With just over one month left before the 2017 volleyball season begins, VolleyMob is taking a look at some of the collegiate recruiting classes you may have missed and those who stand to make an impact on teams in and out of the final AVCA Top 25.
Missouri marks team number 16 on the list:
- Stanford
- Texas
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- Wisconsin
- UCLA
- Washington
- BYU
- Creighton
- Penn State
- North Carolina
- Kansas
- Florida State
- Michigan
- Florida
- Missouri
The Missouri Tigers were co-SEC champions in 2016 behind a 16-2 SEC mark and a 27-6 overall season. They advanced through to the Sweet 16 before falling and winding up ranked 16th in the last AVCA Coaches Poll. This year, they return a majority of the core and add three freshmen to the mix.
Leading the incoming freshmen is Leketor Member-Meneh, a High School Under Armour Third-Team All-American. Standing at just 5’8″, Member-Meneh is a dynamic outside hitter from St. Louis. She racked up the awards in her prep career, as she was named the Missouri Volleyball Player of the Year in addition to countless accolades. PrepVolleyball ranked her as the 48th best prospect in the country after she totaled 610 kills (7.18 per set) in her senior season at Lutheran South High School.
Joining Member-Meneh are two recruits from Puerto Rico in 5’9″ setter Andrea Fuentes and 6’1″ outside hitter/right side Dariana Hollingsworth-Santana. Fuentes was the team captain of the U20 Puerto Rican National Volleyball Team, and even won the “Best Setter” at the 2016 NORCECA Championship for the squad. Hollingsworth-Santana succeeded her position and was the team captain in the 2017 NORCECA U20 Pan-American Cup, helping the team to a fourth-place finish. She also had a strong connection in 2016 with Fuentes, as the duo helped Hollingsworth-Santana win “Best Scorer” at the 2016 NORCECA Championship.
Missouri doesn’t have a ton to replace in terms of quantity, but they do lose a lot of quality in Carly Kan, who was an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention awardee in 2016. Member-Meneh and Hollingsworth-Santana can play outside hitter though, alleviating some questions at the position.
The Tigers also have plenty back, led by 2016 AVCA Third-Team All-American Melanie Crow along with Alyssa Munlyn, an AVCA Honorable Mention honoree last season.
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