Five-Time Defending GLIAC Champion Ferris State Reloads Volleyball Roster With Impressive Class
Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's volleyball squad, which captured its fifth-straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Regular Season and Tournament Championships this past fall, has reloaded its roster with the addition of six incoming recruits who inked with the Bulldogs during the recent signing period and will begin their collegiate careers at FSU next fall.
FSU head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm announced the signings of libero Ally Barkhaus (Woodburn, Ind./Blackhawk Christian), outside hitter Lauren Cox (North Judson, Ind./North Judson-San Pierre), setter Emily Kinney (Trail Creek, Ind./Michigan City), outside hitter Jessica Lefler (South Boardman, Mich./Kingsley), middle hitter Kira Merkle (Bellbrook, Ohio) and middle/outside hitter Kristina Welter (Plainfield, Ill./South).
Brandel-Wilhelm credited assistant coach Christa Cooper for her work with this year's incoming class.
"Christa has worked diligently to put together the 2019 recruiting class," she said. "This is an impactful group of athletes with a great deal of volleyball experience. We are all very excited to add this group to the Bulldog family."
This past year, Ferris State made its eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament bid and has now advanced to at least the regional semifinals each of the last eight years. FSU's regional appearance represented the program's 23rd all-time.
The Bulldogs finished the regular-season as GLIAC Champions for the fifth-straight year with a perfect 16-0 league mark. It was the eighth-straight year in which FSU finished either first or second in the conference.
Along with winning this year's GLIAC regular-season crown, Ferris State also captured the 2018 GLIAC Tournament Championship for the fifth consecutive year as FSU topped Davenport to earn the program's sixth tourney title in school history while becoming the first squad in league history to capture five-straight crowns.
This year marked the 17th time in 23 seasons under Brandel-Wilhelm in which FSU has claimed at least 20 victories in a campaign. The Bulldogs also made their 21st consecutive GLIAC Tournament appearance this season.
Below are brief biographical sketches and commits on each of the newcomers:
Ally Barkhaus
5-7, Libero
Woodburn, Ind./Blackhawk Christian
Prep standout at Blackhawk Christian High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana ... Daughter of Bryan and Karla Barkhaus ... Has an older brother ... Coached by Anne Boyer ... Enjoys drawing and working out ... Brother Kole plays baseball at Taylor ... Helped lead team to the 1A State Championship in 2016 ... First Team All-State honoree ... Four-time all-state selection ... Earned first team All-Northeast Indiana recognition ... Named to the 2017 Indiana All-Star Team ... Chosen as team Most Valuable Player ... Three-year varsity captain ... Led team to three-straight sectional championships ... Team won back-to-back regional crowns ... Squad also was the semi-state runner-up in 2015 and the semi-state champs in 2016 ... Played club volleyball for the Summit Volleyball Club for Trish Miller.
Coach Brandel-Wilhelm On Barkhaus: "Ally is a quick, agile athlete with a huge skill foundation. Her moves on the court are easy because she has worked so hard to be prepared for her play. She is an attacker in high school and will be competing for the libero position early in her career. She is a fierce competitor with an easy, fun-loving leadership style on the court."
Lauren Cox
5-11, Outside Hitter
North Judson, Ind./North Judson-San Pierre
Competed for North Judson-San Pierre High School ... Coached by Madison Fingerhut ... Also has played basketball ... Played in the Hoosier North Athletic Conference ... National Honor Society member and active in the student council ... Daughter of Kevin and Andrea Cox ... Father serves as an athletic director ... Her father played football at Indiana State, grandfather competed for Ball State and an aunt played volleyball at Butler ... Undecided on an academic major ... Registered more than 300 kills for four-straight years ... Had 62 service aces as a senior with 352 assists, 318 kills and 191 digs as team went 24-9 ... Also has been strong at the net with 73 solo blocks and 45 assists her final year ... Four-time all-conference choice ... Twice named league MVP ... Served as captain ... Academic All-State recipient ... All-State performer ... Named 2018 Indiana High School Mental Attitude Award recipient ... Led team to 2018 Class 2A State Championship along with league title and a third sectional crown in her career ... Played club volleyball for the Dunes and Epic United Volleyball Clubs under Adam Rykse and Jamie Ashmore.
Coach Brandel-Wilhelm on Cox: "Lauren is a strong, powerful athlete. She attacks a heavy hard ball and is still an aware and smart back row player. Lauren is a driven competitor who led her team to the Indiana State Championship as a senior. She is used to doing whatever it takes to help her team win."
