By: KSU Sports Information
KENNESAW, Ga. - Head coach Karen Weatherington is pleased to announce the addition of seven new student-athletes to the Kennesaw State volleyball roster for the fall of 2012, with Siobhan Findlay, Touré Hopkins, Megan McGuinness, Cierra Royster, Jenna Wilt, Michelle Witt and Sarah Young all set to join the program.
"We are happy to be adding these talented young women to our team for next season," Weatherington said. "These six student-athletes will add another layer to the foundation that we have been building here at Kennesaw State.”
Findlay is a 6-foot-3-inch middle blocker from Harrison Township, Mich. She played her prep volleyball at L’Ance Creuse High School and for the Michigan Elite Volleyball Club.
“Siobhan is a quintessential, young middle blocker,” Weatherington commented. “She will come in and fortify our middle position. She has a great high school and club background, and has a strong work ethic. She is equally as serious about academics as she is about athletics.”
Hopkins is a 6-foot tall outside/right side hitter out of North Shore Senior High School in Houston, Texas. A first-team all-district honoree, Hopkins has a great deal of versatility on the court according to coach Weatherington.
“Touré is an experienced outside that’s also very versatile. She can attack both sides of the pin, and she has a lot of skills that lend her to being a high-level utility player.”
Hopkins played her club volleyball with the Texas Pride Volleyball Club.
McGuinness is a 6-foot-4-inch middle blocker out of Etowah High School in Woodstock, Ga., and is one of four local players that will join the Owls for 2012.
“We have watched Megan emerge in the Cobb and Cherokee County high school community,”
Weatherington said. “She has great, untapped potential. She will come in and help us make our system more competitive as we grow at the net and in the conference.”
Royster is a 6-foot-1-inch middle blocker out of Cumberland Christian Academy in Acworth, Ga. She played her club volleyball for Volley One out of Atlanta. While at CCA, Cierra helped her squad to back-to-back Independent Christian Schools of Georgia-Alabama championships, earning Tournament MVP honors her senior year.
“Cierra is a great fit for Kennesaw State and she believes that KSU is a great fit for her,” Weatherington commented. “She is a franchise player that will help us turn the corner locally. Her ceiling is enormously high and she will be a force for us for years to come.”
Wilt is a 5-foot-10-inch outside hitter who will join the Owls out of Etowah High in nearby Woodstock, Ga. Wilt, who was named Cherokee County Co-Player of the Year her senior year, is an outstanding attacker that also excels at ball control.
“Jenna is a dynamic jumper that can also pass the ball very well,” explained Weatherington. “She is a very calming force on the court, the type of player that wants to be here at KSU and would come to KSU even if she wasn’t a student-athlete. Jenna understands the values and vision of Kennesaw State and embraces them.”
Witt is a 5-foot-7-inch setter out of McFarland High School in McFarland, Wisc. A region Player-of-the-Year selection her senior year, Witt is an astute student of the sport of volleyball.
“Michelle is a good athlete that will help solidify our setter position,” Weatherington said. “She has played a very competitive high school season and club season with Wisconsin Select. She will be a great understudy to (rising junior) Sara Metroka and will help take our program to the next level.”
The seventh student-athlete joining the Owls for 2012, and the third local product, is Sarah Young. A 5-foot-3-inch defensive specialist, Young helped Lassiter High School in Marietta to a No. 5 final ranking in Georgia Class AAAAA while leading the state of Georgia in digs. In addition to playing for Greg Hodge at Lassiter, Young also played club volleyball for Atlanta Juniors and head coach Rex Welch.
“We’re happy to get our first student-athlete out of Lassiter High,” Weatherington said. “Sarah comes from a great tradition of success that we are trying to emulate on a collegiate level here at Kennesaw State. She is an extremely talented defensive specialist that will put herself in position to improve the program.”
Coach Weatherington is especially pleased to add the four student-athletes that already reside in a very close radius to Kennesaw State in Royster, Wilt and Young.
“It’s unprecedented to get four local kids of their caliber in one class,” Weatherington exclaimed. “We’ve already laid a solid foundation with this program, and the six student-athletes that are joining us this fall will go a long way towards helping us build towards the championship level.”
The Black and Gold return eight players from a 2011 squad that finished fourth in the Atlantic Sun Conference with an 8-5 league mark, making their third straight appearance in the A-Sun Tournament.
