Release from Iowa State.
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State volleyball team has made two additions to the roster for the 2014 season, ISU head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch announced Monday. Suzanne Horner joins the Cyclone program as a transfer from Mississippi State and Rachel Manriquez joins ISU as a walk-on for 2014.
Horner was a mid-term enrollee who has been practicing with the team and will be competing with the Cyclones during the spring schedule, which starts Saturday. In the fall, Horner will be a sophomore with three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Manriquez will join the ISU set-up in the fall prior to the start of the 2014 season.
A setter at MSU, Horner started in 30 matches for the Bulldogs last season. She led Mississippi State with 978 assists at 8.73 assists per set while also chipping in 194 digs at 1.73 digs per set. She posted five assist-dig double-doubles last season. Horner also brings quality as a server to the Big 12’s top serving squad, recording 32 aces last season, including five in a three-set win over Niagara.
“Suzanne already has a season of high-level college volleyball under her belt,†Johnson-Lynch said. “I knew her a bit when she was in high school. Although we did not get real far in the recruiting process, I really liked what I saw from her. I loved her potential, I loved her personality and she demonstrated great leadership skills. When she contacted us, and we were in need it seemed like a great fit. She is a great athlete and a great setter.â€
Horner is a native of State College, Pa., and played her high school volleyball at State College Area High School. A four-year starter, she helped lead the Little Lions to a pair of District Titles and a pair of trips to the AAA State Championships. Horner was a finalist for the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year award as a senior and was a PrepVolleyball.com Senior Ace.
Manriquez is a defensive specialist from Edmond, Okla. and will join the Cyclones as a freshman walk-on in the fall of 2014. A four-year starter letterwinner at Edmond North for coach Kimo Aweau, Manriquez helped lead the Huskies to runner-up finishes at the OSSAA 6A State Championship as a senior and as a sophomore. She also earned All-Tournament Team honors both seasons.
“Rachel is a late get for us,†Johnson-Lynch said. “Her platform as a passer really stood out to us. She was a great libero in high school and trained at a really high level. We feel we need to continue to bring in as many great passers into the program as possible, and I am excited to get Rachel this late in the process.â€
Manriquez, a three-time All-Edmond First Team honoree, recorded over 300 digs each of her four seasons for the Huskies. As a senior, she was named to the All-State team.
Horner and Manriquez bring Iowa State’s total to five new additions to the team for the 2014 season. The Cyclones made three additions during the November signing period, adding Branen Berta of Aurora, Colo., Alexis Conaway of Orange City, Iowa and Monique Harris of Clinton, Iowa. Harris enrolled at Iowa State at the start of the Spring 2014 semester, is practicing with the team and will be competing with the Cyclones during the spring volleyball season.
Iowa State opens its spring volleyball slate on Saturday by hosting a four-team tournament in Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones will play three matches against Omaha, Nebraska-Kearney and UNI, starting at 10 a.m.
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State volleyball team has made two additions to the roster for the 2014 season, ISU head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch announced Monday. Suzanne Horner joins the Cyclone program as a transfer from Mississippi State and Rachel Manriquez joins ISU as a walk-on for 2014.
Horner was a mid-term enrollee who has been practicing with the team and will be competing with the Cyclones during the spring schedule, which starts Saturday. In the fall, Horner will be a sophomore with three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Manriquez will join the ISU set-up in the fall prior to the start of the 2014 season.
A setter at MSU, Horner started in 30 matches for the Bulldogs last season. She led Mississippi State with 978 assists at 8.73 assists per set while also chipping in 194 digs at 1.73 digs per set. She posted five assist-dig double-doubles last season. Horner also brings quality as a server to the Big 12’s top serving squad, recording 32 aces last season, including five in a three-set win over Niagara.
“Suzanne already has a season of high-level college volleyball under her belt,†Johnson-Lynch said. “I knew her a bit when she was in high school. Although we did not get real far in the recruiting process, I really liked what I saw from her. I loved her potential, I loved her personality and she demonstrated great leadership skills. When she contacted us, and we were in need it seemed like a great fit. She is a great athlete and a great setter.â€
Horner is a native of State College, Pa., and played her high school volleyball at State College Area High School. A four-year starter, she helped lead the Little Lions to a pair of District Titles and a pair of trips to the AAA State Championships. Horner was a finalist for the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year award as a senior and was a PrepVolleyball.com Senior Ace.
Manriquez is a defensive specialist from Edmond, Okla. and will join the Cyclones as a freshman walk-on in the fall of 2014. A four-year starter letterwinner at Edmond North for coach Kimo Aweau, Manriquez helped lead the Huskies to runner-up finishes at the OSSAA 6A State Championship as a senior and as a sophomore. She also earned All-Tournament Team honors both seasons.
“Rachel is a late get for us,†Johnson-Lynch said. “Her platform as a passer really stood out to us. She was a great libero in high school and trained at a really high level. We feel we need to continue to bring in as many great passers into the program as possible, and I am excited to get Rachel this late in the process.â€
Manriquez, a three-time All-Edmond First Team honoree, recorded over 300 digs each of her four seasons for the Huskies. As a senior, she was named to the All-State team.
Horner and Manriquez bring Iowa State’s total to five new additions to the team for the 2014 season. The Cyclones made three additions during the November signing period, adding Branen Berta of Aurora, Colo., Alexis Conaway of Orange City, Iowa and Monique Harris of Clinton, Iowa. Harris enrolled at Iowa State at the start of the Spring 2014 semester, is practicing with the team and will be competing with the Cyclones during the spring volleyball season.
Iowa State opens its spring volleyball slate on Saturday by hosting a four-team tournament in Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones will play three matches against Omaha, Nebraska-Kearney and UNI, starting at 10 a.m.