The Penn State women’s volleyball team has its new recruiting class set for the 2012 season.
Unlike the past couple years, it’s a pretty small class.
The four-time defending national champion Nittany Lions have three young women lined up to join the program next year — a far cry from the nine and six freshmen from the previous two seasons.
No. 9 Penn State, which is on the road this weekend at No. 7 Illinois and Northwestern, will bring in setter and outside hitter Megan Courtney, defensive specialist Kendall Pierce and outside hitter Paulina Prieto.
Courtney has the biggest resume, coming from Kettering Archbishop Alter High School near Cincinnati, which is 19-9 and playing in the Ohio state semifinals Thursday. The Ohio All-State selection is a PrepVolleyball.com All- American and has spent time with the U.S. junior national program.
“We’re looking at her with the ability to set and hit and play all the way around,” Penn State coach Russ Rose said. “We’ve had her in camp for a couple of years. She’s a terrific talent.”
Heading into Thursday’s match, Courtney had put together 411 kills, 385 assists, 279 digs, 47 blocks and 20 aces for the season. She is averaging 5.2 kills per set, according to statistics posted on MaxPreps.
“She’s a very talented kid,” Rose said. “She’s wiry and really strong with a great arm and a high volleyball IQ.”
Rose was unable to comment on the other two commitments because of NCAA rules. Pierce will be a walk-on, fighting for the starting libero spot, while Prieto will be graduating early and enrolling at Penn State in January, and will initially not be on scholarship. Prieto will be the first member of the volleyball program to enroll early in classes.
Prieto, who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was the Miami Herald’s Miami- Dade Player of the Year last season when she racked up 381 kills, 366 digs and 81 blocks for Palmer Trinity High School. The 6-foot-2 outside hitter and her team are still playing in the Florida state tournament with a 26-3 record at the beginning of the week.
Pierce and her team from Eden High School, south of Buffalo, also are still alive in the New York State tournament after winning a sectional title Wednesday as they try to defend their state title. The 5-6 first-team All- State selection in 2010 is following a family legacy to Rec Hall. Her mother was a member of the Nittany Lions’ track and field team while her father played volleyball at Penn State from 1987-89, serving as team captain as a senior.
