By: by Kevin Davis, BGSU Assistant Director for Athletic Communications
Bowling Green, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University volleyball program and head coach Danijela Tomic are excited to announce the additions of Jessi Holly (Upper Sandusky, Ohio/Upper Sandusky H.S.), Celena Kanagin (Spring Grove, Ill./Richmond-Burton H.S.) and Macie Linne (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) to the Falcon family. All three signed National Letters of Intent and will be graduating early to continue both their academic and athletic careers at BGSU beginning in Jan. 2016.
"I am really excited to announce the addition of three new members to our Falcon Volleyball Family. All three young women will make our program better on and off the court because of their athletic talent and potential, but more importantly because of their outstanding character," said Tomic. "All three are a great fit for our team's needs and our team culture. We are thrilled that all three have decided to graduate early from high school and enroll at BGSU in January 2016, which will give them an extra semester to adjust to being Division I student-athletes."
Jessi Holly signs her NLI with BGSU.Holly, a 6-2 outside hitter from Upper Sandusky, Ohio played for coaches Matthew McConnaughey and Sandy Emerick of the Lady Rams at Upper Sandusky High School. A four-year letter award winner, the 2015 team captain was named the Northern 10 Athletic Conference Player of the Year her senior season. She is a 2014 Second-Team All-Ohio selection, a three-time First-Team District 6 recipient, and a two-time Northern 10 All-Conference First-Team honoree. She is also as a two-time North Central Conference First-Team All-Conference member, earning a spot on the team in both 2013 and 2012, and was recognized as the Lady Rams' Offensive MVP in both her junior and senior seasons.
Named to the 2016 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Phenom list, Holly joined the 1,000 kills club her senior season, as she posted 475 kills and hit .409 overall for the year. She also tallied 29 aces and 229 digs, as her team went 20-4 overall and swept through conference play with a perfect 16-0 record in route to becoming the Northern 10 Conference Champions for the second straight year.
In 2014, as a junior she guided her team to a 23-2 record, a perfect 18-0 conference record and the first of two straight Northern 10 Championships. She led the team with 368 kills and posted a 96 percent serving percentage, 58 aces and 222 digs for the season.
During her sophomore and freshman seasons in 2013 and 2012, she led her team to an overall record of 46-7, a 25-3 conference record and back-to-back NCC Championships. In 2013, Holly led her team to the state championship semifinals match and was recognized as an All-Ohio Honorable Mention. Named to the Second Team District 6 as a freshman, she recorded 540 kills, 88 aces and 446 digs over her first two years for the Lady Rams.
A member of the Mintonette Sports club team, Holly was recognized nationally as the MaxPreps Player of the Match 13 times over her four-year high school career and was tabbed the MaxPreps/AVAC Player of the Week once this past season.
"Jess will add much needed depth and size to our outside/right side hitter position. She is quiet on the court, but does her job really well. Jess just finished an outstanding high school senior year and comes from very competitive and winning high school and club programs," Coach Tomic commented. "I am excited about her potential and watching her grow over the next four years."
A 6-foot outside hitter from Spring Grove, Ill., Kanagin was a three-year letter award winner in volleyball at Richmond-Burton High School under head coach Kaycee Kaywood.Celena Kanagin signs with the Falcons.
In her senior season in 2015, Kanagin led the Rockets to their first regional championship title since 2012 with a win over Chicago Northside in the regional championship match in which she posted the match-winning kill to win the 2015 3A Chicago Northside Regional title.
Kanagin was named to the Big Northern Conference East Division All-Conference Team for the second straight year in 2015, after receiving unanimous all-conference recognition as a junior in 2014 in which she helped guide her team to a 23-14 overall record and an 11-1 conference record on the season.
A member of the Club Fusion club team, Kanagin started with Fusion's Select program, but after her sophomore season she was moved up to the National program. She also went from Fusion's third 16U team to its top team last season heading into her senior year of high school.
"Celena is a versatile player who can play as a pin or middle hitter. She was kind of a late bloomer into the sport and I feel that her best volleyball is still ahead of her," Tomic state. "She brings a lot of energy and personality on the court, and works very hard on the court. Celena also comes from competitive and winning high school and club programs, and had an outstanding senior high school season. I am excited to see her potential develop over the next four years."
Macie Linne signs with the Falcons.Linne is a 5-11 outside hitter that comes to BGSU from Fort Collins, Colo. and Rocky Mountain High School where she played the last two years for the Lobos under head coach Julie Hilt after playing two seasons at Fossil Ridge High School under head coach Paul Shimek.
Also named to the 2016 AVCA Phenom list, Linne served as her team's captain in 2015 in which she led the Lobos to an overall record of 19-5, an 11-1 league record and a state ranking as high as No. 15 in Colorado.
Before transferring to Rocky Mountain prior to the 2014 season, in which the Lobos went 14-11 overall and 10-2 in Front Range 5A league play, Linne played two seasons at Fossil Ridge High School.
In 2013 as a sophomore, Linne totaled 103 kills to help her Fossil Ridge team to a 25-2 overall record, a perfect 11-0 league record and a conference championship. The Sabercats, who were ranked as high as No. 11 overall in the state, went on to win the 2013 regional championship title and advanced to the state championship tournament. In 2012, Fossil Ridge posted an overall record of 18-7 during her freshman season.
A second-team all-conference selection in 2014, Linne is also a member of the NORCO Juniors Volleyball club team which won the USA South VBC in Estero, Fla., the NORCO Juniors VBC in Fort Collins and is has twice won the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships.
"Macie is a six rotation outside hitter with a high volleyball IQ who can hit different shots, serve receive and play good defense. She has a confident presence on the court and like the other two of her classmates comes to us from successful and winning high school and club programs where she was one of their go to players," continued Tomic. "I am excited to see her grow and develop over the next four years."
The three 2016 signees will join a Falcons squad that will return all 11 players from the 2015 season.
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