Cyclone Volleyball Welcomes Four on Signing Day

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State volleyball program made four additions to its program for the 2017 season during the National Letter of Intent signing period, head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch announced Thursday. ISU will welcome defensive specialist Izzy Enna of Kansas City, Missouri, middle blocker Meegan Hart of St. Charles, Illinois, setter Piper Mauck from Des Moines and middle blocker Avery Rhodes from Waco, Texas. The class features three top-100 recruits in PrepVolleyball.com's Class of 2017 rankings with Mauck the highest at No. 24.

"This class is exactly what we were looking, and hoping for," Johnson-Lynch said. "We wanted to bolster our middle blocking with size and athleticism, add a high-level setter and have more depth at defensive specialist/libero. We are very excited to add this group to an already experienced and talented team."

Izzy Enna: DS/L, Kansas City, Missouri
Enna is a four-year letter winner at Staley High School, where she was a three-time All-Conference honoree heading into her senior season, for which she served as team captain. A PrepVolleyball "Defensive Dandy", Enna averaged 4.1 digs per set as a senior while being a major contributor behind the service line with 55 aces. She plays her club ball for KC Power, where she has seen her team advance to Junior Nationals the past three seasons.

"Izzy has played a very high level for several years," Johsnon-Lynch noted. "She's got a great platform, and feel for the game. I really like her demeanor: nothing seems to phase her, she's consistent and you can count on her, and those are all things our great defensive players have had in common. Izzy's experience playing at the highest and most-competitive levels will be a tremendous advantage for her."

Meegan Hart: MB, St. Charles, Illinois
Hart, the No. 85 recruit in the Class of 2017 per PrepVolleyball, is a four-year letterwinner at Rosary High School in Aurora, Illinois. Hart, her team's MVP and an all-conference selection as a junior, has had a massive senior season, averaging 2.9 kills per set at a .517 hitting percentage while also contributing 1.1 blocks per set and 0.6 aces per set for the Royals. Hart played for Club Fusion in the Chicagoland area, and has had a successful run there as well. She is a two-time Junior Volleyball Association (JVA) Watch List Honoree, and was named to the 2016 JVA All-National Team.

"I am really excited about Meegan's potential," Johnson-Lynch commented. "She has the prototype middle blocker body – long arms, long limbs and a nice presence as a blocker. She has fast feet, is quick off the net to hit and is quick laterally as a blocker. She, also, has played at a very high level for several years, so she'll arrive with a great understanding of the game. Meegan has the potential to be a force for us in the middle."

Piper Mauck: S, Des Moines, Iowa
Mauck, who will enroll at Iowa State at the start of the Spring 2017 semester, ranks No. 24 in the PrepVolleyball Class of 2017 rankings is tied for the third-highest ranked recruit in program history, will be making the short trip up to Ames after a successful career at Roosevelt. Recently named an AVCA/Under Armour High School All-America Honorable Mention, Mauck is a three-time member of the CIML Elite Team and was honorable mention All-State as a junior. In her senior campaign, Mauck averaged 8.52 assists, 2.45 digs, 1.24 kills and 1.15 digs per set. She has played her club volleyball the past two years for Iowa Power Volleyball Alliance, which was where current Cyclone Sami Hillmer and former Cyclones Taylor Goetz and Tory Knuth also played their club ball.

"Piper is an extremely physical athlete who happens to be a setter," Johnson-Lynch said. "She is tall, she jumps well and can play high above the net. She has proven herself to be a great competitor and leader for her high school and club teams. When you watch her play, her joy and love for the game is contagious. Piper will be graduating early, and joining us in the spring. My staff and I are incredibly excited to get this jump on working with her and mixing her in with our current team."

Avery Rhodes: MB, Waco, Texas
Rhodes, No. 91 in the PrepVolleyball Class of 2017 rankings, was also named an AVCA/Under Armour High School All-America Honorable Mention. A 6-2 middle blocker, Rhodes' Waco Midway team has been among the top high school teams in 2016, racking up a 42-4 record on the year. Rhodes has put away her 1.9 kills per set at a .336 hitting percentage while also contributing 1.2 blocks per set. A two-time all-district honoree heading into her senior campaign, she currently plays her club volleyball for Austin Junior Volleyball.

"Avery is an elite athlete," Johnson-Lynch said. "When I first started watching Avery, she was a raw athlete with tons of potential. Over the past year, she has really come into her own, and has become a skilled, dominant middle blocker. She's very good on the slide, and that alone makes her a great addition. She's a smooth blocker, who moves easily along the net. I love that she had an immediate connection to Iowa State, and our program, and she is itching to get started with her college volleyball career."