Fort Lewis College volleyball is looking to add to its recent successes after qualifying for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Tournament for the first time since 2013. Head coach Tricia Melfy did just that after she got commitments from four players during the early signing period, including two from Arizona last week.
Her first commitment came from Payton Harmann, who hails from Peoria, Arizona, just outside of Phoenix. Harmann was an all-regional selection this past season with Sunrise Mountain High School. The 5-foot-10 setter and right side hitter racked up 4.6 assists per set and had 189 digs alongside 75 kills. She helped Sunrise Mountain reach the quarterfinals of the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s Division 5 playoffs.
“She is going to be a great addition to the team,” said Melfy. “She’s 5-10 and is a lefty setter from Sunrise Mountain in Arizona. She’s athletic, dynamic, and the best part is that she’s a great young lady.”
It was Melfy’s second recruiting cycle as FLC’s head coach and had great success during her first go-around, as she brought in a number of late additions who were integral parts to this year’s team. Melfy, originally from Arizona, has focused much of her recruiting in that state. Seven members of this year’s squad were from Arizona, and Melfy brought in four during her first offseason as coach, including junior outside hitter Ohiyah Shirley, senior outside hitter Haley Christansen, sophomore setter Isabelle Valdez and freshman outside hitter Jacalyn Sharko.
Three other players committed to the Skyhawks, including the sister of a FLC basketball player, and two were called “stud athletes” by Melfy. Avynn La Rose, the younger sister of men’s basketball freshman forward Brendan, is joining the Skyhawks as a middle blocker. The Peyton, Colorado, native recorded 147 kills and had 101 total blocks this past season for Falcon High School.
“Avynn will be another great addition,” Melfy said. “She’s another athletic player, has great height for a middle blocker at 5-foot-11 and is very competitive.”
Rylee Johnson, alongside La Rose, is a middle blocker who attended Millennium High School in Litchfield Park, Arizona, and won a state championship this past fall. Johnson, who verbally committed to the Skyhawks in July, had a stellar senior season, as she registered a hitting percentage of .362, had 171 kills and 60 total blocks.
“Rylee is a winner and just came off of a state championship in Arizona,” Melfy said. “She and Avynn are both humble, hard-working and competitive young ladies. They will help elevate the program to a new level.”
The final commitment for FLC came from Alexa Alameddin, an outside hitter and defensive specialist from Chatfield Senior High School in Littleton. Alameddin recorded 286 digs, 297 returns and averaged 4.7 digs per set this past season.
“We’re also excited about Alexa,” Melfy said. “She’s a great defensive specialist and is ready to compete. Overall, I think this is a great start to our offseason and I think we are moving in the right direction.”
The Fort Lewis men’s cross-country team also got a commitment from the state of Arizona, as Travis Kearney committed to the Skyhawks last week. Kearney had an impressive season for Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, as he placed fourth overall at the AIA Division 1 state championships, with a time of 16:25.2, which made him an all-state athlete. At the Nike Cross-Country Southwest Regional Championships, he was 196 overall (16:44.4).
The Skyhawks will be replacing five seniors on the men’s team, including NCAA National Championships qualifier Hosava Kretzmann alongside Bismarck Kipilach.
Kearney’s personal best in the 3-mile was 15:02 and 4:26 in the 1-mile.
bploen@ durangoherald.com
