Category: College

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Within the space of just six days, Appalachian State volleyball will play Louisiana three times, including early in next week’s Sun Belt Conference Championships on Thursday, Nov. 17, High Country Sports learned through back channels (the seedings will not be made official until Sunday, after the conclusion of conference play). By “spreading the love” on Nov. 11, the Mountaineers got the first tilt against the Ragin’ Cajuns out of the way with a sweep, 3-0, in front of almost 400 fans at the Holmes Convocation Center.

All three of the sets were nail biting thrillers, especially the first and third. Set scores: 25-23, 25-20, 26-24. The action was fast paced with precise sets and thunderous kill shots on offense, as well as acrobatic digs on defense.

“One of our objectives tonight was to feature a well-balance offensive attack,” Mountaineer head coach Sarah Rumely Noble explained to High Country Sports after the match. “That means we wanted to spread the love, get the ball to different playmakers and not be predictable.”

In a rotation that featured 10 Mountaineer players, all of them taking part in all three sets, five of them had six or more kills, led by Lulu Ambrose and McCall Denny with a dozen apiece, then Maya Winterhoff and Sarah Missroon with 7 each, plus Meghan Dombrowski with six. In Rumely Noble’s parlance, that is “spreading the love.”

The first set was a see-saw battle all the way to match point. It saw the score tied 10 times, with the lead changing hands three times. While App State had a 17-13 advantage in kill shots, the Ragin’ Cajuns stayed close with three service aces.

In the second set, the Mountaineers jumped out to a 12-4 lead before Louisiana went on a 6-2 run to shrink the home team’s advantage to 14-10. But App State got back in synch and held on to win the set, 25-20, with the final two kill shots by Winterhoff to put the set away.

The third set was another nip-and-tuck affair and not decided until overtime. The Ragin’ Cajuns led at 18-14 and seemed on the threshold of sending the match into a fourth set — until kills by Dombrowski, Missroon, Kara Barnes, and Denny propelled the Mountaineers into a tie at 21-21, then into the lead on a Sam Bickley service ace at 24-23. Another kill by Ambrose gave the Mountaineers match point at 25-24, before Dombrowski and Missroon combined to block the Ragin’ Cajuns final kill shot attempt.

“We wanted to play super clean tonight,” said Denny in speaking with High Country Sports after the match. “That means not making high errors and not being high errors. That is something we did really well tonight. We may have swept them in the first game but I expect it will be harder in the next one (on Saturday, Nov. 12) and then in Round 1 of the tournament.

“We never expected to sweep,” Denny added, “but Coach Sarah always says, ‘Whatever it takes to win.’ We had some trouble earlier in the season to win the first and second sets and we were able to get those tonight. Being down in the third was actually good for us because it challenged us to work and come back… We are playing really well right now as a team, not as all individual parts.”

Winning 10 out of the last 11 matches is giving the Mountaineers a lot of confidence going into the tournament.

“When she became the new coach, she made some changes in our offensive and defensive schemes, including changing some of the players’ primary roles,” said Denny. “She told us at the beginning that we would be playing our best volleyball in November, and she was right.”

Rumely Noble was similarly enthusiastic about the Mountaineers prospects going into the tournament.

“We were firing on all cylinders tonight and pretty well balanced. All of our attackers were able to put up some good numbers. It wasn’t just one star. When we are balanced, we become much harder to defend. Our opponent doesn’t know who we are going to set in any particular moment,” said Rumely Noble.

Being her first year at the helm of the Mountaineers, Rumely Noble inherited her roster, so getting the players to buy into what and how she wanted the team to play was job No. 1.

“Our goal is to get better every day, to get better every time we put the jersey on. We wanted to be playing our best volleyball at the end of the season and we are doing that. Now I believe our brand of volleyball is good enough to compete with anybody,” said Rumely Noble. “The biggest thing for us was developing a strong offensive system and a strong defensive system, getting everyone on the same page of ‘This is how we are playing offense. This is how we are playing defense.’ We picked a couple of things to get really good at, at the beginning, as opposed to 20 things to get mediocre at. We are all serving the same way. We all look the same when we serve.  And our service tonight was very good. That is something they can trust in.

“Any time you are changing systems, it just takes a lot of repetitions,” said Rumely Noble. “We inserted (the changes) last January when we got to practice, but it hasn’t all started to come together until the last month, really. We are a very different team, even though we have the same pieces than when we started the season in August.”

App State will take on the Ragin’ Cajuns again on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 1 p.m. at the Holmes Convocation Center.

