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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Tomic, Falcons Welcome Four Newcomers To BGVB
November 14, 2022 | Volleyball
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University volleyball program has added four newcomers to the incoming 2023 class during the Early National Signing Day period. The Orange and Brown will welcome middle blockers Gewn Crull and Helen Wilford, outside hitter Edyta Waclawczyk and setter/outside hitter Amanda Otten to the program next season.
"We are thrilled to announce our 2023 recruiting class and welcome the four newest members of our BGSU Volleyball program," said Head Coach Danijela Tomic. "Every year our goal is to recruit student-athletes who want to be a part of BGSU Volleyball culture of excellence and can contribute to it on and off the court to help us become one of the premier programs in the nation. I believe we accomplished that goal again this year. Each one of our newest Falcons has the potential to make an immediate impact, but also an impact in years to come. They come from great families, winning high school, club, and national team programs, are great teammates and have the drive and will to do what it takes to be the best they can be for the team.
I want to thank my staff, Alex DelPiombo and Alison Cooke, for working tirelessly to help us identify and recruit great players and, more importantly, great people. Also, a big shoutout to our current student-athletes, who are the best ambassadors and recruiting tools for BGSU and BGVB."
Gwen Crull (Madison, Wis. / McFarland High School / VC United)
Crull, a 6-foot-2 middle blocker, will arrive in Bowling Green after playing for McFarland High School in Madison, Wisconsin. Crull was named First-Team All-Conference as both a sophomore and a junior as well as Second-Team All-State during her junior campaign and 2022 AVCA High School Honorable Mention All-America, First-Team All-State and First-Team All-Conference as a senior. This past season, Crull totaled 412 kills, 116 blocks and 69 aces after having 305 kills, 123 blocks and 62 aces during the 2021 season. She was also named AVCA Best and Brightest First Team for academics.
During the 2022 season, Crull recorded the second-highest hitting percentage in the state of Wisconsin and the 19th-highest in the nation among middle hitters. She's been a three-time Baraboo Tournament Champion, captured two conference tournament championships and a regional championship. Crull was also part of state runner-up teams as a freshman and junior while being a stat finalist her sophomore season.
Crull is the daughter of Amy and Jeff Crull. Amy Crull played volleyball at the University of Wisconsin-Madison while Jeff Crull played football at Minnesota State University-Mankato. Crull's grandfather, Garry Crull played football at Northern Illinois and her uncle, Jason Biddick, played baseball at Iowa State. Crull plans to major in interior design.
"I chose Bowling Green because of the welcoming team and excellent coaching staff!" said Crull. "The combination of the connections I made with the players and coaches, and the winning culture they have created made me fall in love with the volleyball program. I'm ready to grow and be challenged as a player and as a student, and I'm excited to contribute to this amazing program. I love the college atmosphere at BGSU and I'm also excited to begin my path towards an interior design degree."
Coach Tomic's Take:
"Gwen is a dynamic middle blocker who brings not just depth to our team's middle blocker position but size, athleticism, and competitive fire. Gwen is a proven winner, leader, and great teammate with contagious energy on and off the court. We are thrilled that she chose to become a Falcon and cannot wait for her to join us in January!"
Helen Wilford (Greenville, N.C. / J.H. Rose High School / Triangle 18 Black)
Also a 6-foot-2 middle blocker, Wilford will join the Falcons from Greenville, North Carolina. At J.H. Rose High School, Wilford was named a Pepsi Sports Spotlight during her senior season, a campaign that included a trip to the state finals with a 28-2 team record.
Over her three seasons, Wilford and the Rampants went a combined 65-9 record, advancing to at least the semifinals for the 3A state championship each season. Wilford is the daughter of Ray and Li-Ling Wilford and is planning to major in biology with a forensic specialty.
"I love the team atmosphere," said Wilford. "Everyone is so positive, but they are also competitive and have the desire to win. The coaches are really invested in the success of the volleyball program, and you can just tell that everyone cares so much about each other. I also love the campus. It is so peaceful and I just loved being there."
Coach Tomic's Take:
"Helen adds even more depth to our middle blocker position and has all the pieces necessary to thrive in college. She has the size, work ethic, and desire to be the best she can be. Helen is young in volleyball but has excelled tremendously in a short time because of her coachability and love for the game. Helen is a great learner, competitor, and teammate whose ceiling is very high. We are thrilled that she chose to be a Falcon!"
Edyta Waclawczyk (Katowice, Poland / Zespol Szkol Sportowych / MKS Dabrowa Gornicza)
A 6-foot outside hitter, Edyta Waclawczyk will come to the Falcons from Katowice, Poland ahead of the 2023 season. Waclawczyk has been named the best middle blocker of the regional talent tournament, the best attacker of the Silesian Cadet Championship and best attacker of the Silesian Junior Championship.
Waclawczyk competed with the Poland national team, receiving a silver medal in the Women's Eastern Europe Championships U16 in 2019 and a bronze medal at the U19 European Women's Championships in 2022. Waclawczyk is a three-time gold medalist, three-time silver medalist and three-time bronze medalist at the Silesian Voivodeship Championship. The daughter of Marek and Katarzyna, Waclawczyk is currently a volunteer firefighter and plans to pursue a degree in business with the ultimate goal of earning her MBA.
"I think BGSU will be the perfect place to further my development, both in volleyball and education," said Waclawczyk. "I love the atmosphere and people at the University and I am grateful that I will have the opportunity to play with such a great team."
