Volleyball Welcomes Three Local Standouts
November 14, 2015 | Volleyball
SEATTLE – The first signing class for first year Head Coach Keegan Cook has a distinctly Northwest feel to it, as three prep stars signed their National Letters of Intent this week, choosing to stay close to home and become part of the Washington family. Joining the Huskies next fall will be Kara Bajema (Lynden, Wash./Lynden Christian), Shayne McPherson (Seattle, Wash./Kennedy Catholic), and Avie Niece (Bellevue, Wash./Newport).
Bajema is a 6-foot-2 outside hitter who helped Lynden Christian win the Washington 1A state title and has Lynden Christian back in the state tourney this season. Bajema is a 2015-16 Under Armour Honorable Mention All-American and was ranked 91st in the Prepvolleyball.com Senior Aces list this season. She was the Whatcom County Player of the Year last season, a two-time first team pick at the Emerald City Volleyball Classic, and is a Gatorade state player of the year nominee.
“Kara has the size, athleticism, and arm strength to be a point scorer for us in the Pac-12,” says Cook. “You don't find players like that in Washington every year. As she continues to improve as a serve-receive passer and defender, it's not a matter of if she can become a threat for us but how soon. Her maturity as a student-athlete also makes me believe that she is prepared for the challenge ahead. Kara has tremendous potential to improve rapidly. We cannot wait to have Kara in the gym to see how much she can learn.”
Bajema said it was always her dream to play college sports at the D-I level. “As I learned more about different schools, the Pac-12 interested me and it was close to home,” she says. “The coaching staff at UW was amazing, and all the players were extremely welcoming. Washington has a beautiful campus, a strong academic reputation, and is in a great city which makes it all the more inviting. I could tell that the volleyball program was more than just a team, but a family, and I can't wait to experience it.”
Coach Cook believes that McPherson is one of the best defensive specialists in the 2016 class. “Shayne has been somewhat of a secret except to those of us in the Northwest who've seen her playing indoors and on the beach. Shayne has a steady platform in serve receive and sees the game well. She will be a big contributor to both our indoor and beach team.”
Heading into this weekend, McPherson has helped her Kennedy Catholic squad reach the semifinals of the Washington 3A state championships, but as a starting outside hitter. Much like current senior Cassie Strickland, McPherson hits effectively despite standing just 5-feet-7, but expects to transition to a libero role at UW.
McPherson was an Under Armour Honorable Mention All-American and ranked in the Next 150 in the Prepvolleyball.com Senior Aces and a two-time “Defensive Dandy” from the same site. She was the Seamount League MVP as a junior and a sophomore, an Emerald City Classic All-Tournament selection, and an athlete of the week for the Seattle Times and the WIAA in 2014. An experienced beach player, McPherson was named half of the “Beach Team of the Year” for the Puget Sound region.
“I started going to Husky volleyball games when I was about five years old,” McPherson says. “It has always been a dream of mine to play at Washington. The coaching staff at UW is the best in the country and the girls on the team are incredible people. I wanted to stay close to home and get a degree from a top university. I was also excited about the addition of the beach volleyball program. I can't wait for the next four years!”
McPherson's signing day celebration
Niece did not pick up the sport until her freshman year on the Newport High School junior varsity, but she quickly developed a knack, and has excelled as a six-foot-tall middle blocker for Newport. The Bellevue native was a KingCo First Team selection as a junior, leading her squad to state for the second year in a row.
“The commitment, dedication, passion, and the drive to become the best they can be from the players as well as the coaching staff” was what made Niece want to be a Husky. “The way the girls interacted with each other is something I knew I wanted to be a part of; they have fun and goof around but at the same time hold each other to a high standard,” says Niece. “I am definitely ready for the challenge and experience.”
Niece was rated 87th in the Senior Aces countdown by Prepvolleyball.com, which adds that “there are players who get blocks and then there are true blockers. Niece falls into the latter category.”
“Often when we are recruiting, we see middle blockers who move well as blockers and middles who simply have a knack and love of blocking the ball. In Avie, we found both,” says Coach Cook. “Her movements as a blocker are in line with what we teach here at Washington. From an early age it was apparent that Avie took pride in her ability to disrupt opposing offenses. Avie's physicality reminds me of Lianna (Sybeldon) at an early age and we are eager to get her on a similar track when she arrives at Washington.”
The three will suit up for the Huskies for the first time in the fall of 2016.