SELECTED TEAM STATS (3-set totals)

• Kills – App State 76, UL 67
• Service Aces – App State 3, UL 8
• Blocks – App State 9, UL 7
• Attack Errors – App State 14, UL 19
• Set Assists – App State 43, UL 33

SELECTED INDIVIDUAL STATS (3-set totals)

• APP – Lulu Ambrose 12 kills, 2 total blocks, 2 digs
• APP – McCall Denny 12 kills, 9 digs
• APP – Maya Winterhoff 7 kills, 7 digs, 3 total blocks
• APP – Sam Bickley 20 assist, 6 digs
• APP – Sophie Cain 16 assists, 7 digs
• UL – Coco Gillett 10 kills, 10 digs
• UL – Cami Hicks 6 kills, 2 service aces, 4 total blocks
• UL – Siena Decambra 21 assists, 3 kills, 8 digs
• UL – Paige Guidry 3 service aces, 6 digs

 

 

 

 

 

By Katherine Jamtgaard for App State Sports. RICHMOND, Ky. – Playing its second straight road game to open the 2022-23 women’s basketball season, App State fell, 95-63, to Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 11.

Redshirt senior Janay Sanders led the Mountaineers with 13 points and three assists, while graduate transfer Lauren Carter and sophomore Emily Carver added 10 points apiece.

App State forced EKU into 17 turnovers with the Mountaineers collecting seven steals, but it was the Colonels’ hot shooting that determined the outcome in this matchup. EKU shot 48.4 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from behind the 3-point line, making 12 of 28 3-point attempts.

Danielle Rainey drained eight 3-pointers on her way to 30 points, while Antwainette Walker added 26 for the Colonels.

The Mountaineers fell into an early hole as the Colonels led 15-4 after the first five minutes.

App State used a Brooke Bigott 3-pointer and Sanders free throw to cut the lead to three at 21-18 in the second quarter, but that was as close as the visiting team would get the rest of the night.

EKU beat App State for the second straight year. The Colonels came away from Boone with an 89-84 double-overtime victory last season.

App State will host its home opener Monday against Lees-McRae (6:30 p.m., ESPN+).

By Katherine Jamtgaard for App State Sports. LOUISVILLE, Ky. – App State junior Oliver Wilson-Cook and sophomore Linnea Maynard led the charge for the Mountaineers in the men’s 10K and women’s 6K, respectively, at the NCAA Southeast Regional in Louisville, Ky. on Friday.

Wilson-Cook placed 56th individually in the men’s race with a personal best 10K time of 31:01.1. Junior Ben Datte and sophomore Chase Burrell were next to cross the finish line, clocking personal bests of 31:40.4 and 31:40.6 to place 82nd and 83rd, respectively. Sophomore Dwayne Lillie clocked a 10K personal best of 32:02.3 to place 99th overall. The men’s squad placed 14th in the team standings with 418 points. The men’s team also placed 14th at last season’s regional meet.

In the women’s 6K, Maynard clocked a time of 22:33.3, finishing 114th overall. Next to cross the finish line was junior Annie Amundsen, who stopped the clock at 22:44.1 (PR) and sophomore Karsyn Kane, who clocked a time of 22:46.5 (PR). In the team standings, App State placed 26th with 695 points.

Charlotte’s Nickolas Scudder clinched first in the men’s race with a time of 29:42.8 to advance to the NCAA Championships. North Carolina and Virginia took first and second in the team standings, punching their tickets to Stillwater, OK. Joining Scudder as individual automatic qualifiers are Furman’s Dylan Schubert, Virginia Tech’s Antonio Lopez Segura, and NC State’s Ian Shanklin.

NC State’s Katelyn Tuohy took the women’s individual crown with a time of 19:49.1, leading NC State to a first-place team finish and automatic qualification to the NCAA Championships. North Carolina placed second in the team standings to advance to the championships. Kentucky’s Tori Herman and Perri Bockrath, Furman’s Bethany Graham, and Duke’s Amina Maatoug punched their individual tickets to the championship race.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — It is why they play the full 40 minutes of college basketball. Pesky defense to force turnovers late in the second half along with a strong scoring surge allowed Appalachian State to rally from a 9-point deficit to win in overtime over North Carolina Central, 79-74, on Nov. 10 at the Holmes Convocation Center.

After setting a single-game scoring record against a clearly outmatched Warren Wilson College three nights earlier, expectations were high among the 2,145 mostly Mountaineer fans scattered about the arena just before a holiday weekend. The key question: how would the revamped Mountaineers do against a NCAA Division I opponent?

Answer: pretty well. NC Central may well compete in the shadow of another Durham-based team that rhymes with “Luke,” but the Eagles are hardly a pushover. Earlier in the week, NCCU rallied from a 16-point first half deficit to lead No. 18-ranked Virginia in the second half before succumbing to a late, 15-2 Cavalier run, losing 73-61.

Fast forward to the Holmes Center and the scenario was eerily similar. The Mountaineers jumped out to an early lead and looked to pull away, but the Eagles tied the game at 13-13 with 9:21 remaining in the first half when App State couldn’t seem to buy a basket. The Mountaineers’ long distance attempts repeatedly clanged off the rim into the waiting arms of an Eagle rebounder. NCCU outrebounded the Mountaineers on this night, 42-33.

