Wayne State’s Class of 2023 volleyball recruits have a definite local flavor to them, as four of the six announced signings hail from the region.
Wayne State College head coach Scott Kneifl announced the signings today of six student-athletes who will attend Wayne State and play volleyball for the Wildcats in the 2023-24 academic year. The list includes area standouts Grace Baumert from Howells, Gracen Evans of Ponca, Laney Kathol of Hartington and Channatee Robles of Norfolk, along with Kaelyn Anderson of Elkhorn and Ella Myler of Missouri Valley, Iowa.
Anderson is a 5-foot-4 defensive specialist/libero from Elkhorn High School, where she was a starter in three sports – volleyball, basketball and track and field. As a senior, Anderson had 528 digs, averaging 6.1 digs per set for the Antlers to earn second-team All-Eastern Midlands Conference and Class B All-State honorable mention honors. Last spring, she ran a leg on the Class B eighth-place 400-meter relay team at the State Track Meet.
Baumert is a 6-foot-2 outside hitter from Howells-Dodge High School, starting three seasons in volleyball. This season, she led the Jaguars to a second straight state championship with a 29-4 record, matching an All-Class State Tournament record with 42 kills in the state championship match win over Overton. Baumert had 531 kills this season, averaging 5.8 kills per set with a .330 hitting percentage. She was Class D-1 All-State last season and was a second-team Class C-2 All-State selection as a sophomore. Baumert finished her high school career with 1,347 kills in just three seasons at Howells-Dodge with 683 digs and 147 service aces, and was a four-time first-team All-Conference honoree.
Evans, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter from Ponca High School, is a four-year starter in volleyball and track and field and a three-year starter in basketball. This season, Evans helped Ponca win the Lewis and Clark Conference championship with a 23-11 record and during her senior season surpassed 1,000 career kills and digs, averaging 4.2 kills and 4.2 digs per set. She earned All-Lewis and Clark Conference honors in basketball as a sophomore and junior and was All-State honorable mention in basketball as a junior.
Kathol is a 5-foot-11 middle hitter from Hartington Cedar Catholic High School, where she is a multi-sport standout in volleyball, basketball and track and field. This season she recorded 491 kills (4.9 per set) with 211 digs, 84 blocks and 53 service aces while leading the Trojans to a 27-10 record and the Class D-1 state title. Kathol was a Class D-1 All-State Second Team honoree as a sophomore in 2020. Last spring in track and field, Kathol was the Class C state champion in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:18.27 and placed third in the 400-meter dash (59.63) while running the anchor leg on the state champion 1,600-meter relay team. Kathol excels in the classroom, earning Academic All-State honors in volleyball, basketball and track and field.
Myler, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter from Missouri Valley High School in Iowa, is a four-year starter in volleyball and played club ball for Nebraska Elite while also competing in basketball and track and field in high school. Myler is a two-time All-Western Iowa Conference First Team selection along with KMALand Iowa Volleyball honoree. She went over 1,000 career digs this season as a senior and recorded a .358 hitting percentage while averaging 3.0 kills per set as a junior. Myler holds numerous school records, including most kills in a season and career and most career digs.
Robles, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter from Norfolk Catholic High School, is a three-year starter in volleyball while also starting in basketball and track and field. Robles helped the Knights to Class D-1 state runner-up honors this season, recording 519 kills and 324 digs as Norfolk Catholic finished with a 30-5 record. She closed her high school career with 1,180 kills and 1,060 digs in three seasons, playing on three state tournament teams including two state runner-up squads. Postseason honors include Norfolk Daily News Super Six this season, first-team Class C-2 All-State, All-Mid States Conference and All-Area First Team in 2020 as a sophomore.
