Rachel Van Gorp

Photo by: LUKE LU @KL6PHOTO

Position:
Libero
Height:
5-9
Class:
Sophomore
High School:
Heritage Christian Academy
Hometown:
Olathe, Kan.

Awards and Honors
AVCA National Libero of the Year (2025) ... AVCA Second Team All-American (2025) ... AVCA First Team All-Central Region (2025) ... Big 12 Libero of the Year (2025) ... All-Big 12 First Team (2025) ... Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (2025: Oct. 14, Nov. 4) ... All-Big 12 Rookie Team (2024) ... Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Oct. 29, 2024) ... CSC First Team Academic All-American (2025) ... CSC Academic All-District (2025) ... Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll (F25)

2025 (Sophomore)
Inaugural AVCA National Libero of the Year … named Second Team All-American, the only libero in the nation among 2025 All-Americans to be placed on first or second team … one of five underclassmen nationally selected for second team or higher … first underclassmen in Iowa State history to be placed as high as second team … fourth Iowa State All-American libero … AVCA First Team All-Region … unanimous choice for Big 12 Libero of the Year and All-Big 12 First Team … earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week Oct. 14 and Nov. 4 … had a career-high 33 digs in the NCAA Championship First Round victory vs. St. Thomas, the second-most by a Cyclone in a tournament match … put together a streak of 35 matches with 10-plus digs, totaling double-figure digs in every match but the final match at Minnesota (Dec. 6) … had 11 20-plus dig matches and two 30-plus … served four aces in two matches including in the NCAA Championship First Round, the T-No. 2 mark by a Cyclone in a tournament match … nearly had a digs-assists double-double with a career-high eight assists at Illinois (Sept. 20) … compiled a reception percentage of .980 on 543 receptions with just 11 errors … one of two Cyclones to play in all 118 sets across 31 matches.

2024 (Freshman)
Began as Iowa State’s libero in the first eight matches before injury and averaged 3.97 digs per set … transitioned into a front row hitter as ISU dealt with injury … named Big 12 Rookie of the Week Oct. 29 … had 20 digs vs. Wake Forest (Sept. 6) and at No. 9 Kansas (Oct. 23) … put up three 10-plus kill matches and had a career-high 11 vs. No. 24 BYU … had three double-doubles, with two being against ranked teams (No. 18 TCU, No. 24 BYU) … totaled 323 digs, 616 receptions (.966 percent), 92 kills, a team-leading 23 aces and three blocks … played across 102 sets in 25 matches.

High School
Four-year varsity starter at Heritage Christian Academy for coach Tom Slaughter and played club volleyball for KC Power ... totaled over 1,500 kills, 1,000 digs and 250 aces through high school career ... four-time Kansas State Volleyball Champion (Class 3A - 2023, 2022, 2021; Class 2A - 2020) ... 2023, 2022 and 2021 Kansas Class 3A Player of the Year ... four-time Kansas State Championship All-Tournament team .. four-time All-State honoree (First Team - 2023, 2022, 2021; Second Team - 2020) ... three-time Kansas Crossroads Conference Player of the Year (2023, 2022, 2021) and four-time First Team selection ... 2023 VolleyballMag.com Kansas Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American ... AVCA Phenom Watch List member ... also an outstanding track and field athlete, taking the 2024, 2023 and 2022 long jump and 2023 triple jump Class 3A state titles ... her long jump mark at the 2022 state meet was the longest among all classes ... set the longest long jump mark in Kansas 3A history as a senior (19-7 1/2) ... also notched six top-five state finishes throughout the 100m, 200m and 400m dash ... 14-time regional champion in the long jump, triple jump, 100m, 200m and 400m ... four-time Heritage Christian Academy Outstanding Female Track and Field Athlete.

Personal
Majoring in kinesiology ... mother, the late Janice Ninemire who also wore No. 10, played volleyball at Iowa State from 1987-90 and was an All-Big Eight First Team selection ... Ninemire still ranks sixth in all-time career aces (122), 14th in matches played (120), 18th in digs (1,001) and 25th in kills (833) in ISU history.