Meanwhile, led by Eagles starter Justin Wright and teammate Devin Butts coming off the bench to score 9 and 7 first half points, respectively — along with 6 first half rebounds by Cameron Butler of App State shots gone awry — NC Central led by five at the break, 33-28.

Part of the reason App State seemed out of sync early on was perhaps explained by senior forward Donovan Gregory’s exiting early in the first half, sitting on the bench in foul trouble. After things looked bleak for the Mountaineers when NCCU expanded the lead to 9 points just two minutes into the second half, Gregory looked to take charge. He helped eat into the Eagles’ lead, although NCCU always seemed to answer back. The visitors led by 8 with 11:16 remaining and expanded it to a 9-point advantage again at the 8:09 mark.

That is where the Mountaineers took control. Forcing Eagle turnovers and converting them into points on the offensive end, the Mountaineers found knew life. While 3-pointers by junior C J Huntley kept a potential rally viable in the early going, it was Gregory, sophomore guard Terence Harcum, and graduate transfer Tyree Boykin (Union University) who keyed the offensive resurgence to tie the game at 54-54 with under six minutes to play in regulation.

NCCU edged back ahead on a foul shot and then a fast break dunk by athletic center Brendan Medley-Bacon receiving a nifty, underhanded pass from beneath the basket by guard Eric Boone, to lead 57-54, but when App State’s own big man, freshman Justin Abson answered with a dunk of his own on the other end, it was “game on” for the Mountaineers.

Gradually, App State inched ahead, but led by only three points with seconds remaining. Only a desperation buzzer beater seemingly from Valle Crucis by the Eagles’ Wright as time expired sent the game into overtime.

For the extra five minute period of OT, App State dominated from the outset, at one point leading by 7 points thanks to Boykin and a couple of thundering 3-pointers from the corner by Huntley that got the Holmes Center rockin’.

After the game, Mountaineer head coach Dustin Kerns had nothing but compliments for the gritty performance of North Carolina Central, as well as the resilience of his App State team.

“That is a really great win for our team,” said Kerns. “I am really proud of our team. I thought we made some tough plays down the stretch on both ends.”

Kerns particularly noted the contributions of Gregory, offensively, even when he didn’t have the ball. As an example, he suggested that Gregory’s setting screens at the top of the key actually was the start of 3-pointers by Huntley from the corner, allowing him to get open.

The 2022-23 version of the Mountaineers seem to have a lot of interchangeable parts, with a lot of new faces after losing 2021-22 seniors Justin Forrest, Michael Almonacy, Adrian Delph and James Lewis, Jr.

Asked by High Country Sports about the expected rotation and roster depth this year, Kerns said, “I think we are going to go 10-deep every night. There will be nights (certain) players… will play more. I think the strength of our team now is our depth. It may be different people every night. We found a group of guys that were really playing well together, but those other guys will be in there on any given night.”

App State’s next test will be at Louisville on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 6 p.m., broadcast on the ACC Network/ESPN.

SELECTED TEAM STATS

• Field Goal % – NCCU 40%, APP 41%
• 3FG% – NCCU 36%, APP 38%
• Free Throw % – NCCU 85%, APP 65%
• Turnovers – NCCU 14, APP 8
• Total Rebounds – NCCU 42, APP 33
• Offensive Rebounds – NCCU 7, APP 6
• Bench Points – NCCU 24, APP 15
• Fast Break Points – NCCU 8, APP 2
• Blocked Shots – NCCU 2, APP 8
• Time in Lead – NCCU 24:40, APP 17:23

SELECTED INDIVIDUAL STATS

• APP – CJ Huntley: 9 rebounds, 18 points, 1 steal, 1 block
• APP – Tyree Boykin: 20 points, 3 assists, 1 block, 1 steal
• APP – Donovan Gregory: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
• APP – Terence Harcum: 14 points, 1 block, 3 assists
• APP – Justin Abson: 5 blocks, 8 rebounds, 6 points
• NCCU – Justin Wright: 17 points, 6 rebounds
• NCCU – Eric Boone: 8 rebounds, 10 points, 2 steals
• NCCU – Brendan Medley-Bacon: 16 points, 2 blocks
• NCCU – Devin Gordon: 10 points, 6 rebounds

 

 

By Bobby Neal for App State Sports. BOONE, N.C. — App State softball has added eight newcomers to the 2023-24 roster, head coach Shelly Hoerner announced Wednesday.

“We are excited about this 2023 class,” Hoerner said. “We have spent much time getting to know them on and off the field, which will help us coach them to great success. We want to know what makes them tick so we can get the most out of them. These eight exemplify what we are all about at App State softball: blue-collar, grit, competitive and ‘ALL IN’-culture players. Their talent will continue to help elevate our program to what we have already been building here on the mountain. We love what they bring to the field and their character even more.”

