OKLAHOMA CITY – Coming off another stellar season that saw the Evangels advance to the NCCAA National Semifinal last season, the MACU volleyball team added some strong talent with three signees for the upcoming 2023 season.
The Evangels added an experienced NAIA transfer in senior setter Ludmilla Souza while also inking a pair of high school standouts in Sawyer Franz and Kaylee Harrison.
"This recruiting class brings a mixture of experience and culture to our program," said MACU head coach Holly McKamie. "Both Sawyer and Kaylee are coming from two of the top club teams in Oklahoma, (Oklahoma Peak Performance and Oklahoma Charge). Ludmilla also comes in with four years of college volleyball experience. Not only are they talented players, but they bring a positive energy and competitiveness that will fit in perfectly with our culture."
Coming from the prestigious Oklahoma Peak Performance and Oklahoma City Storm volleyball clubs, Franz is a highly accomplished homeschool club student-athlete. The outside hitter helped lead her team to the 2020 and 2022 Homeschool National Championships while also earning Most Valuable Player honors in the Lincoln Christian Tournament in 2022.
Franz was also an All-Tournament Team honoree in the Westmoore Tournament in 2022 and received the Christian Character awards in 2019 and 2020. She led Oklahoma Peak Performance to a Regional Championship in 2022.
A transfer from Florida Memorial, Souza will be adding some strong setting depth to the Evangels in 2023. Last season with the Lady Lions, Souza saw action in 16 matches and finished second on the team in assists with 164, averaging 4.0 per set. The Contagem, Brazil product was also great in service and in the back row, tallying 14 aces for a 0.34 per set average to just six service errors while also notching 46 digs to go with no errors in serve receive.
Previously, Souza competed for two seasons at Frank Phillips (Texas), where she dished out 343 assists in 2021 and recorded a team-best 340 assists during the 2020-21 COVID-19 campaign as well as played one season at Marshalltown College (Iowa) as a freshman.
Rounding out the signing class, Harrison will provide some strong depth as a right-side pin hitter after putting together a strong career at Duncan High School. Last year, Harrison helped lead the Demons to a 21-12 record. Harrison also competed for the Oklahoma Charge volleyball club during the spring and summer seasons.
Overall, this class will join a MACU squad that is coming off a 20-16 season while finishing in the top four of the Sooner Athletic Conference standings with a 12-8 league mark. The Evangels not only hosted their first ever SAC Tournament match last season, but also won their first tourney quarterfinal after sweeping Oklahoma Panhandle State in straight sets on Nov. 8, 2023.
MACU also made its fourth consecutive trip to the NCCAA National Championships and put together a strong showing at nationals as the Evangels narrowly missed making a repeat appearance in the NCCAA Championship after dropping a five-set heartbreaker in the 2021 title rematch against Columbia International (S.C.) on Dec. 2.
