2022 Recruiting Class

[BeckysTXA]

TH posted a new “Rockstar Day” 6 days ago. Nothing up yet on RichKern.com yet, but I’m monitoring it. The 2022 class has two members so far. An excellent Libero in Karissa Kaminski and a 6’3” OH in Kaitlyn McNeal. Those two would fill JPete and Maura’s scholarships.

More to come when I have it. This commitment would have come shortly after the NCAA match against Washington. You have to love that because we gave them everything they could handle.

[BeckysTXA]

I’ve still got nothing on TH’s Rockstar post on April 22nd.

[BeckysTXA]

Finally....Dayton gets another 2022 recruit in DS/L Emily Young from Sacred Heart Academy out of Louisville, KY. She joins DS/L recruit Karissa Kaminski in this class. These two will replace Maura Collins and Liz House after this coming season, and join current Flyers Anna and Lexie to hold down the back row duties.

Welcome Emily.

[BeckysTXA]

The other member of this class is 6-3 OH Kaitlyn McNeel. We are very deep in hitters this year, but we will lose JPete, Swink and Asmus after this season, assuming no one adds their COVID year. I don’t know about Alli Papesch who would also be a senior this fall, unless she declares an injury redshirt. She was injured - recovering from surgery I believe. But played a little as a serving specialist this past spring. She might take an extra year under COVID or a redshirt?

[BeckysTXA]

Horsmon & Staff pick up the forth member of the 2022 class.

Mia Otten from Bartlesville, OK. I can’t remember a player from OK before. She’s a 6’3” Rightside OH. We are going to be so tall for so many years to come. I also like she is only listed as a Rightside OH on Rich kern’s site. This is the trend. You use to take a middle blocker from high school and convert them to RS OH. I have to think if you bring in a player who has been playing this position for several years, you’re not spending 2 years for them to learn the position. You can move straight to teaching your system and how you want that position to contribute.

Welcome Mia!

[Chris R]

One article last year said she had a visit to Pepperdine canceled due to Covid. Who knows how it played out but if Pepperdine was at least looking at her, thats a good sign.

She's a lefty.

[BeckysTXA]

Originally Posted by Chris R One article last year said she had a visit to Pepperdine canceled due to Covid. Who knows how it played out but if Pepperdine was at least looking at her, thats a good sign. She's a lefty.

And hitting from the right side, if you are a lefty, that helps you. It’s basically the same angles and arm swing as a right hand hitter on the left pin - which is called your strong side hitter. If you have a left handed setter, that is also an advantage and they play that right center corner also. In the case of a setter, her right shoulder is positioned at the net with the left shoulder “facing” the 10’ line. That allows the setter to surprise attack a pass without having to adjust her body. On past teams, Both Vondran and Selsky were left handed setters and very good at attacking.

[BeckysTXA]

In 2019, Mia was invited to participate in the USA Volleyball A-1 High Performance program. This is the top prep pipeline program for youth volleyball. Amelia Moore was invited to this program as a prep player. Other UD players have been too, but not a lot of them. My assumption is they did not have a 2020 event, so this would have been after her sophomore year in high school. This is her highlight video from the 2019 camp. She is #14. She did hit once from the left side, but everything else is from the right side. The two things I like most are her swings out of the back right position and her ability to serve a ball that curves right down the line to the far corner. That’s a hard serve to handle. It’s usually the opponents weakest serve receive player. Both of those skills will help Dayton. Right now we tend to hit out of the middle back position. If we can add back row swings from the right, it really makes it tough for your opponents to set a block and the back row defenders to cover the court. And in this video she is at the A-1 camp, so she is playing against top prep players, not some random high school team that has no D1 players.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsmH7YzYvzw

The video also really shows the cross court angles a lefty can create hitting from the right pin.

[BeckysTXA]

This class is looking to be strong. Kaminski from WI, McNeel from VA and Otten from OK were all named 1st a Team All-State as Juniors.

