OKLAHOMA CITY – When Faith Avalos came to Mid-America Christian University to take over as the Lady Evangels' head volleyball coach, she knew she had to fill numerous vacancies on the 2018 team. MACU had only four players set to return, and after hitting the recruiting trail hard, Avalos has turned that group of four returners into a solid team of 14 players for the upcoming fall season.
MACU has added 10 players – seven freshmen, one sophomore, and two juniors – to the mix for 2018, and while the bulk of the team will be underclassmen, Avalos knows that they have the talent and mental makeup to make a difference both on the court and in the MACU community.
"This is an amazing group of women that we are adding to the MACU volleyball family," Avalos remarked. "They are not only skilled on the court, but dedicated students, and eager to be difference makers in the community. I have had so much fun getting to know them and their families through the recruiting process."
The Evangels have three transfers including two juniors as a part of the recruiting class – Elena Hadzhieva and Alexa Bass. Hadzhieva comes to MACU from San Jacinto College, where in limited action last season, she hit the ball at a .295 clip. Bass was a regular in the Southern Arkansas University lineup, racking up a team-leading 739 assists in 116 sets, and she also recorded a team-high 43 service aces. Maegan Plunk is the third transfer to MACU in the class. The sophomore played her freshman season at nearby Randall University, and she led the Saints with 513 digs in 134 sets as their starting libero.
The remaining seven members of the recruiting class are all freshman who all are from either Oklahoma or Texas. Setter Morgan Van Meir and defensive specialist Kathryn Mansfield come to MACU after completing their high school careers at nearby Edmond Memorial High School. Kaylie Brice Walker (S/RS; Moore, Okla.) also joins the Lady Evangels after prepping in the Oklahoma City Metro area, and Kaylie Walker (DS/L; Cache, Okla.) and Skylar Brower (MB; Medicine Park, Okla.) join the fold from the Lawton area. Hannah Balzer-Lipsett (MB; Ponca City, Okla.) is the final freshman from the Sooner state, and Annika Barnett rounds out the freshman class after finishing her prep career at Plano West High School in Allen, Texas.
With so many new faces, the Evangels are certainly looking for the newcomers to step in and make an impact right away. The talent is there, and the season is less than two months away, and for Coach Avalos, the anticipation is definitely building.
"I can't wait to get started this fall," she said.
