Northern Kentucky volleyball head coach Liz Hart has announced the addition of five signees for the incoming class of 2017. Next year’s incoming class will include Peytton Bagwell, Kaelin Gentile, Ashton Terrill, Maddy Weber and Bailey Western.
Bagwell is a 6-foot middle blocker out of Lexington, South Carolina. She was a three-year varsity letterwinner for the Gators and was voted the offensive player of the year for River Bluff. Bagwell was also a 5-AAAAA North/South All-Star selection and an all-region honoree. A captain for the Gators, Bagwell helped lead River Bluff to a 23-8 record during her senior year. She hit .317 with 227 kills, doubling her offensive output from 2015 when she tallied 110 kills at a .329 clip along with 50 blocks. Bagwell plays for Axis Elite Volleyball Academy under Mike Whitten in the club season and was part of an AAU National Championship team. Individually, Bagwell was honored as an Under Armour HS All-American nominee and was named to the AVCA Phenom Watch List. Bagwell also comes into the program carrying the same standard of academic excellence as the Norse, having earned AAU Academic All-America honors.
What Hart is saying about Bagwell: “Peytton’s speed and athleticism will transition well into our offense as a middle. We believe her lateral quickness will result in more closed blocks and help our overall defense.”
Gentile is another 6-foot prospect who will add depth to both the middle and right pin. The Kentucky native hails from Louisville, where she played for Sacred Heart Academy and was the 2015 recipient of the team’s Heart Award. The Valkyries posted a combined 73-11 record during her junior and senior seasons in which Gentile hit over .350 in both seasons with 364 kills between the two campaigns. Sacred Heart is coming off a KHSAA state championship, dropping just one set throughout four matches in the state tournament bracket. The Valkyries are subsequently the No. 1 team in Kentucky according to MaxPreps.com and also sit at No. 4 nationally. In the offseason, Gentile plays for KIVA under coach Sean Taylor
What Hart is saying about Gentile: “Kaelin’s versatility and blocking ability will allow us to utilize her in two positions. Her experience playing on top high school and club programs has made her a savvy, high-IQ volleyball player.”
The Norse will be looking to Terrill to contend for the big shoes that Lauren Hurley has left to fill in the libero spot. The 5-foot-8 signee received numerous honors for her play at Highland High School in Sparta, Ohio, as a four-time First Team Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference honoree and All-Ohio selection. Terrill was also named the Central District Player of the Year as a junior and senior, earning first-team district honors since she was a sophomore. Though joining the Norse as a defensive specialist, Terrill spent her high school career as a successful outside hitter with 941 career kills, hitting over .300 from the left pin in all four seasons, along with 1,350 career digs. She saved her strongest season for last, registering 407 kills and 459 digs as a senior. Terrill plays for Mintonette Sports under coach Max Miller in the club season and has helped her team to a top-20 finish in the past four seasons, the highest finish being the USAV Nationals 16 Open runner-up in 2015.
What Hart is saying about Terrill: “Ashton is a very polished libero with strong passing, defense and serving ability. She comes from an elite Mintonette volleyball club, which has teams compete for championships every year.”
Weber joins the Norse out of New Albany High School in Indiana. A 5-foot-11 outside hitter, Weber also adds defensive prowess in addition to her hitting ability, having led the Bulldoogs with a team-best 274 digs in 2016. This past season, New Albany went 25-10 on the year with Weber tallying 321 kills at a .274 clip, averaging over three kills per set. She was also named to the All-Hoosier Hills Conference team and earned academic all-state distinction during her senior campaign. During the club season, Weber plays under coach Andy Cavins for the Union 18-1 team in Louisville..
What Hart is saying about Weber: “Maddy’s heavy arm is a necessity on the pin in the Horizon League. She is a natural fit on the left with the ability to terminate a lot of balls. Her firee and tenacity will be great assets to the team.”
Western will be the tallest on the 2017 roster at 6-foot-1. The middle blocker out of Columbus East is a two-time Hoosier Hills Conference selection and all-star honoree, and was the Olympians’ most valuable player during her senior campaign after leading her team in both blocks and aces. During her last two years at Columbus East, Western notched more than 250 kills a season at over a .360 clip, including 417 kills while hitting .374 during her senior campaign. She has also been a defensive threat, with more than 160 blocks spanning her last two seasons. In the club season, Western plays for Circle City under coach Lori Jansen.
What Hart is saying about Western: “Bailey’s power, speed and natural skill to slide off one foot fits our middle system. Her athleticism makes her a big blocking presence at the net.”