Blue Mountain Community College’s volleyball program is back on the court with three returning players and a host of new freshmen ready to take on their first home match Aug. 30 against the College of Southern Idaho.
BMCC will see three returning players take the court this year. Brooke Lomica, a 5’11” setter/opposite hitter from Grants pass, will start her second year leading offense in both setting and hitting positions. Shelby Schreier, a 5’10” middle blocker/opposite hitter from Yakima, Wash., is a returning starter on the offensive side, and Kiana Scott, a 5’9” outside hitter from Kent, Wash., has transitioned into a new position this season.
BMCC Head Volleyball Coach Jessica Humphreys has a large freshman class of recruits who she’s excited to work with.
- Rose Love: 6’0” middle blocker from Maui, Hawaii
- Sirinya Yothawong: 5’5” libero from Maui, Hawaii
- Rainena Schenbeck-Chang : 5’2” libero from Oahu, Hawaii
- Brianna Cathers: 5’9” setter from St. Helens, Ore.
- Maddi Yule, 5’10” outside hitter from Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
- Tori Brownell, 5’5” libero from Cove, Ore.
- Haley VanLeuven, 6’0” outside hitter from Elgin, Ore.
- Sydney Neuman, 6’1” middle blocker from Puyallup, Wash.
- Erin Kelly, 5’10” outside hitter from Kuna, Idaho
“I’m excited about the energy of the new team,” Humphreys said. “A large number of freshmen contribute to that. We have a lot of good defense coming in, and we are excited for our new offense in the middle and outside hitter positions.”
Also new to the team this year is Assistant Coach Kendra DeHoog, a former Timberwolf who went on to play for Eastern Oregon University. DeHoog is also currently a student in BMCC’s nursing program. Five Timberwolves from the 2016 season signed National Letters of Intent to continue playing collegiate volleyball at four-year institutions:
- Miah Perez, a 5’8” outside hitter who earned All-Region NWAC honors in 2015 and 2016, and was a member of the 2015 Timberwolf NWAC Champion team, will play with the College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho.
- Kristin Williams, a 6’4” middle blocker from Pendleton who earned All-Region NWAC honors in 2015 and 2016, and was the 2015 NWAC Player of the Year and a member of the 2015 Timberwolf NWAC Champion team, is now playing for Division I University of Idaho.
- Jordan Mix, a 5’11” outside hitter who earned All-Region NWAC honors in 2015 and 2016, and was a member of the 2015 Timberwolf NWAC Champion team, will play for Division II University of Montana, Billings.
- Kylee Chavez, a 5’8” setter and a member of the 2015 Timberwolf NWAC Champion team, will play for NAIA Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa.
Karly Cantu, a 5’5” 2015 NWAC Champion defensive specialist and member of the 2015 Timberwolf NWAC Champion team, will play for NAIA Vanguard University.
