Head coach Carolyn Zimmerman announced the signing of four prep all stars as the class of 2014. Adding power and height to the roster for the 2014 campaign the signees are: Stephanie (Steph) Buss, Allyson (Ally) Forsberg, Katelyn Nielsen and Nikia (Niki) Withers.
"We are very exited to have Niki, Ally, Steph and Katelyn join our Titan Family," head coach Carolyn Zimmerman said. "These talented student-athletes enjoyed excellent prep careers and their respective club programs have a history of producing strong DI talent. My staff and I are anxious to begin training these young women and assimilate them to our system as quickly as possible. I am looking forward to their contribution and the impact that they can make to our team and University."
Steph Buss | 6-1 | Middle Blocker | Lincoln High School | Sioux Falls, SD
A four-year starter at Lincoln High School she led her team in kills with 448, for a 4.4 per set average, in fact accounting for nearly 50 per cent of her team's offensive production. Steph was credited with 72 block solos and six block assists during the 2013 campaign as well. She was a part of freshman and sophomore Patriots teams that were both AA State Champions and was named a member of the All State South Dakota second team, along with numerous all-city and all-conference teams. A member of the track team in 2010 and 2011, she has been a three-time scholar-athlete award recipient at Lincoln as well who will enter her freshman season with an undecided major.
Club Experience
Competes for the Kairos Elite squad out of Sioux Falls for coach Mitch Lunning.
Ally Forsberg | 6-3 | Middle Blocker | Huntington Beach High School | Huntington Beach, Calif.
A member of the 24-7 Oilers team that finished ranked 32nd in California (MaxPreps.com), Ally earned first team All Sunset League honors and was named to the Orange County Register's "Players to Watch" list in both her junior and senior seasons. She was a member of four California Interscholastic Federation postseasons as a four-year starter for the Oilers at the middle blocker spot. Averaged more than a .450 hitting efficiency in both her junior and senior seasons. Also a member of the softball team for two seasons (2010 and 2011) she led her team in home runs. Interested in becoming an athletic trainer, she will major in Kinesiology. Academically has earned Scholar with Honors and Honor Roll designation all four years of her prep career.
Club Experience
Ally currently plays for the Sunshine Volleyball Club for head coach Cari Klein, after playing for the T-Street Volleyball Club in 2012-13.
Katelyn Nielsen | 6-0 | Outside or Opposite Side Hitter | Murrieta Valley High School | Murrieta, Calif.
A four-year starter at either the outside or opposite side hitter spots, Katelyn dropped 301 kills (3.2 per set) during her senior campaign after a junior year with a 229 mark (3.0 per set). She collected 188 and 186 digs in her junior and senior seasons, respectively, as an all-around player. A three-time all league honoree in the the Southwestern League, she has been named to numerous all-tournament squads throughout her prep career. A four-time scholar-athlete designate who will be a member of the Salutatory Circle and an Honors Graduate, she aspires to a career as a sports medicine physician and will enter Cal State Fullerton with a major in Biology.
Club Experience
She has competed for both Wave Volleyball Del Mar and 951 Elite out of her hometown, Murrieta.
Niki Withers | 6-0 | Outside or Opposite Side Hitter, Middle Blocker | Long Beach Poly High School | Long Beach, Calif.
The versatile front-line player has been a three-year starter on the varsity team that finished third in the Moore league in 2013. She was named first-team All Moore League during both her junior and senior seasons after a breakout first year during her sophomore campaign that earned her second team honors while playing for the Jackrabbits. This year, while leading her team to the CIF first-round before losing to Mira Costa, Withers earned significant attention leading all players in that first-round game with 25 kills. Her older brother, Marcedes Lewis, played football for UCLA from 2002-2004. She will enter Cal State Fullerton with a major in Criminology.
Club Experience
Niki will compete for coach Cari Klein with future teammate Ally Forsberg on the Sunshine Volleyball Club.