Emily Kinney
5-10, Setter
Trail Creek, Ind./Michigan City
Prep standout at Michigan City High School ... Competed in the Duneland Conference ... Daughter of Robert and Julie Kinney ... Enjoys paddle boarding, being at the beach and photography ... Coached by T.R. Harlan ... National Honor Society member ... Also active in the Spanish Club and Steering Committee ... Plans to major in radiology at FSU ... Two-Time all-conference pick ... Four-year varsity letterwinner and captain ... Earned team MVP award in 2018 ... Was also an all-district honoree ... Led team to a 30-8 mark in her final year ... Team also claimed back-to-back sectional championships and regional runner-up finishes ... Played club volleyball for the Dunes Volleyball Club and Epic United.
Coach Brandel-Wilhelm on Kinney: "Emily is a fluid, skilled athlete. As a setter, she has an easy court leadership style and works hard to help her teammates be successful. She plays the game with a high volleyball IQ and we look for her to raise the level of our gym from day one."
Jessica Lefler
5-11, Outside Hitter
South Boardman, Mich./Kingsley
Prep standout at Kingsley High School ... Undecided on an academic major ... Also competed for three years in track and field ... Daughter of Jody and Erin Lefler ... Competed in the Northwest Conference ... Has a younger sister ... Enjoys riding dirt bikes ... Tabbed as the 2017 Traverse City Record-Eagle Dream Team captain ... Three-time all-conference selection ... Earned all-state recognition during prep career ... Coached by Dave Hall ... Totaled 563 kills and a .274 attack figure with 38 aces, 400 digs and 45 blocks as a junior ... Four-year letterwinner and a team captain ... Played club volleyball for the North Shore and Far Out teams ... Plans to major in nuclear medicine technology ... Led the Stags to a Division 3 regional championship and state quarterfinal appearance in 2018.
Coach Brandel-Wilhelm on Lefler: "Jessica is a player we have watched through camps for years. She is a strong and physical athlete with a heavy arm swing. She is an determined worker and we expect her to make big contributions to the team through the years."
Kira Merkle
6-2, Middle Hitter
Bellbrook, Ohio
Talented prep standout at Bellbrook High School ... Played in the Southwestern Buckeye League ... Daughter of Van and Tracey Merkle ... Likes reading, hiking and swimming ... Plans to major in pre-osteopathic medicine ... Coached by Lynzee Allen ... Tallied 933 career kills with a .387 hitting figure, 172 blocks and 185 aces ... Chosen to play in the State of Ohio All-Star match ... All-Ohio honoree ... Named Southwest District Player of Year ... Two-Time all-district first team choice ... Two-Time conference player of the year ... Three-time all-league honoree ... Named Thad Camp State Farm Athlete of the Week ... Two-year team captain and MVP ... Led Bellbrook to four-straight conference titles and a ranking as high as #4 in the state this past year ... Team claimed district runner-up laurels ... Played club volleyball for the Elevation Volleyball Club.
Coach Brandel-Wilhelm on Merkle: "Kira is a long fluid athlete who works very hard. She is a dedicated team player and it shows every time she steps on the court. She is a strong blocker and a fast attacker. Additionally, she is also quick to do all the little things that make a great volleyball player – cover her teammates, close a tough block, transition quickly. Kira's determination will make her an impact player early in her career at Ferris State."
Kristina Welter
6-0, Middle/Outside Hitter
Plainfield, Ill./South
Played on the prep level for Plainfield South High School ... Coached by Danielle Bielawski ... Daughter of Craig and Donna Welter ... Has two older brothers ... Competed in the Southwest Prairie League ... Active in the Plainfield South Leadership Corps and was a BeYOUty project mentor and leader ... Her father played collegiate football at Minnesota and mother was a volleyball athlete at Wisconsin-Eau Claire ... Both brothers have also been collegiate student-athletes ... Twice served as a team captain ... Earned all-conference recognition during her prep career ... Four-year varsity letterwinner ... Played both the middle and outside hitter positions ... Also played club volleyball for the Sports Performance Volleyball Club.
Coach Brandel-Wilhelm on Welter: "Kristina is a strong determined volleyball player. She is a physical presence at the net as both an attacker and blocker. She has an excellent skill foundation and we expect her to be very impactful through the years."