Region X Transfers

You never know where my mind and related volleyball web searches will find me and the other day it had me on the Hope statistics page. I had written about Addie VanderWeide in the summer as she was a DI transfer that would be needed to offset some of the graduation losses from her team. Well, she’s held up her end of the bargain as she’s averaging 5.82 Points/Set and hitting 0.331 as an outside so far in this young season. Addie got me to thinking about how our Region X transfers were doing. I’m sure there are no Addie’s but I was also sure we had some contributors. Let’s dive into what I found. (Please know that I’m sure I missed someone…sorry.)

Brylee Awbrey (Howard Payne) was a junior transfer from Western Texas College where she averaged 1.8 Points/Set overall and 4.19 Digs/Set her last season there. Two weeks in with Howard Payne, she has helped them to an undefeated season (as of this writing) and been named ASC Defensive Player of the Week. She is averaging 2.84 Points/Set and had 15 kills against Rhodes her first weekend.

Debi Chun (Pacific) is another junior transfer that actually came from within the conference (Lewis & Clark) to play for a rival. As a Pio she averaged 2.61 Points/Set as a pin hitter and 2.52 Digs/Set. At Pacific, she’s second on the team in Points/Set (3.85) and Digs/Set (2.70) as the second outside to Mara Murphy. She had a season high 19 kills against Loras this past weekend.

Erin Fagan (Puget Sound) is a sophomore transfer from Seattle University (DI). Erin only appeared in two sets her first-year with the program but is seeing more time for the Loggers. Erin is averaging 2.52 Points/Set although she isn’t a full-time player. She had a career best 13 kills against Aurora hitting 0.500 as an outside.

Taylor Miche (Whitworth) is the first of two Whitworth players in this article and she is a junior transfer from Cal State – East Bay (DII). At East Bay she averaged 2.93 Digs/Set but is now averaging 4.56 this season for Whitworth. Taylor has double-digit digs in each match so far this year with a best of 28 against Texas Lutheran.

Josephine Thompson (Whitworth) is a sophomore transfer from Columbia Basin College. She had an outstanding first-year there averaging 7.61 Assists/Set and 3.04 Digs/Set. She’s continued as a setter at Whitworth as part of a 6-2 where she is averaging 4.18 Assists/Set and 1.67 Digs/Set. Whitworth seems to do well with transfers and this year were able to pick up a libero and setter that contribute immediately.

Katey Cramer (Willamette) is a sophomore transfer from Cuesta College where she was the school’s athlete of the month for November 2022. For the season, Katey averaged 3.2 Points/Set and 2.51 Digs/Set. Katey is a 6’0” outside that has contributed immediately for the Bearcats. Katey is currently averaging 2.4 Poins/Set and started off the year great getting 12 kills against Cal Lutheran and 13 against Hamline.

Sydney Love (Dallas) is a sophomore transfer from Loyola New Orleans (NAIA) where she played off and on but demonstrated her blocking skills. She would end the season with 1.27 Points/Set. With Dallas, she is currently averaging 1.9 Points/Set, 0.91 Blocks/Set and hitting 0.270.

Carly Berkman (Southwestern) is a sophomore transfer from Dallas Baptist University (DII) where she didn’t see the floor her first year. That hasn’t been the case for the Pirates where she’s third on the team with 3.1 Points/Set and first in Kills. Carly had a season high 17 kills against Puget Sound this past weekend. Most importantly, I’m sure for her, is that she’s my granddaughter.

Ryann Ely (Texas Lutheran) is a sophomore transfer from Texas A&M – Kingsville (DII), but didn’t get to see the floor her first-year there. While at TLU, Ryann is averaging 1.4 Points/Set and has a season high 10 kills against LeTourneau.

Marissa Drange (Trinity)  is a sophomore transfer from the University of Idaho (DI) where she played sparingly but did get 4 kills against Santa Clara in limited action. For trinity, Marissa has played in every match averaging 2.54 Points/Set and had 12 kills in her very first match against Whitworth.

Gabby Carbonel (Chapman) is a junior transfer from West Valley College where she averaged 3.29 Assists/Set and 1.23 Digs/Set. It appears she was at Alliance University her freshman year but didn’t play. At Chapman she’s getting a chance on the floor and performing averaging 7.18 Assists/Set and 2.59 Digs/Set.

Riley DeGroot (Whittier) is a junior transfer from Mt. San Antonio College where last year she was second on the team in Points/Set (3.1) and in Digs/Set (3.05). I got to see Whittier play a bit during the first week and Riley does stand out while playing as she’s always around the ball. She currently is 16^th in the region in Kills/Set and leads her team in Points/Set.

Nadine Oronoz (Whittier) is the defensive answer to DeGroot at Whittier as she’s come in as a junior transfer from Rio Hondo College to lead the teams in Digs/Set and that’s after really not playing much in her first three matches. Against UC Santa Cruz, Nadine had 23 digs after double-digit digs in her previous two matches. At Rio Hondo, Nadine contributed everywhere as she averaged 2.9 Points/Set and 3.86 Digs/Set during her two-year career there.

These were the main contributors that I found in region and you can see how valuable transfers can be to offset graduation losses or to just improve the core group that was already there. I know it’s difficult academically to change colleges but to also come into an existing team has to be just a nerve-wracking experience. Still, it shows that it’s certainly not uncommon and it’s good to highlight some success stories. I’m sure I’ll take a look at the first-year top contributors down the road.