to our right side position," said Hirschinger. "She has a fast arm swing and penetrates the net well blocking. We are excited for her to join the team and have success in her Wildcat career."
#5, Kennedi Smith
Smith, a 5-foot-9 outside hitter/defensive specialist from The Woodlands, Texas, plays at The Woodlands College Park High School for Candice Collins. She also plays for TAV Houston Club for coach Joe Lind and Josh Fuchs. Her team finished second at the 2015 Girls Junior National Championship-USA Division where she was on the All-Tournament Team the past two seasons. Smith was also tabbed First Team All-District and All-County while being named the Offensive Player of the Year. During her senior season, Smith was District 16-6A MVP, Montgomery County co-MVP and College Park Offensive Player of the Year. She was named to the VYPE's Fab 50 Pre-season team and the Greater Houston Volleyball Coaches Association All-Start Team.
"Kennedi is a game changer," said Hirschinger. "She is a very gifted athlete and with her competiveness she is an impact on the court. We are very excited to have Kennedi become a Wildcat."
#8, Ruby Smith
Smith, a 6-foot-2 middle blocker from Evanston, Ill., plays for coach Pamela MacPherson at Evanston Township High School. She also played for Wildcat Juniors under the direction of Karen Sonders, Cassie Rose and Evelyn Kim. An All-Conference selection the past three seasons, she helped guide Evanston Township to a regional championship in 2013. Smith, an honor roll student, merited the Kiwanis Club Leadership, Academic, and Athletic Award and the Boosters Excellence honor last season.
"Ruby's potential is extremely high," said Hirschinger. "As she gets physically stronger, she will become more dominant on the court. Ruby has the size and skills to become a force in the middle. An outstanding student and leader, we are looking forward to having Ruby become a member of the Wildcat family."
#7, Hannah Stewart
Stewart, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter from Victor, N.Y., plays for coach Matt Glover and CJ Denk at Victor High School. She also competes for VolleyFX Volleyball under the direction of Matt Barr, most recently going 18-1 overall and qualifying for nationals. The four-year varsity starter and Scholar-Athlete was a High School Sectional V Finalist in 2014. At VolleyFX, she helped her squad receive a bid to the 2014-15 USAVB Nationals. In the classroom, she is also an honors student and was inducted into the National Honors Society. This past season, Stewart headlined the section five champions with the tournament MVP honor. She was named to the All-Greater Rochester All-Star Team and was the schools MVP following the season.
"Hannah brings size and experience to all three positions at the net," said Hirschinger. "She has a great work ethic, a big heart and loves the game of volleyball. We are excited for Hannah's potential as a student-athlete at the University of New Hampshire."
#9, Emily Tanski
Tanski, a 5-foot-9 outside hitter from Plymouth, Mich., plays for Father Gabriel Richard High School for Mayassa Bazzi. She also plays for Legacy Volleyball Club under the direction of coaches Eric Lindstrom, Sarah Schmitt-Lindstrom, along with Kelly and Kate Price.
Named as an Honorable Mention on the behalf of the Under Armour Girls High School All-America Program, Tanski guided her team to a Power League U17 title with Legacy 17 Elite squad this season. She also led the Legacy 16 Elite team to a slew of accomplishments in 2014, including a Presidents' Day Cup championship, during which she was named to the Presidents' Day Cup All-Tournament Team. That team also claimed titles at the MEQ Nike National Qualifier as well as the Big South National Qualifier. At Gabriel Richard, Tanski finished her senior season with an undefeated 42-0 record and the team was regional and district champs. The senior was named All-Catholic, All-Regional, All-State, Miss Michigan Volleyball Finalist, All-American Second Team, Under Armour All-American and the captain of the team, as well.
"Emily is the whole package," said Hirschinger. "She is an outstanding student and volleyball player. Being recognized as a member of one of the High School All-American teams and an undefeated high school team says it all. She competes on one of the top Junior Olympic volleyball programs in the state of Michigan and in the country. We are really excited to have Emily become part of the Wildcat family."
#11, Logan Welti
Welti, a defensive specialist and outside hitter from Madison, Wisconsin, went to Middleton High School and played club with Wisconsin Select Volleyball coached by Kurt Owen and Karen Burc. In her third year as captain, Welti wrapped up her senior year with 336 kills, 22 blocks, 433 digs and 53 aces. She reached 1,000 kills and digs during the season. She earned All-Conference First Team and All-State Honorable Mention honors both her senior and junior year and was an All-Conference Second Team member her sophomore year. Welti also was named to the Badger Region High Performance Training and Tournament Teams and placed top-10 at the USA Volleyball High Performance Tournament her freshman and junior year.