Grace Barrett
Milton, Ga. / Cambridge High School
During her four years as a varsity starter at Cambridge, Barrett was named first-team all-region twice and earned honorable mentions for the team during the two previous years. During her senior year, she was named all-region in the pitcher and shortstop positions. She was also named the pitcher of the year. Barrett was also named to the Gold Glove team for her impressive play at shortstop. She was the MVP of her team as a junior, which led to her role as a captain during her senior year. In four years and 329 plate appearances, Barrett struck out only six times, earning a combined batting average of .403 during her last two seasons. Barrett also pitched during the last two years, earning an OPS of 1.027 and an ERA of 2.13. She held opponents to a .205 batting average and earned a WHIP of 1.05 while facing 603 batters. Barrett played travel ball with Georgia Power – Tuñon where she batted .411 with 35 runs and 31 RBIs, helping the team win the 2022 Alliance Fastpitch Open national championship.

“Grace is going to impact our program and fit in right away,” Hoerner said. “She is very athletic, has a high IQ for the game and is a very talented softball player. Her athleticism allows her to play almost any position on the field and excel. She is a great fundamental defender with a plus arm. At the plate, we look for Grace to be a gap-to-gap hitter who will always find a way to get the job done.”

Ava Beamesderfer
York, Pa. / Central York High School
Beamesderfer was named to the PIAA 6A all-state second team as a junior and was twice named the YAIAA Division I pitcher of the year for her assistance in two straight Division I championships in the league. During her junior year, she was named MaxPreps Pennsylvania State athlete of the week. Beamesderfer was also a player on the team that won the 2022 MLB RBI World Series championship. She finished her second season with a combined pitching record of 31-5 with a 1.85 ERA and a batting average of .404. In travel ball, she played with Bandits Elite-Premier (2022-23), PA Chaos Gold (2021-22) and VA Glory National (2018-21). In 2022, she helped PA Chaos to a third-place finish at the Boulder IDT.

“Ava will add depth to our already strong pitching staff,” Hoerner said. “We look to have her complement our other pitchers with her off-speed and change of speeds. She is a down-ball pitcher, a perfect fit here in the mountains. Ava will bring a ton of energy and personality to our team.”

Taylor Chumbley
Georgetown, Ind. / Floyd Central High School
During her junior year, Chumbley was named to the all-state and all-conference teams, while also being named the “Homerun Queen” for her 17 big flies, along with a batting average of .398 and 35 RBIs. She was also a finalist for the News and Tribune softball player of the year award. During her time with Fusion Softball, Chumbley batted at .367 with an OBP of .420. She had 29 hits, three home runs and 23 RBIs.

“Taylor will add power to our lineup,” Hoerner said. “She swings a big bat and we look for her to come in and compete for that DP spot immediately. She will be another player that can play a few different positions, whether it be first base, outfield or catching.”

Macy Hamby
Ellijay, Ga. / Gilmer High School
A four-year letterman at third base, Hamby was named first-team all-region every year of her high school career and was named to the all-state team as a sophomore. On the field, she posted a career batting average of .415 and had 16 home runs, making her a twice-recipient of offensive awards. This season, Hamby was named the MVP of her high school team. In travel ball, Hamby was a two-time MVP and offensive player of the year during her time with the Georgia Power Fastpitch – Tuñon softball club. Last season, she averaged .435 at bat in club play and hit 19 home runs. Over her three years in travel ball, Hamby totaled 32 home runs and an overall batting average of .425.

“Macy will come in and be an immediate impact for us in the infield,” Hoerner said. “Defensively, she is quick and can cover a lot of ground with a plus arm. Offensively, she has worked extremely hard on her swing. The results she has had in the past few years have shown this with the power she has displayed. Macy is not only a gritty ball player but is mentally tough, a student of the game, extremely athletic and all in for App State softball.”

Brooke Kennerly
Mount Ulla, N.C. / West Rowan High School
A catcher who played in-state at West Rowan, Kennerly was named to the all-state and all-conference teams last season and earned two all-county and all-district selections in high school. She also won the Hot Stove Catcher Award and the Little League World Series Catcher Award for her work behind the plate, while her team was a two-time runner-up in the Little League World Series. At the plate, Kennerly never had a batting average below .400 in a season and earned 10 total home runs and 62 RBIs. She played travel ball for the Bandit Elite Premier-Simpson club team, posting a .410 OBP, three home runs and 22 RBIs in 2022.

“Brooke is an outstanding catcher that comes to us as a natural leader behind the plate,” Hoerner said. “She directs the game very well and we look for her to show some power at the plate along with consistency in the alleys.”