[BeckysTXA]

Took a while to get the info on the new recruit. I thought it might be a 2023, but it’s another 2022.

Liana Sarkissian from Cos Cob, CT. (I think our 1st player ever from CT)
6’4” MB/RS

Here is a video from her play at Nationals this past summer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4NkZdRg0os

There are a lot of times she is going against a single block, and the hitter almost always scores on those. So watch her against the double blocks. Seems to have a lot of shots - sharp angles, tools the blocks, tips well, hits it between the blockers if the block didn’t close, etc. Does a nice job. Tall and athletic.

Welcome Liana!

[Lifelong Flyer Fan]

Here is her signing announcement
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWV14LNl..._web_copy_link

[BeckysTXA]

Originally Posted by Lifelong Flyer Fan Here is her signing announcement https://www.instagram.com/p/CWV14LNl..._web_copy_link

That’s a really nice solo block from the left side. Great hops in that her arm pits are close to being as high as the net tape. And her extension over the net to stop the attack is text book perfect. She’s coming in as a MB & Opposite — which is another term for right side OH. But good to see she’s capable of playing left OH too. Horsmon likes to use his OHs from both sides.

[Lifelong Flyer Fan]

Another, mentioned above in May.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWW2NPjs..._web_copy_link
Note: There are videos included in both posts.

[Lifelong Flyer Fan]

A summary of the five signees
https://daytonflyers.com/news/2021/1...ng-period.aspx

[Lifelong Flyer Fan]

Rockstar tweet (transfer from Louisville)
https://twitter.com/DaytonVB/status/...rEsoywK1wZSS4Q

[BeckysTXA]

Brooke Smith, Junior OH/RS. This replaces Lia Hawkins and it looks like the staff found a good one. Recruited her out of high school but she went to Louisville. This will be the 2nd player TH brought back into the fold after a time at LV. Last one was Nicole Bateman. Two years in the LV program is solid experience even if she didn’t start or play much. They were loaded the last 2 years and went 30-1 last year. She will have at least 2 years and a third if she applied for a Covid year, but a lot of the players this year decided to move forward with their life. That didn’t surprise me.

So we are adding a lot of height in the fall. 6’4”, 6’3”, 6’3” and Smith at 6’2”

[BeckysTXA]

I would expect this addition to complete the roster, but TH has been known to bring in a last minute walk on, so we will see. Roster is loaded the next couple years.

Seniors - Grace Dynda
Juniors - Amelia Moore, Brooke Smith, Livie Sandt
Sophomores - Lexie Almodovar, Alyssa Miller, Brooke Nichols, Laney Yates, Lindsey Winner, Anna Wuensch
Freshman - Taylor Russell, Karissa Kaminski, Kaitlyn McNeel, Mia Otten, Emily Young, Liana Sarkissian

2023 Commit - Emory Hinckley, 6’2” Setter

[Lifelong Flyer Fan]

Horsman tweeted "Rockstar Day" about an hour ago. Someone is coming to Dayton but I don't who or what year. I just wanted to post some good news.
https://twitter.com/flyervbcoach/sta...eskbynat_RpR7w

[BeckysTXA]

Originally Posted by Lifelong Flyer Fan Horsman tweeted "Rockstar Day" about an hour ago. Someone is coming to Dayton but I don't who or what year. I just wanted to post some good news. https://twitter.com/flyervbcoach/sta...eskbynat_RpR7w

I’ve got to re-new my Richkern.com membership to pick up who. I might not get that done this week. It’s my busy time of the year and I’m traveling a lot. I have to call Rich because it’s lapsed. Not a simple process. Shouldn’t have let it expire. Lol

[Lifelong Flyer Fan]

Here is the announcement by the player. I found it on Alyssa's IG story. This is the link to the player's post.
She's 2023 so I also posted in that thread.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CehrSLKIKz4/