"Logan has a tremendous court presence and brings out the best in players around her," said Hirschinger. "She has a very high volleyball intelligence and will add depth to our offense and defense. We are looking forward to working with Logan and the Wildcat career ahead of her."
#2, Jenny Weston
Weston, the 5-foot-9 setter/right side from Canton, Mass., plays for Eric Neely and Jim Crandall on SMASH Volleyball and also at Ursuline Academy under the direction of Kali Joseph. A Catholic Conference All-Star the past three seasons, she was named to the New England Regional USAV Performance Tournament Team this season. In her junior year, she was a captain and voted as a member of the Massachusetts Division III All-State Team en route to earning Most Valuable Player honors. Weston has also won a Gold Medal the past three years at the Massachusetts Bay State Summer Games. Just last season, Weston earned the 2015 Division III Player of the Year by the Boston Globe, and was named to the Massachusetts 2015 Division III All-State Team, 2015 Boston Globe All-Scholastic Team and the 2015 Boston Herald All-Scholastic Team.
"Jenny is one of the best all-around and versatile players in New England as an attacker or setter," said Hirschinger. She bleeds blue and white and will be a wonderful addition to our Wildcat family."
For the most up-to-date information on the volleyball team, visit UNHWildcats.com. Text UNH to 90561 to sign up for Sports alerts. Message & Data Rates May Apply. 1 message/text. Consent to receive a text message is not a condition of purchasing goods or services. Text HELP to 90561 for info. STOP to cancel. T&Cs & Privacy Policy is available HERE. Click HERE to sign up for newsletters on your favorite sports.
The class spans seven states with two coming from California. Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, Texas, New York and Wisconsin each have one recruit joining the Wildcats for the upcoming season. New Hampshire won its third straight conference title in the fall and secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. New Hampshire returns America East Co-Player of the Year Demi Muses (Orangeville, Calif.) and America East Setter of the Year Keelin Severtson (Delray Beach, Fla.) this season.
#6, Serena MuellerMueller, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker from San Diego, Calif., played for Torrey Pines High School. The Wildcats' newcomer also competes for WAVE Volleyball under head coach Brennan Dean.
This season, Mueller lifted her team to titles at the California Challenge Championship, Barbara Tournament of Champions and CIF SDS Championship. As a junior, Mueller's team captured the CIF Open Division San Diego Section title. In 2013, her high school won the CIF San Diego Section League Championship along with the Durango Classic.
"We are very excited to add the skill level and work habits of Serena to the UNH volleyball program," said Hirschinger. "She has competed at the highest level and will bring a wealth of experience to the court. Serena is a perfect fit for the type of student-athlete we look for at New Hampshire."
#1, Hannah PetkePetke, a 6-foot right side hitter from Rancho Santa Margarita Calif., plays at Tesoro High School. She also plays club for 949 Volleyball and TStreet Volleyball. She was a two-time competitor in the Girls Junior National Championships and was named Second Team All-League her junior season.
"Hannah will add depth to our right side position," said Hirschinger. "She has a fast arm swing and penetrates the net well blocking. We are excited for her to join the team and have success in her Wildcat career."
#5, Kennedi SmithSmith, a 5-foot-9 outside hitter/defensive specialist from The Woodlands, Texas, plays at The Woodlands College Park High School for Candice Collins. She also plays for TAV Houston Club for coach Joe Lind and Josh Fuchs. Her team finished second at the 2015 Girls Junior National Championship-USA Division where she was on the All-Tournament Team the past two seasons. Smith was also tabbed First Team All-District and All-County while being named the Offensive Player of the Year. During her senior season, Smith was District 16-6A MVP, Montgomery County co-MVP and College Park Offensive Player of the Year. She was named to the VYPE's Fab 50 Pre-season team and the Greater Houston Volleyball Coaches Association All-Start Team.
"Kennedi is a game changer," said Hirschinger. "She is a very gifted athlete and with her competiveness she is an impact on the court. We are very excited to have Kennedi become a Wildcat."
#8, Ruby SmithSmith, a 6-foot-2 middle blocker from Evanston, Ill., plays for coach Pamela MacPherson at Evanston Township High School. She also played for Wildcat Juniors under the direction of Karen Sonders, Cassie Rose and Evelyn Kim. An All-Conference selection the past three seasons, she helped guide Evanston Township to a regional championship in 2013. Smith, an honor roll student, merited the Kiwanis Club Leadership, Academic, and Athletic Award and the Boosters Excellence honor last season.