Jenna Samuel
Slidell, La. / Northshore High School
Nationally ranked as the 63rd-best player in the class of 2023, Samuel has had a stellar high school career on the mound. She was twice named the District MVP, along with being selected to the 5A all-district team. She also earned two consecutive spots on the all-metro team and the all-state Tammany Parish team, where she was named both the hitter of the year and the pitcher of the year. In 2022 alone, Samuel issued 220 strikeouts (355 in her career) with an IP of 161 and an ERA of 1.909. On the other side of the ball, she has batted above .450 every year of her career while hitting 26 home runs and tallying 112 RBIs. Samuel played travel ball for five seasons with D1vision, a team that was nationally ranked in the top 30 by Extra Innings. In 2022, they placed 5th in the PGF Nationals after finishing 13th the year before. Samuel totaled a 2.41 ERA with 272 strikeouts over her five seasons with the club. She also had a batting average of .425 with 107 RBIs and 31 home runs. During the 2022 PGF in Huntington, Ca., Samuel finished with a .955 ERA, a .344 batting average and two home runs.

“Jenna is a competitor that will be very versatile for us,” Hoerner said. “She loves the ball and will add depth to our pitching staff. She commands all 4 quadrants of the zone while keeping hitters off balance with different speeds. Jenna is a threat at the plate with her power and we look for her to make an immediate impact offensively.”

Summer Simpson
Mocksville, N.C. / Davie County High School
Simpson was twice named to the all-conference and all-district teams for her play in the middle infield, while once garnering all-state honors. She also earned the Hot Stove Gamer award for her region and was the co-offensive player of the year. During her junior year, Simpson batted an average of .476 while earning 27 RBIs, 17 walks, 15 stolen bases and five home runs. During club play, she also played with the Bandits Elite Premier -Simpson team, where she averaged .400 in the summer with an OBP of .442. In the fall so far, Simpson has earned a batting average of .538 with an OBP of .571.

“Summer will be very versatile for us,” Hoerner said. “She comes to us as a middle infielder but can play the outfield and gives us additional speed. She is a student of the game who works extremely hard and will do whatever it takes to help the team succeed.”

Jaylee Williams
Bear Creek, N.C. / Chatham Central High School
As a junior, Williams was selected as the 2022 Mid-Carolina 1A-2A Conference player of the year, while also being named to the all-conference team. The N.C. native was also selected as the MVP of her team while earning an incredible batting average of .600. Williams plays for the Bandits Elite Premier club under Gary Simpson where she batted .571 in the summer and .533 so far this fall. Prior to playing with the Bandits, Jaylee played under Nate Eaton and Team NC, a highly reputable travel team.

“Jaylee will come to the mountain and provide immediate speed to our lineup,” Hoerner said. “Defensively, she runs a lot of balls down in the outfield with a very accurate arm. At the plate, we look for her to be another spark plug with a high on-base percentage and great bat-to-ball skills.”

By Katherine Jamtgaard for App State Sports. BOONE, N.C. – App State head volleyball coach Sarah Rumely Noble announced the addition of five athletes to the team’s incoming 2023 class on Wednesday. Joining the Mountaineers for the 2023 season as true freshmen will be Caroline Farthing, Delanie Grevengoed, Akila Hardie, Ava Leahy, and Taylor McNear.

“I am so excited about our 2023 class,” said Noble. “The athleticism that this class possesses is going to make an immediate impact on our team. They are driven and motivated to take App to the top.”

Caroline Farthing | Defensive Specialist/Libero | Boone, N.C. | Watauga HS

Joining the Mountaineers as a defensive specialist/libero will be Boone’s very own Caroline Farthing. While competing at Watauga High School, Farthing earned two Conference Player of the Year awards, was named Best of Preps Volleyball Player of the Year twice, and nabbed four All-Conference accolades. The Boone native also competed for Synergy Volleyball Club, as well as Twin City Volleyball Academy. Her club teams placed first and second at multiple AAU Tournaments.

Farthing has three siblings. Her sister, Rebekah, currently plays volleyball at Georgia Southern and her sister Sydney played volleyball at App State from 2016 to 2019. Her mother, Angela Farthing, also competed in collegiate athletics. App State is a family school for Farthing, as her grandmother Sharon and grandfather Harold attended and gained degrees from App State. Farthing intends to major in supply chain management and enjoys basketball, volleyball, and hiking.

Why Farthing Chose App State: “I chose App State because I love this town and the tight knit community. I also love the coaching staff and the family atmosphere the team upholds.”

Rumely Noble on Farthing: “Caroline is a complete volleyball player. Her understanding of the game, ability to pass, and calm demeanor will be a great addition for us. She is a Mountaineer through and through and I couldn’t be happier that she decided to stay home in Boone for her next four years.”

