Mississippi State added three transfers to its roster hoping to boost the team to the next level after a 14-18 campaign and 6-12 mark in Southeastern Conference play.
Joining the Bulldogs are outside/middle hitter Maddi Penrod, from Mira Costa College; setter Morgan Kath, from Stony Brook and libero Tori Passarelli from Laramie County Community College.
Penrod led the Spartans with 2.28 kills per set en route to Pacific Coast Athletic Conference honors in 2016. She also added 60 blocks as Mira Costa went undefeated in the PCAC North Division and moved up as high as No. 6 in the California Community Athletic Association rankings. The Escondido, California, native, tallied six double-digit kill matches and added five or more blocks on six occasions. A three year starter and team captain at Escondido High School, Penrod was a second team all-league selection and a San Diego Section Senior All-Star Team honoree.
Kath saw action in 26 matches as Stony Brook’s setter in 2016, ranking third in the America East Conference with 9.65 assists per set, while also adding 1.93 digs per set. The Muskego, Wisconsin, native, was a three-time America East award honoree as a rookie in 2015, grabbing Setter of the Week nods twice and Rookie of the Week once. A three-year letterwinner at Muskego High School, Kath racked up 3,078 assists as a prepster, while leading her team to three appearances at the state tournament and earning two all-state accolades (second team 2013, honorable mention 2012).
Passarelli racked up 1,103 digs, 3.96 per set, 164 assists and 77 aces in her two year career with the Laramie Golden Eagles. Her 648 digs in 2016 ranked sixth nationally, while her 498 assists and 40 aces helped her garner Region IX North All-Region team accolades. The Academic All-Region, NJCAA Super Academic Achievement and LCCC President’s Honor Roll selection was a four-year letterwinner at Chatfield Senior High School in Littleton, Colorado. At Chatfield, she was a three-time all-conference honoree and an Academic All-State selection.
Mississippi State is in its third year under head coach David McFatrich and features a roster of five upperclassmen, including Kath and Passarelli.
“I’m really looking forward to getting into the gym with this group,” McFatrich said on hailstate.com. “We have four returners and nine newcomers, including Sara Maddox, a freshman who joined us in January.”
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