"Ruby's potential is extremely high," said Hirschinger. "As she gets physically stronger, she will become more dominant on the court. Ruby has the size and skills to become a force in the middle. An outstanding student and leader, we are looking forward to having Ruby become a member of the Wildcat family."
#7, Hannah StewartStewart, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter from Victor, N.Y., plays for coach Matt Glover and CJ Denk at Victor High School. She also competes for VolleyFX Volleyball under the direction of Matt Barr, most recently going 18-1 overall and qualifying for nationals. The four-year varsity starter and Scholar-Athlete was a High School Sectional V Finalist in 2014. At VolleyFX, she helped her squad receive a bid to the 2014-15 USAVB Nationals. In the classroom, she is also an honors student and was inducted into the National Honors Society. This past season, Stewart headlined the section five champions with the tournament MVP honor. She was named to the All-Greater Rochester All-Star Team and was the schools MVP following the season.
"Hannah brings size and experience to all three positions at the net," said Hirschinger. "She has a great work ethic, a big heart and loves the game of volleyball. We are excited for Hannah's potential as a student-athlete at the University of New Hampshire."
#9, Emily TanskiTanski, a 5-foot-9 outside hitter from Plymouth, Mich., plays for Father Gabriel Richard High School for Mayassa Bazzi. She also plays for Legacy Volleyball Club under the direction of coaches Eric Lindstrom, Sarah Schmitt-Lindstrom, along with Kelly and Kate Price.
Named as an Honorable Mention on the behalf of the Under Armour Girls High School All-America Program, Tanski guided her team to a Power League U17 title with Legacy 17 Elite squad this season. She also led the Legacy 16 Elite team to a slew of accomplishments in 2014, including a Presidents' Day Cup championship, during which she was named to the Presidents' Day Cup All-Tournament Team. That team also claimed titles at the MEQ Nike National Qualifier as well as the Big South National Qualifier. At Gabriel Richard, Tanski finished her senior season with an undefeated 42-0 record and the team was regional and district champs. The senior was named All-Catholic, All-Regional, All-State, Miss Michigan Volleyball Finalist, All-American Second Team, Under Armour All-American and the captain of the team, as well.
"Emily is the whole package," said Hirschinger. "She is an outstanding student and volleyball player. Being recognized as a member of one of the High School All-American teams and an undefeated high school team says it all. She competes on one of the top Junior Olympic volleyball programs in the state of Michigan and in the country. We are really excited to have Emily become part of the Wildcat family."
#11, Logan WeltiWelti, a defensive specialist and outside hitter from Madison, Wisconsin, went to Middleton High School and played club with Wisconsin Select Volleyball coached by Kurt Owen and Karen Burc. In her third year as captain, Welti wrapped up her senior year with 336 kills, 22 blocks, 433 digs and 53 aces. She reached 1,000 kills and digs during the season. She earned All-Conference First Team and All-State Honorable Mention honors both her senior and junior year and was an All-Conference Second Team member her sophomore year. Welti also was named to the Badger Region High Performance Training and Tournament Teams and placed top-10 at the USA Volleyball High Performance Tournament her freshman and junior year.
"Logan has a tremendous court presence and brings out the best in players around her," said Hirschinger. "She has a very high volleyball intelligence and will add depth to our offense and defense. We are looking forward to working with Logan and the Wildcat career ahead of her."
#2, Jenny WestonWeston, the 5-foot-9 setter/right side from Canton, Mass., plays for Eric Neely and Jim Crandall on SMASH Volleyball and also at Ursuline Academy under the direction of Kali Joseph. A Catholic Conference All-Star the past three seasons, she was named to the New England Regional USAV Performance Tournament Team this season. In her junior year, she was a captain and voted as a member of the Massachusetts Division III All-State Team en route to earning Most Valuable Player honors. Weston has also won a Gold Medal the past three years at the Massachusetts Bay State Summer Games. Just last season, Weston earned the 2015 Division III Player of the Year by the Boston Globe, and was named to the Massachusetts 2015 Division III All-State Team, 2015 Boston Globe All-Scholastic Team and the 2015 Boston Herald All-Scholastic Team.
"Jenny is one of the best all-around and versatile players in New England as an attacker or setter," said Hirschinger. She bleeds blue and white and will be a wonderful addition to our Wildcat family."
For the most up-to-date information on the volleyball team, visit UNHWildcats.com. Text UNH to 90561 to sign up for Sports alerts. Message & Data Rates May Apply. 1 message/text. Consent to receive a text message is not a condition of purchasing goods or services. Text HELP to 90561 for info. STOP to cancel. T&Cs & Privacy Policy is available HERE. Click HERE to sign up for newsletters on your favorite sports.
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