Delanie Grevengoed | Outside Hitter | South Holland, Ill. | Chicago Christian HS

Delanie Grevengoed will be joining the Mountaineers’ squad from South Holland, Ill., where she competed as an outside hitter for Chicago Christian High School. Grevengoed nabbed three All-Conference honors and was named Second-Team All-State her junior year and First-Team All-State her senior year. The South Holland, Ill. native tallied 1,000 kills during her high school career. She also competed for the Michio Chicago Volleyball Academy. With Michio Chicago, Grevengoed helped the team to 2021 USAV Nationals All-Tournament Team honors.

Grevengoed has five siblings and enjoys hanging out with family. She intends to major in psychology. Her sister, Logan, currently plays volleyball at Western Kentucky.

Why Grevengoed Chose App State: Grevengoed chose App State for volleyball, academics and location.

Rumely Noble on Grevengoed: “Delanie is a great volleyball player in all aspects of the game. She understands the game at a high level and she is the type of athlete that will continue to get better deep into her college career. Offensively, she plays with a ton of range and has every shot in her repertoire. We are really excited that Delanie is a Mountaineer.”

Akila Hardie | Middle Blocker | High Point, N.C. | Southwest Guilford HS

Hailing from High Point, N.C., Akila Hardie is set to become a Mountaineer as a middle blocker for the 2023 season. While at Southwest Guilford, Hardie garnered 2022 Offensive Player of the Year accolades and helped her team to 2019-20 Piedmont Triad 3A Conference Tournament titles. The three-time All-Conference and two-time MVP honoree also competes for the Chapel Hill Area Volleyball Club.

Hardie intends to major in biology. Hardie’s aunt, Treka McMillian, played women’s basketball at South Carolina and was a long-time college basketball coach, most recently at Western Carolina.

Why Hardie Chose App State: “I was drawn to the family environment and it immediately felt like home as I formed connections with the coaches and the girls on the team. I’m so excited for the vision that the coaches have for this program and I just had to be a part of it.”

Rumely Noble on Hardie: “I can’t wait for Akila to be in the Black and Gold. She is an elite level blocker and her athleticism and speed are going to be really fun to coach. On top of her volleyball qualities, Akila has a contagious personality that is going to impact us in amazing ways.”

Ava Leahy | Middle Blocker | Charlotte, N.C. | Providence HS

Ava Leahy, who will compete as a middle blocker for the Mountaineers next fall, will be coming to the High Country from Charlotte, N.C. Leahy attended Providence High School, where she was named 2022 Conference Player of the Year, team MVP, and team captain. Over the course of her high school career, she collected three All-Region and three All-Conference honors. The Charlotte, N.C. native competed for Carolina Union Volleyball Club. Leahy helped the Carolina Union club team to a 17 Open National bid as well as a top-50 ranking in the country. Leahy earned Big South All-Tournament Team honors and was named to the 2022 JVA watchlist.

Leahy has three siblings and intends to major in physical therapy and psychology. She enjoys traveling, and listening to music pre-match.

Why Leahy Chose App State: “Everything about App State felt like home. I love the atmosphere, my coaches, and the team. That paired with good academics along with being able to stay close to home made it the perfect fit for me. I couldn’t be happier.”

Rumely Noble on Leahy: “Ava is going to impact our team in multiple ways and the first is her work ethic. She is a worker and I have never seen her take a play off. She has a lightning fast arm, and her ability to attack off of one foot will add great versatility for us. We are thrilled that she chose to wear the Black and Gold.”

Taylor McNear | Defensive Specialist/Libero | Holly Spring, N.C. | Green Hope HS

Joining the Mountaineers from Holly Springs, N.C. will be defensive specialist/libero Taylor McNear. During her high school career, McNear was named to the Big South Top Liberos list and earned All-Conference honors. The Holly Springs, N.C. native also competed for the CHAVC club team, which earned a USAV Open National Bid.

McNear has five siblings and has a cousin who plays basketball at Washburn University. She enjoys watching HGTV, cooking, and collecting Starbucks cups. McNear intends to major in either interior design or business.

Why McNear Chose App State: “The environment is different. It’s amazing. The coaches, players, and staff are all so supportive of each other and towards everyone’s successes. The campus is beautiful as well.”

Rumely Noble on McNear: “Taylor will add a ton of athleticism to our libero position. She is lightning fast, gritty and is all over the court. There is no ball she can’t get to and she is going to be an athlete that is super fun to watch. We can’t wait for her to get here.”

By David Rogers. CHARLOTTE, N.C. – At the end of the third quarter against Charlotte, last year’s Conference USA champions, Appalachian State led the 49ers by 19 points. But Charlotte shot a sizzling 69 percent from the field in the fourth quarter and clamped down on the Mountaineers, defensively, to tie the score at 74-74 when regulation ended. Then, last year’s C-USA entry in March Madness went on to defeat the Mountaineers, 98-94, in double overtime at Halton Arena on Nov. 8.

It was App State’s season opener and, despite the loss, the Mountaineers saw strong debut performances from graduate transfer Lauren Carter and freshman Chaé Harris.

