ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – UCF volleyball head coach Todd Dagenais announced his 2018 signing class on Wednesday. Five high school student-athletes have elected to continue their careers as Knights.
Briana Garcia, Kathryn Wesolich, Bailey Wilson, Amber Olson and McKenna Melville have committed to play collegiately for UCF starting in the 2018 season.
"If you look at the setting, the ball control, the depth in the middle, we really hit a great recruiting class for what we needed at this time," Dagenais said. "Adding these players to our program will fill the holes and help raise the standard of UCF Volleyball. Looking forward, even though we will be young for a few years, we're going to be really good as these players mature."
Olson is a 6-foot setter out of Cary, Ill., and the sister of current UCF setter Erin Olson. A three-year letterwiner for the Cary-Grove Trojans, Olson tallied a career-high 645 assists as a junior to earn All-Area and All-Fox Valley honors. The Olson-Olson setting tandem guided the Trojans to a third-place finish at state in 2015 when the younger was a sophomore. Olson also plays softball for Cary-Grove and is a member of the National Honor Society. She spent her club seasons with Sky High.
"We knew it was time to look to the future for our setter position," Dagenais said. "We were actually recruiting Amber before we talked to Erin. Amber has the ability to be a great setter in a 6-2 or a 5-1 offense. She has the volleyball IQ and an unbridled passion for the game. I see her having an impact on the program for many years."
A 6-foot right side from League City, Texas, Garcia was named a 2017 Under Armour All-American Honorable Mention. Garcia is hitting .299 with 4.3 kills per match this season with Clear Falls High School. Following her junior season when she averaged 4.25 kills per set, she received All-State and VYPE FAB 50 honors. Garcia was also named to the AVCA Phenom List in 2015 and guided the Knights to Texas runner-up honors. During her club career, she splayed for 18 Rox. Garcia is also a highly-touted hurdler and will join the UCF Track & Field program in Jan. 2019.
"We're really excited about Briana and her athletic ability," Dagenais continued. "She's a Texas class track athlete. She is one of the top volleyball players in Texas. She can play all the way around, which is unique for a lefty. She can have a really big impact on our team. Her athleticism will allow her to contribute instantly."
From Eagan, Minn., Melville is a 6-foot-1 libero that played outside for Eagan High School this season. On Tuesday, she was named the Minneapolis Metro Player of the Year by the Star Tribune. Melville earned All-State honors as a junior to go along with three All-South Suburban selections. Melville has played a substantial role in the Wildcats' back-to-back Minnesota State Championships, as well as its No. 1 seed in this year's event. Melville is a member of the National Honor Society. She played club for Northern Lights.
"McKenna, to most, is the top libero in the Minneapolis area, if not the entire state of Minnesota," Dagenais added. "She's a huge pickup for us. She will provide instant competition at libero, which is something our program needs. Jordan Pingel wants someone to push her every single day, and McKenna can do that. McKenna is one of the more well-rounded players that we've ever recruited. She can pass, play defense, set and be a hitter at this level. She is a consummate volleyball player. We're excited about having a five or six-tool player in our gym."
Wesolich is a 6-foot-2 middle blocker from Wildwood, Mo. A two-time Missouri state champion at Lafayette High School, Wesolich has been unstoppable during her senior campaign with a .326 hitting percentage. While the postseason awards have not been announced yet, she was named to the 2017 Under Armour All-America Watch List. During her club season last year with High Performance Royal, she took her team to a fifth-place finish at the Junior National Championships. In addition to a stellar volleyball career, Wesolich was a member of the Duke Talent Identification Program and the Lafayette Student Council.
"I went to watch Kathryn, and I instantly fell in love with her quickness and athleticism," Dagenais stated. "She's the prototypical type of fast-twitch middle that we want in our program. She's versatile enough to play multiple positions, which will allow us to unleash her athleticism as she adjusts to the collegiate game."
Standing 5-feet-4, Wilson has been a four-year starter at libero at Plant High School in Tampa. She has amassed more than 250 digs over the last three seasons, including a 4.53 digs per set tally as a junior. Wilson has been a mainstay on the Plant Panthers' back row for three district titles. As a member of the Orlando Tampa Volleyball Association, Wilson has guided her team to a trio of Junior National Championship berths and was ranked 23rd in the nation last season.
"Bringing in Bailey Wilson, she certainly has a fire and passion in the back court," Dagenais said. "She has the ability to grow into a great ball control player for us. We have the numbers on defense, but we wanted to add more skill to the mix, and that's something that we're definitely going to get in the back row with Bailey."
As for the current Knights squad, UCF will be back at The Venue this weekend for matches against Tulane and Houston.
