Ball State University Athletics
Women’s Volleyball Adds Four Recruits for 2017 Season
November 21, 2016 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - With her first recruiting class, Ball State women's volleyball head coach Kelli Miller has selected four high school standouts to bolster the program's offense and defense when they arrive on campus for the 2017 season.
Ali Finch (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) is set to join the Cardinals for the 2017 spring semester, while Avery Brown (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg), Kia Holder (Valparaiso, Ind./Morgan Township) and Grace Nelson (Bennington, Neb./Elkhorn) will begin their Ball State careers in the fall of 2017.
Brown, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter, earned second team all-state honors after helping guide Brownsburg to a 26-8 record her senior season. A three-time first team All-Hoosier Crossroads Conference selection, Brown smashed 389 kills and collected 205 digs as senior.
The team offensive MVP as a sophomore and senior, Brown helped guide the Bulldogs to a 103-24 record and three country championships over her four-year career. Brownsburg was ranked as high as second in the state and captured a conference title her junior year. She finished her career with 1,113 kills, 594 digs, 121 blocks and 80 service aces.
"Avery is going to be a fantastic addition to our program," Miller said. "She is a six rotation outside that is dynamic and plays with a ton of intensity. She has the ability to not just score at the net, but also pass and defend at a very high level. She is constantly working to better herself, whether that is in the weight room or on the court. That is the type of player we want in our program."
Holder, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, earned first team all-state and first team All-Porter Country Conference honors after helping guide Morgan Township to a 26-8 record her senior season. A three-time career all-conference honoree, Holder smashed 479 kills, hit .356, secured 111 digs, tallied 90 blocks and served up 57 aces as a senior.
Entering her senior season, Holder had been named the team's MVP once, was a two-time Defensive Award winner and picked up the program's Hitting Award once. She helped guide the Cherokees to a 93-37 record over her four-year career, as well as back-to-back sectional champions as a junior and senior. Holder finished her high school career with 1,233 kills, 562 blocks, 303 digs and 117 aces.
"Kia is going to be the most physical attacker we've added to our program in quite some time," Miller said. "She has a heavy arm and puts up a wall when she is blocking. She is a well-rounded athlete who is just going to continue to get better and better."
Finch, a 6-foot-0 setter, was named a top ten candidate for Michigan Miss Volleyball and to the Under Armour All-America Honorable Mention team after helping guide Cadillac to a 47-7-2 record her senior year. A second team all-state selection as a junior and a three-time all-region and All-Area Dream Team honoree, Finch dished out 1,063 assists, collected 395 digs, scored 306 kills, earned 93 blocks and served up 72 aces as a senior.
Over her three-year playing career for the Vikings, Finch helped guide the program to a 131-21-5 record, three district titles, three regional champions, a pair of conference titles and a semi-state runner-up finish. A two-time All-Big North Conference honoree, she accumulated 2,584 assists, 914 digs, 799 kills, 276 blocks and 72 aces over her career.
"Ali is coming to Ball State for the 2017 spring semester and I cannot wait to get her on campus," Miller said. "She is an incredible athlete and hard worker. She is a left-handed setter, but also has the ability to attack. Her versatility will make her a valuable asset to our program."
Nelson, a 5-foot-9 defensive specialist, helped guide Elkhorn to a 27-8 record as a senior. A two-time Defensive Award winner for the program entering the season, Nelson accumulated 665 digs and 24 aces as a senior.
Nelson was named to the Nebraska Prep All-State Third Team as a junior, and also garnered all-state honorable mention accolades a both a sophomore and junior. She helped guide Elkhorn to a 91-46 record over her four-year playing career, racking up 1805 digs and 73 service aces over 137 career matches.
"Grace is the type of player you love to watch," Miller said. "She has fantastic range on defense due to her natural ability to read attackers and quick first step. She has a great touch on the ball when she is passing and continuously lays pass after pass to target. Grace also plays with a ton of enthusiasm and passion which makes her really fun to watch."
