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Freshmen Class
With one of the strongest freshmen recruiting classes in the country, we will be adding four true freshmen to the roster. First, a new setter will be joining the squad from Jacksonville, Fla., and JJVA. Marissa Tandron will look to quarterback the offense from the start of the season, bringing with her a great high school career at the Episcopal School and four years of Team Florida High Performance. Joining her from her JJVA club team will be Claire Angelish from St. Simons Island, Ga. Claire will be our tallest recruit, standing 6-foot-3 and playing middle. Also a middle, Kendall Peterson hails from Louisville, Colo., and played on the Colorado Momentum, a USA Junior Olympic Qualifying team. Rounding out the freshmen class will be Katie Knight, an outside hitter and libero from Orlando, Fla., and OVA. Katie will bring outstanding ball control and a lethal back row attack to the squad.
Sophomore Class
Our sophomore class begins under the leadership of Shauna Shortal. Shauna had an impressive spring season, and she has made vast improvements in her attacking game. Also from Jacksonville, Shauna earned a 4.0 during her freshman year – continuing our academic dominance in the classroom! Fellow sophomore Lydia West saw this past fall from the sidelines as a redshirt; however, she will be looking to make her debut as an impact player immediately! Lydia has a contagious love for the game, and we can’t wait to see her on the floor in August. A new face will complete the sophomore class as Liga Strautniece will be a new force on the left side for the Knights. Liga began her career at Florida Gulf Coast before transferring to Lynn this fall. A native of Latvia, Liga will bring maturity and power to the floor.
Junior Class
Our core players will be made up of juniors this season. Lizzy Raffa, a product of Front Range VBC and Castle Rock, Colo., is the anchor to our offense and passing line. Lizzy has truly embraced her college experience at Lynn, becoming an RA this year – following in the footsteps of several of our other alums! Nikki Haben, another OVA grad, will look to reclaim her role as libero and make her mark on the Lynn record books – adding to her dig totals. Our final junior, Elyse Fleck, is from Oregon but loves the Florida sand! Elyse is a high-flying athlete - ready to make her presence felt in the middle again this season.
Senior Class
Can they really be seniors? Angie Caple seems like she should still be an underclassman, but it’s true – she’s a senior! Hailing from Naples, Fla., and Gulf Coast High School, Angie had a breakout junior season, narrowly missing all-conference honors. She will be counted on to guide this team back to the NCAAs and a run at a conference title. Fellow Senior Mandy McIntosh, another 4.0 student, will be ready to make her impact at the setting position and right side attacking spot. Mandy’s strive for perfection makes her the perfect senior leader for this young group. A surprise addition to the senior class is another transfer from Cal State – Bakersfield. Middle Blocker, Sara Aloisio, a native of Rome, Italy will add depth and experience in our middle slot. We needed to add that international flair back to our squad! I’m secretly hoping Sara will also teach me how to cook Italian food!
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