D3 Volleyball and Underdog Talk

Daytona State OPP Julia Rienks is heading to D1 Virginia Commonwealth; Rienks’ top ’23 stats: 312 kills, 12 service aces, 365.0 total points.

DMACC L/DS Kenya Post is going to be an Iowa Hawkeye– her top ’23 numbers– 39 service aces, 803 digs, 108 assists.

Odessa MH Liliana Mechura is transferring to Kent State:–top ’23 stats-224 kills, 80 total blocks, 274 total points.

NMMI-Vitoria Oliveira is heading to Bradley, where she’ll join another JUCO transfer (Polk State’s Irene Mostardini-referred to several entries back)-Vitoria’s ’23 numbers; 399 kills,41 service aces, 142 total blocks, 519.5 total points.

Parkland OH Bri Struck is going to Eastern Michigan; Her ’23 top stats; 365 kills, 413.5 total points.

Sophomore L/DS Tam Nguyen is going from D3 Blackburn to D1 Alabama A&M.

In ’23 she led Blackburn in Digs (408).

In the Portal:

Manon Braunstsffer- Monroe College Jr MB Top ’23 Stats: 220 kills, 276.5 total points, 37.0 total blocks

Teammate Isabela Vos- Jr OPP/MH Top ’23 Stats: 68 kills, 28.0 Total Blocks

Abigail Beaton-North Idaho- Jr OPP/MH Top ’23 Stats: 256 kills, 69 Total Blocks, 295.5 Total Points

Andrea Barrera -Umpqua CC –RSo OH/MH Top ’23 Stats: 211 kills, 78 Total Blocks, 263.5 Total Points

Sophomore OH Olivia Melton is transferring from Indian River State to D1 Memphis

Melton’s top ’23 stats: 196 kills, 134 digs, 8 service aces.

Per Instagram, NJCAA is getting 2 players from outside of the US.

New Mexico Military Institute is getting a player from Brazil, and Laramie County Community College is getting one from Poland. NMMI lost out in a real dogfight and didn’t make the finals in ’23. Laramie County CC was ranked for a bit in its’ respective poll briefly.

At last check, still plenty of JUCO players in the portal yet.

Several Polk State players have entered the portal:

Irene Mostardini L/DS JR Top ’23 stats-445 digs, 34 Service Aces–NOTE: Word per “X” is that she has transferred to NCAA D1 Bradley.

Karolina Zubkova OH/OPP/DS JR Top ’23 stats- 133.0 total points, 128 digs.

Carolina Guerriero-Cruz OH/OPP JR Top ’23 stats- 156 digs, more than 200 total points, 207 kills,

Madison O’Sullivan Setter, JR Top ’22 stats: 481 assists 155 digs (played in only 2 matches in ’23).

Several players from Tyler JC have entered the portal:

Alexa Hayes – OPP ’23 Top stats: 310 kills, 77 total blocks, 366.0 total points

Amelia Robertson – DS/Libero ’23 Top stats: 287 digs, 32 service aces

Jaelyn Cleveland – MB ’23 Top stats: 165 kills, 43 service aces, 86 total blocks, 260 total points.

Manoela Rosa – DS/Libero ’23 Top stats: (in relief of Robertson) 8 assists, 31 digs (26 sets played)

Hayes has finished 1 year, the other 3 have finished 2 years.

A general look tells me that that squad was in a real dogfight with several other top JUCO Texas and New Mexico squads in in-conference play.

Sarah Pipping – OH, JR going from D2 West Georgia to D2 Georgia College; Top ’23 stats: 248.0 Total Points (3rd on W GA squad); 230 kills (2nd)

Amanda Lisi -S, JR going from Lincoln Memorial to MN-Moorhead; Top ’23 stats: 556 assists, 137 digs

Kendall Harrington – OPP JR going from CSU Pueblo to Texas A&M Kingsville; Top ’23 stats: 313.0 Total Points 289 kills, 34.0 Total Blocks

Caroline Dillard -Wooster SR OH/RS: ’23 Top Stats– 235 kills, 270.5 total points (led squad in both categories).

BONUS: ’23 Top JUCO player Rossana Papa (Cowley JC) has signed with D1 Missouri State; Papa’s squad went 81-1 during her 2 seasons there-she’ll be in a real dogfight for playing time, but I believe she’ll still make her presence felt. 

There are a lot of JUCO players from Florida and Texas schools in the transfer portal. I put this in my “from top dog to underdog” department.)

(Wonder how my D3 West Region connection will react to that JUCO news).

Another player has entered– SUNY Old Westbury’s Rachelle Marrero Sophomore S/L/DS

Last stats I found are from the ’22 season: 314 assists, 14 service aces, 109 digs, 76,5 total points. Another one with some versatility here.

The same disclaimer I put in my previous post applies here and for all other similar updates, (no matter what level), should I post more in the future.

Albion -Mariah Brenz S -Graduate Student: ’23 Stats: 893 Assists, (led squad) 8.27 Assists/Set, 28 Service Aces, 282 digs. (Well balanced on offense and defense).