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @VBCoachMiller on Twitter.
- BallStateSports.com -
Ali Finch (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) is set to join the Cardinals for the 2017 spring semester, while Avery Brown (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg), Kia Holder (Valparaiso, Ind./Morgan Township) and Grace Nelson (Bennington, Neb./Elkhorn) will begin their Ball State careers in the fall of 2017.
Brown, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter, earned second team all-state honors after helping guide Brownsburg to a 26-8 record her senior season. A three-time first team All-Hoosier Crossroads Conference selection, Brown smashed 389 kills and collected 205 digs as senior.
The team offensive MVP as a sophomore and senior, Brown helped guide the Bulldogs to a 103-24 record and three country championships over her four-year career. Brownsburg was ranked as high as second in the state and captured a conference title her junior year. She finished her career with 1,113 kills, 594 digs, 121 blocks and 80 service aces.
"Avery is going to be a fantastic addition to our program," Miller said. "She is a six rotation outside that is dynamic and plays with a ton of intensity. She has the ability to not just score at the net, but also pass and defend at a very high level. She is constantly working to better herself, whether that is in the weight room or on the court. That is the type of player we want in our program."
Holder, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, earned first team all-state and first team All-Porter Country Conference honors after helping guide Morgan Township to a 26-8 record her senior season. A three-time career all-conference honoree, Holder smashed 479 kills, hit .356, secured 111 digs, tallied 90 blocks and served up 57 aces as a senior.
Entering her senior season, Holder had been named the team's MVP once, was a two-time Defensive Award winner and picked up the program's Hitting Award once. She helped guide the Cherokees to a 93-37 record over her four-year career, as well as back-to-back sectional champions as a junior and senior. Holder finished her high school career with 1,233 kills, 562 blocks, 303 digs and 117 aces.
"Kia is going to be the most physical attacker we've added to our program in quite some time," Miller said. "She has a heavy arm and puts up a wall when she is blocking. She is a well-rounded athlete who is just going to continue to get better and better."
Finch, a 6-foot-0 setter, was named a top ten candidate for Michigan Miss Volleyball and to the Under Armour All-America Honorable Mention team after helping guide Cadillac to a 47-7-2 record her senior year. A second team all-state selection as a junior and a three-time all-region and All-Area Dream Team honoree, Finch dished out 1,063 assists, collected 395 digs, scored 306 kills, earned 93 blocks and served up 72 aces as a senior.
Over her three-year playing career for the Vikings, Finch helped guide the program to a 131-21-5 record, three district titles, three regional champions, a pair of conference titles and a semi-state runner-up finish. A two-time All-Big North Conference honoree, she accumulated 2,584 assists, 914 digs, 799 kills, 276 blocks and 72 aces over her career.
"Ali is coming to Ball State for the 2017 spring semester and I cannot wait to get her on campus," Miller said. "She is an incredible athlete and hard worker. She is a left-handed setter, but also has the ability to attack. Her versatility will make her a valuable asset to our program."
Nelson, a 5-foot-9 defensive specialist, helped guide Elkhorn to a 27-8 record as a senior. A two-time Defensive Award winner for the program entering the season, Nelson accumulated 665 digs and 24 aces as a senior.
Nelson was named to the Nebraska Prep All-State Third Team as a junior, and also garnered all-state honorable mention accolades a both a sophomore and junior. She helped guide Elkhorn to a 91-46 record over her four-year playing career, racking up 1805 digs and 73 service aces over 137 career matches.
"Grace is the type of player you love to watch," Miller said. "She has fantastic range on defense due to her natural ability to read attackers and quick first step. She has a great touch on the ball when she is passing and continuously lays pass after pass to target. Grace also plays with a ton of enthusiasm and passion which makes her really fun to watch."
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @VBCoachMiller on Twitter.
- BallStateSports.com -
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