The fax machine in the Penn State volleyball offices in Rec Hall on Thursday finally delivered official word of a trio of recruits for next season.
In contrast to this year, with nine freshman making up nearly half the roster, head coach Russ Rose is bringing in a more modest collection of talent to the three-time defending national champions, who host Wisconsin at 7 p.m. tonight.
The incoming group includes two big hitters, Aiyanna Whitney and Nia Grant, along with some help for the back row with Dominique Gonzalez.
Whitney is the only recruit who is still in season with her high school program at Northern Valley in Old Tappan, N.J. The Golden Knights are 22-1 and progressing through the New Jersey State Tournament.
The 6-foot-5 right side and middle hitter, a top-20 Prep Volleyball Senior Ace, has posted 307 kills, 39 aces and 87 digs this year in matches played best-two-of-three. She was with the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Training Team in 2009 and comes from an athletic family, with two uncles playing professional soccer, and her stepmother is Pam Oliver, a sideline reporter for Fox Sports.
“Aiyanna’s a skilled net player,” Rose said. “But she has good ball-handling skills, a nice ser ve, she blocks well ... we’ve had her in camp and she’s a good prospect with a big frame.”
Grant has battled injuries during her senior year at Howland High School in Warren, Ohio, playing in just over half the team’s games as Howland finished 8-15. Also a top-20 Senior Ace, the 6-3 Grant had 187 kills, 88 digs, 42 blocks and 15 aces during her abreviated season. She had 320 kills, 65 digs, 47 blocks and 38 aces as a junior, and also played on the same club team as current Nittany Lion Blair Brown and assistant coach Kaleena Walters.
“She’s very athletic,” Rose said of Grant, who can touch 10-6. “She plays high. I think she can play middle or outside.”
Gonzalez is the first Penn State recruit from Texas since Mishka Levy, a member of the 1999- 2002 teams. The 5-5 Gonzalez has been a libero for her club team and the setter at Sandra Day O’Connor High School in San Antonio, which had its season come to an end Friday in the second round of the state tournament with a 29-13 record. She averaged 4.91 digs and 4.42 assists per set and notched 75 aces and 126 kills. She also had 556 digs and 38 aces as a junior.
“She’s a very skilled backrow player with the ability to both set as well as compete for the libero position,” Rose said. “She’s got a good nose for the ball and plays the game hard.”