Carter set a single-game career high of 25 points, sinking 6-of-8 shots from behind the 3-point line, which is also a single-game high for the High Point, N.C., native. Carter previously played at Campbell and Morehead State.

In her collegiate debut, Harris dropped in 22 points and went 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. She also made a team-high seven rebounds on the night.

“Obviously, I’m really proud of our team and the way that we battled with adversity, even before the game, just having some players out, coming ready to play and really playing three quarters of really good basketball,” said head coach Angel Elderkin. “The fourth quarter we were not ourselves. Obviously, Charlotte had a lot to do with that but we still continued to battle. We still continued to fight.”

App State jumped out to a 20-15 lead in the first quarter and expanded it to a 39-28 advantage over the 49ers at halftime.

At the end of the third quarter, App State had a 67-48 lead, but Charlotte got hot both offensively and defensively, sending the contest to overtime in front of an announced attendance of 1,112. Mikayla Boykin and Dazia Lawrence led the 49ers with 30 and 29 points, respectively.

UP NEXT

App State heads to Richmond, Ky., to take on EasternKentucky on Friday at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.

BOONE, N.C. – App State men’s basketball scored the most points in school history during a dominant performance in which the squad defeated Warren Wilson, 142-74.

The Mountaineers showcased their depth in front of the Holmes crowd, with all 15 players earning minutes and no one going above 20. The Black & Gold had 79 bench points, 52 points in the paint, 45 fast-break points, and went 39-43 from the line (.907). Their 30 assists were the most that the team has achieved during Dustin Kerns’ time as head coach.

Christopher Mantis led the scoring charge with a career-high 22 points, including four threes that sparked App State’s momentum swing in the first half. The Mountaineers were up 25-17 six minutes into play before Mantis hit his first three. Over the next 10 minutes, App State outscored the Owls 41-12, including 16 from the sophomore forward.

Terence Harcum and Xavion Brown also posted career-highs in points, scoring 16 and 13, respectively. Harcum started the game and grabbed four assists and three rebounds. The sophomore also drew six fouls and tallied a team-leading 7-7 from the line.

Brown was the headliner of the dunk show, earning 12 of his points off of dunks during a night that saw 26 slams by the home team.

During his freshman debut, Justin Abson grabbed eight points, five rebounds, and three blocks in 13 minutes of action.

In total, the newcomers accounted for 60 points, 30 rebounds and 12 assists. The team as a whole was feisty on defense, snagging 16 steals and 11 blocks.

The Mountaineers out-rebounded the Owls 57-39.

App State will play its second home game this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against N.C. Central. Next Tuesday, the squad will play its first road game at Louisville at 6 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. – The App State volleyball team defeated Sun Belt rival Georgia Southern, 3-2 (25-17, 19-25, 27-25, 25-27, 15-11) on Saturday afternoon. The Black and Gold improve to 16-9 (9-5 SBC) on the season with two home matches remaining before the Sun Belt Tournament. With this weekend’s pair of wins over Georgia Southern as well as a win over Old Dominion on Oct. 29, App State is on a three-match win-streak.

“I’m incredibly proud of my team,” said head coach Sarah Rumely Noble. “Today’s match was gritty and we played our brand of volleyball. It’s always hard coming off an emotional high like last night, but we came in today with great composure and confidence.”

Match Details

Senior McCall Denny notched 15 kills to lead the Mountaineers in the kills category as well as 15 digs for a double-double, her second on the weekend. Freshman Alyssa McBean posted the team-high in both the aces and digs category, notching two aces and 20 digs. Senior Sarah Missroon posted nine total blocks and junior Sophie Cain led the Mountaineers in assists with 26. Senior Sam Bickley recorded a double-double with 25 assists, the second-most for the Mountaineers, and 14 digs, the third-most on the team.

App State led Georgia Southern in the blocks category, 13-11.

In the first set, Georgia Southern took an early 8-6 lead, but the Mountianeers steadily fought back with a five-point run that included kills from sophomore Lulu Ambrose and Denny, as well as a solo block from junior Madison Baldridge, a block from the duo of Baldridge and freshman Maya Winterhoff, and an ace from freshman Kenady Roper, which up App State up 11-8. The Mountaineers built off their lead with a 3-0 run that included a kill from Denny and ace from Cain to push the score to 16-12. App State jumped to a 20-14 lead after a 4-0 run that included kills from junior Meghan Dombrowski and Ambrose, and a block from Dombrowski and Missroon. The Black and Gold took the first set, 25-17, after a kill from Dombrowski and error an from Georgia Southern.

Georgia Southern jumped to an early 9-4 lead after a pair of 4-0 runs in the second set. The Mountaineers steadily chipped away at the Eagles’ lead, eventually cutting the deficit to 22-16 after a kill from Winterhoff. App State held GS to three set points, going on a 3-0 run with kills from Baldridge and Denny and a block from Missroon and Baldridge, but the Eagles took the set, 25-19.

