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CINCINNATI -- The University of Cincinnati volleyball program is receiving acclaim before the season even begins after its incoming freshman class was named the No. 26 recruiting class in the country by Prep Volleyball. Taylor Balen, Victoria Harris, Carly Nolan, Jordan Thompson, Jade Tinglehoff and Abby Williams will represent the 2015 freshman class for the Bearcats.
Cincinnati finds itself on the Prep Volleyball list for the first time since 2010 when it received an honorable mention award for its signing class. The Bearcats sit at No. 26, ahead of Duke, UCLA, Georgetown and Virginia in the top-30 and boast the top-ranked class in the American Athletic Conference.
The class includes two Top 100 Senior Aces and four who could impact the team's fortunes early. Look for Thompson, Senior Ace No. 44, to start immediately at the outside position. Incredibly long, tall and athletic, Thompson is a formidable presence with a contact point on that ball that creates incredible angles at the net. She has a lightning fast arm and a lot of range offensively and also is a disciplined blocker. Tingelhoff, No. 96 in the Senior Aces, comes to UC with a very well-rounded game. Not only is she one of the top setters in the country in her age group, but she is also a dynamic right side attacker. The delivery of her sets is quick and deceptive as she consistently finds ways to keep her opponents guessing from the defensive end. The composure she exhibits brings a sense of confidence to her teams as she consistently finds ways to elevate their level of play. Nolan is a competitor who loves the game. She knows how to score in all six rotations, can pass, play defense and has a jump serve that puts pressure on her opponents to sideout. Her hard-nosed mentality will be contagious. She is a leader and a fighter. Harris' size and offensive ability will be a true threat in the conference. Very competitive, she sees the court well and wants to be the player that takes the big swing in pressure situations. Williams has incredible court sense and first contact on the ball. She will allow Tingelhoff to do what she does best and will help Thompson focus on producing kills. Balen has significant volleyball experience both indoors and in the sand. She started her volleyball career as a libero but a seven-inch growth spurt in two years has allowed her to move to the pins. Her versatility will be an asset going forward.
The volleyball program released its 2015 schedule earlier this week which can be found here. The Bearcats will open the season by hosting the second annual Queen City Classic in Fifth Third Arena. UC begins the tournament against Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28.
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