Moon Township, Pa. – The
Robert Morris University volleyball program, under the direction of 11th-year head coach
Dale Starr, has announced the addition of five student-athletes for the 2021 fall season.
Ally Christman (Ross, Ohio / Mount Notre Dame / Elevation 18-1), Jaidan Hockman (North Canton, Ohio / Jackson / NOVA Juniors), Tatum Otolski (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Forest Hills Central / Michigan Volleyball Academy), Abby Powers (Edgewood, Ky. / Notre Dame Academy / NKYVC Tsunami), and Ashleigh Wallin (Martinsburg, W.Va. / Martinsburg / Metro) will all arrive at Robert Morris for the 2021-22 academic year.
"This 2021 class has the potential to be a very special one for RMU volleyball," said Starr. "As we transition into the Horizon League, I feel this class has the talent and ability to help us become competitive within the league quickly. They will have big shoes to fill with the graduation of the current senior class, but I feel very confident that they will live up to expectations and step in to help our program continue to improve and compete in the Horizon League. I think we filled our needs with very talented and driven players who all have bright futures as Colonials. Can't wait to get them into the gym!"
Christman, a right side and outside hitter from Ross, Ohio, is one of three incoming Colonials that were named to the
Under Armour All-American Watch List prior to their senior seasons. She collected All-League First Team and All-District Second Team honors in 2020, and posted 448 kills, 366 digs, 60 blocks, 50 aces, and a .247 hitting percentage in 216 career sets at Mount Notre Dame. Christman's mother, Kelly, played basketball at Miami (Ohio) University, and her sister, Tara, played volleyball at Thomas More University. She has spent five consecutive years on the high honor roll and is a member of the Spanish Honor Society.
"Ally comes to us from one of the top high school programs in Ohio as well as a highly respected and competitive club program," said Starr. "She brings a solid all-around game as an outside hitter, as she has good ball control, plays solid defense, and owns a wide range of attacking options to help us score. She will be added to a talented outside hitter position and should compete for playing time early on. We have high hopes for Ally and the versatility she brings to our team, and we're excited for her to be a part of the program."
Hockman, a libero and defensive specialist hailing out of North Canton, Ohio, is a product of Jackson High School, which is the alma mater of current junior
Nikolette Zanolli. As a senior, she garnered Stark County Defensive Player of the year as well as All-Federal League Second Team accolades. Hockman, who also competes in gymnastics, helped her club team, NOVA Juniors, win the 16 USA Patriot Division championship in 2019. Both her parents were student-athletes at Malone University as her father, Scott, played golf, and her mother, Tanya, was a two-sport athlete in basketball and volleyball. Hockman, who carries a 4.5 cumulative grade point average at Jackson, plans to major in sports management.
"Jaidan comes to us as yet another Jackson High School product," said Starr. "She has tremendous ball control and great defensive instincts that will lend great depth and competition in our practice gym. She should compete for playing time at libero and as a defensive specialist, and has the ability to play all three back row positions effectively. I expect she will find her way on the floor sooner rather than later. We're excited to have Jaidan join our program."
Otolski, a middle blocker from Grand Rapids, Mich., also earned
Under Armour All-America Watch List designation prior to her senior season at Forest Hills Central. She is an Academic All-American and All-Conference selection in high school competition, and helped her club team, Michigan Volleyball Academy, to the 2020 JVA Rock 'N Rumble championship, winning JVA Athleader Award plaudits in the process. Otolski comes from an athletic family, with her father, brother, and cousin all having played NCAA Division I football, and her mother, Mariah, competing in soccer with Loyola University Chicago and Aquinas College. A member of the National Honor Society, she plans to major in business administration with a minor in sports management.
"Tatum comes to us from a very competitive high school and club program in Michigan," said Starr. "She brings athleticism, size, speed, and solid footwork to our middle hitter position. We will have some talent to replace in the middle, but Tatum has the potential to step in and help us out quickly. She is a physical middle blocker whose skills fit in nicely with our system. We look for her to step in and compete for playing time quickly, and we're excited to have her join us."
Powers, a right side and middle blocker hailing out of Edgewood, Ky., also garnered
Under Armour All-America Watch List plaudits before her senior season at Notre Dame Academy. She helped guide the Pandas to four 35th District and two 9th Region championships, as well as a 2019 state semifinal berth. Powers was named to the AVCA Phenom List,
PrepVolleyball.com Frosh 59, and collected THINX National Club Player of the Week accolades in March of 2019. At the club level with NKYVC Tsunami, Powers collected the Shining Star Award at Bluegrass in 2018 and 2019, helping the team win the latter year's title, and garnered a fifth-place open finish at the 2018 USA Nationals. Her father, Chris, played soccer at Western Kentucky University. An Academic All-State selection and member of the Math Honors Society, Powers plans to major in biology pre-med.
"Abby comes to us from a top program in Kentucky and a great club program as well," said Starr. "She brings a physical presence to our right side position in both blocking and offensively. Abby possesses the size, strength, competitive spirit, and terminating arm swing that we are looking for to help us get to the next level of competition in the Horizon League. We expect her to compete for playing time right away and we're thrilled to have her join the program."
Wallin, a setter and right side from Martinsburg, W.Va., netted
Under Armour All-America All-Region accolades following her senior season at Martinsburg High School. She is a four-time All-Region and All-Conference selection, also adding three All-State and multiple All-Tournament Team plaudits over her high school career. The four-year team captain was placed on
PrepVolleyball.com's Player to Watch and Special Honorable Mention Sophomore 79 lists, and owns the school career records for assists (2,200) and service aces (289). Her father, Dan, played baseball at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and her mother, Jodi, played volleyball at the University of South Carolina. A four-time Academic All-Conference selection and member of the National Honor Society, Wallin plans to major in cyber security.
"Ashleigh comes to us from a solid program and will receive great training this club season," said Starr. "She has immense talent at the setter position and has the ability to run a very diverse offense. She has great instincts and brings to the table a lot offensively as well. We are looking for Ashleigh to make an impact with our program right away, and are excited to have her join our program."
Set to begin its maiden Horizon League voyage in the spring of 2021, Robert Morris is coming off a stellar 2019 fall campaign that saw it collect its third-most victories (25) and a program-record 15 wins in the Northeast Conference (NEC). The Colonials captured their seventh regular-season title and first in 11 years, and enter their new league with their entire team returning – highlighted by the All-NEC senior trio of
Maria Alfano,
Whitney Brown, and
Emma Granger.
Follow The Colonials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