To open the third set, App State took an early 5-1 lead, building off kills from Denny, and a block from Denny and Missroon, as well as three GS errors. The Mountaineers’ momentum carried throughout the set as they kept a strong lead, but Georgia Southern began to creep up on the Black and Gold until things were tied at 23 all. A kill from Denny tied the match at 24-24 and an error from the Eagles put the Mountaineers up 25-24. Georgia Southern tied the match at 25-25, but App State took the set, 27-25, with a kill from Ambrose and ace from McBean.

The fourth set was tight, as the Mountaineers and Eagles went point-for-point throughout the match, until GS broke at 10-10 tie and took a 14-10 lead. App State steadily chipped away at the deficit, posting at 3-0 run with a kill from Baldridge, solo block from Winterhoff, and Eagles error to put the Mountaineers within two (22-20). The Black and Gold tied the score at 23-23 with another three-point run that included a block from Baldridge and Winterhoff, an Eagles error, an ace from Winterhoff. The Mountaineers and Eagles went back and forth, tying the score at 24 all, and 25 all, before GS closed out the set, 27-25.

App State came out strong in the fifth and final set, with Denny slamming down back-to-back kills followed by a Georgia Southern error, to take an early 3-1 lead. Georgia Southern responded to edge ahead, 6-5, but App State went on a three-point run composed of two GS errors and a kill from Ambrose to take an 8-6 lead. Georgia Southern tied the score at 8-8, but App State pulled ahead, 11-8, with another 3-0 run with kills from Dombrowski, Baldridge, and Winterhoff. The Black and Gold extended its lead to 13-9 after a pair of kills from Winterhoff and Denny. Georgia Southern responded with two points, but couldn’t overtake the Mountaineers, who clinched the set, 15-11, after a GS error and solo block from Missroon. App State won the match, 3-2.

Up Next

The Mountaineers will host Louisiana on Nov. 11 and 12 to close out the regular season. Friday’s 6 p.m. match will honor veterans and military personnel for Veteran’s Day. There will also be a rally towel giveaway. Saturday’s 1 p.m. match will have a t-shirt giveaway. The Mountaineers will be recognizing their seniors, Bickley, Missroon, and student assistant coach Morgan Flores for Senior Day on Saturday.

By Bobby Neal for App State Sports. OXFORD, OHIO – App State field hockey punched its ticket to the Mid-American Conference championship for the first time ever on Friday by defeating the No. 2 seed in the tournament, Kent State, 1-0 in the semifinals.

This was the 10th straight win for the Mountaineers (14-5, 5-2 MAC), continuing their second-longest winning streak in program history. The Black & Gold won 11 in a row during their inaugural season in 1968. App State’s 14th win also ties the school’s record for most wins in a season, set in 1978.

App State will face the Miami RedHawks (12-7, 6-1 MAC) on their own turf in the MAC championship game on Saturday at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed live on the MAC Digital Network and live stats will be available to follow the action. The champion will earn an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.

“This is a huge win,” head coach Meghan Dawson said. “Kent State has an excellent program that defeated us earlier this season. Being able to show the growth that we’ve had by coming out today and winning is a significant milestone for our program.”

Dawson was named MAC Coach of the Year on Thursday for the role she played in App State’s incredible regular season.

After a scoreless first half that saw just two shots from each team, Carli Ciocco found the ball in the middle of a scramble and dished it to Charlotte Bosma who had two defenders in front of her. Bosma immediately shot it past both Kent State players into the goal for the only score of the game.Bosma, who missed the first six games of the season due to injury and came back to score four goals, had one word to describe her team’s mindset going into the championship game tomorrow.

“Relentless,” Bosma said. “We are not going to give up and we are hungry for more.”
After her assist, Ciocco became the all-time leader for single-season assists at App State with 13. That number puts her at No. 10 in the nation for assists this season.

Addie Clark recorded her seventh shutout this year, alongside Grace Ball and Allison Corey who each played all 60 minutes for the Black & Gold. App State has recorded the seventh-most shutouts of any team in the country this season, and Clark now ranks fourth in the nation in save percentage (.796) and goals allowed per game (1.00).

UP NEXT

App State looks forward to its matchup with the No. 1 team in the MAC on Saturday. The RedHawks defeated Ball State 2-0 on Friday with goals from Paula Peña Martinez and Katherine Groff.

Claudia Garcia Negrete assisted both of Miami’s goals on the day. Negrete was named to the All-MAC First Team on Thursday, along with three of her teammates.

Tomorrow’s contest will be a battle between two of the top goalkeepers in the nation. Miami’s Isabelle Perese was named MAC Goalkeeper of the Year after earning five shutouts, a save percentage of .816 and allowing just 0.99 goals per game.