Women?s Volleyball Adds Four More For 2016 Roster

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's volleyball program has added four proven winners to next season's roster as Kate Avila (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown), Anna Jensen (Carmel, Ind./Cathedral), Amber Seaman (Carmel, Ind./Brebeuf) and Hannah Smith (Selma, Ind./Wapahani) have committed to join the program for the 2016 season according to head coach Steve Shondell.

Combined, the four commitments have helped guide their programs to four Indiana High School Athletics Association (IHSAA) state championship titles and a pair of IHSAA state runner-up finishes. They join Sydnee VanBeek (St. John, Ind./Illiana Christian) who signed a National Letter of Intent during the early signing period.

Avila is no stranger to Ball State's campus, as her father Ramon Avila was a three-year letterwinner for the Ball State men's volleyball program from 1975-77 and is currently a George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Marketing at his alma mater. A three-year letterwinner at Yorktown, Avila also played for coach Stephanie Bloom, who was a four-year letterwinner for the Cardinals from 2001-04 and ranks first in program history and third in Mid-American Conference history with 2,273 career digs.

Avila finished her three-year playing career with the Tigers at Worthen Arena, helping lead the program to the IHSAA Class 3A championship match. She was named second team All-State as a senior after collecting 296 digs and 121 kills over 112 sets played. She also recorded 29 service aces and 25 blocks, while hitting .279 to help Yorktown finish the year with a 38-2 overall record. Over her career, she tallied 705 digs and 70 aces while helping the Tigers compile a 98-12 record. Avila also plays club volleyball for Munciana.

“We are pleased to have Kate join our volleyball program at Ball State,” Shondell said. “She comes from one of the finest high school volleyball programs in the state and has been coached by one of the nation's premier ball control coaches in Ball State graduate and former libero Stephanie Bloom. Kate brings to our program everything a coach looks for in a player and a student-athlete. She is a straight-A student in the classroom and is a class leader. On the volleyball court, she is a student of the game. Kate has a tremendous work ethic and understands what it takes to achieve success as a student-athlete. Her club experience playing in the Munciana program, coupled with her experience playing in the IHSAA state championship, will prepare her well to play at the elite collegiate level. Kate is a player capable of making an immediate impact on our program through her precision ball control and outstanding serving, serve receive and defensive skills.”

Jensen concluded her four-year high school playing career by helping guide Cathedral to the 2015 IHSAA Class 4A State Championship, after the team earned a runner-up finish in 2014. An outside hitter/middle for Irish coach Jean Kesterson, who earned two letters for the Ball State women's volleyball program herself in 1973-74, Jensen smashed 139 kills, tallied 68 total blocks and posted a .370 attack percentage as a senior to help Cathedral finish the year with a perfect 36-0 record. An Academic All-State selection as a senior and the team's most improved player as a junior, Jensen recorded 307 kills, hit .314 and tallied 99 total blocks over her four-year career with the Irish.

“Anna has the potential to make an immediate impact on our program at Ball State,” Shondell said. “She is coming off an outstanding senior year at Cathedral where she helped lead the Irish to the 2015 Prepvolleyball.com National Championship as well as the IHSAA Class 4A State Championship. She was coached by one of America's most successful high school volleyball coaches in former Ball State women's volleyball player Jean Kesterson. Anna brings versatility to our team from the standpoint she can contribute both in the back row and the front row. She has excelled as both a left side attacker and a middle attacker in high school, but her collegiate strength may very well come from her play in the back row. Anna has a touch on the ball as a passer and digger that very few players have. She is a player that any coach would like to see touching the ball as much as possible because her ball control is very natural. Her quickness allows her to have tremendous range as defender. We also expect Anna to excel behind the serving line. She has the ability to score serving both a jump float and jump top spin serve.”

Smith finished her four-year playing career as a two-time state champion, helping guide Wapahani to IHSAA Class 2A State Championship titles as a freshman and a senior. A first team All-State selection at libero for coach Jared Richardson her senior year, Smith collected 467 digs to help the Raiders turn in a 27-11 record in 2015. She accumulated 1045 digs and 107 aces over her four-year playing career to help lead Wapahani to four Mid-Eastern Conference Championships, a pair of county titles and a 74-23 overall record. Smith also plays club volleyball for Munciana.

“Very few players in America bring more energy to a volleyball court than Hannah Smith,” Shondell said. “The lightning quick defensive wizard from Wapahani was instrumental in leading the Raiders to the Indiana Class 2A State Championship this past fall. Very few players patrol and control a backcourt like Hannah does. She is a natural leader on the court and communicates with teammates as well as any player I have ever seen at the high school level. She plays the game with such passion that you almost have to see it to believe it! Hannah is another outstanding defensive specialist coming from Delaware County and the Munciana volleyball club, and we look forward watching her bring electricity and energy to Worthen Arena and Ball State volleyball.”

Seaman will join the Ball State women's volleyball program for the 2016 spring semester after completing her course work at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School a semester early. A setter for coach Brian Murray, Seaman helped the Chiefs turn in a 16-10 record her senior season by dishing out 443 assists and serving up 31 aces. A two-time Academic All-State selection, she also helped lead Brebeuf to the 2013 IHSAA Class 3A State Championship and finished her playing career with 675 assists, 73 aces, 203 digs and 172 kills. Seaman also plays club volleyball for Team Indiana, where she was a 2010 AAU All-American.

“We are extremely happy to have one of the finest high school setters in America join our team at Ball State,” Shondell said. “Amber brings a little bit of everything to our program. She comes from one of Indiana's finest high school volleyball programs and has been coached by a legendary coach in Brian Murray. Amber is an outstanding student in the classroom in addition to being an outstanding student of the game. She is what many coaches describe as being a “coach on the floor.” She competes with confidence and has great command of her team on the court. Amber is one of those players who will find a way to beat you, and that is what great players do. On the volleyball court Amber is fun to watch. She is solid in all aspects of the game, making her a complete player which is very unusual for a setter. She takes as much pride in playing great defense as she does in delivering a beautiful set for a hitter to crush. Amber's experience at both the high school and club level will allow her to make an impact on our team from the moment she arrives on campus, helping assure that the future of Ball State volleyball is in good hands.”

For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @SteveShondell on Twitter.

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