Coach Tomic's Take:
"Edyta is a dynamic and explosive outside hitter who brings an invaluable wealth of playing at the high level of international volleyball. Her skills and team-first attitude will enhance our strong roster of outside hitters. Edyta's experience playing as an opposite and middle blocker gives her versatility which we like to see in our players. Edyta knows what it takes to win at the highest level from her club and national team experiences. We are thrilled that she chose to be a Falcon!"
Amanda Otten (Batavia, Ill. / Batavia High School / Team One)
Amanda Otten, a 6-foot-3 setter/right side hitter, is set to become a Falcon during the 2023 season after four years with the Batavia High School Bulldogs. During the 2022 season, Otten was named First-Team All-State after recording 319 kills on a .274 hitting percentage. Otten added 254 assists, 187 digs, 60 aces and 59 blocks for the Bulldogs. In addition to All-State, the stat line resulted in being named the Batavia High School MVP, All-Conference and AVCA All-Region while receiving a 2022 UA Camp Invite.
Otten was named to the AVCA Phenom List in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Her accolades include: 2021 Honorable Mention All-State; 2021 Honorable Mention All-America by Prep Volleyball; 2021 All-Conference; 2020 Batavia High School Varsity MVP; 2020 All-Conference.
Otten is the daughter of Nicholas Otten and Karma Forrestal, both of whom played basketball at Wheaton College. Otten plans to major in business with the career ambition of owning her own business or bakery.
"I chose to attend Bowling Green because as soon as I stepped onto campus, I knew it would be my second home," said Otten. "The people are absolutely amazing, and I know that they are going to push me to become the best person I can be. Ultimately, I knew that I was going to be happy at BG."
Coach Tomic's Take:
"Amanda brings a unique set of skills and size that is hard to find. Being a 6-3 setter/right-side hitter is an excellent addition to our current roster and will give us many options when creating our system of play. On top of that, she is a great teammate and leader who makes everyone around her better. Amanda has a huge ceiling, and with her work ethic, relentless competitive drive, and character, the sky is the limit. We are thrilled she chose to be a Falcon and cannot wait for her to join us in January!"
Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons volleyball team on social media
Twitter - @BGAthletics and @BGSUVolleyball
Instagram - 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsuvolleyball'
Facebook - 'BGSU Athletics' and 'Bowling Green State University Volleyball'
TikTok - @bgsuvolleyball
YouTube - 'Falcon Athletics'
"We are thrilled to announce our 2023 recruiting class and welcome the four newest members of our BGSU Volleyball program," said Head Coach Danijela Tomic. "Every year our goal is to recruit student-athletes who want to be a part of BGSU Volleyball culture of excellence and can contribute to it on and off the court to help us become one of the premier programs in the nation. I believe we accomplished that goal again this year. Each one of our newest Falcons has the potential to make an immediate impact, but also an impact in years to come. They come from great families, winning high school, club, and national team programs, are great teammates and have the drive and will to do what it takes to be the best they can be for the team.
I want to thank my staff, Alex DelPiombo and Alison Cooke, for working tirelessly to help us identify and recruit great players and, more importantly, great people. Also, a big shoutout to our current student-athletes, who are the best ambassadors and recruiting tools for BGSU and BGVB."
Gwen Crull (Madison, Wis. / McFarland High School / VC United)
Crull, a 6-foot-2 middle blocker, will arrive in Bowling Green after playing for McFarland High School in Madison, Wisconsin. Crull was named First-Team All-Conference as both a sophomore and a junior as well as Second-Team All-State during her junior campaign and 2022 AVCA High School Honorable Mention All-America, First-Team All-State and First-Team All-Conference as a senior. This past season, Crull totaled 412 kills, 116 blocks and 69 aces after having 305 kills, 123 blocks and 62 aces during the 2021 season. She was also named AVCA Best and Brightest First Team for academics.
During the 2022 season, Crull recorded the second-highest hitting percentage in the state of Wisconsin and the 19th-highest in the nation among middle hitters. She's been a three-time Baraboo Tournament Champion, captured two conference tournament championships and a regional championship. Crull was also part of state runner-up teams as a freshman and junior while being a stat finalist her sophomore season.
Crull is the daughter of Amy and Jeff Crull. Amy Crull played volleyball at the University of Wisconsin-Madison while Jeff Crull played football at Minnesota State University-Mankato. Crull's grandfather, Garry Crull played football at Northern Illinois and her uncle, Jason Biddick, played baseball at Iowa State. Crull plans to major in interior design.
"I chose Bowling Green because of the welcoming team and excellent coaching staff!" said Crull. "The combination of the connections I made with the players and coaches, and the winning culture they have created made me fall in love with the volleyball program. I'm ready to grow and be challenged as a player and as a student, and I'm excited to contribute to this amazing program. I love the college atmosphere at BGSU and I'm also excited to begin my path towards an interior design degree."
Coach Tomic's Take:
"Gwen is a dynamic middle blocker who brings not just depth to our team's middle blocker position but size, athleticism, and competitive fire. Gwen is a proven winner, leader, and great teammate with contagious energy on and off the court. We are thrilled that she chose to become a Falcon and cannot wait for her to join us in January!"
Helen Wilford (Greenville, N.C. / J.H. Rose High School / Triangle 18 Black)
Also a 6-foot-2 middle blocker, Wilford will join the Falcons from Greenville, North Carolina. At J.H. Rose High School, Wilford was named a Pepsi Sports Spotlight during her senior season, a campaign that included a trip to the state finals with a 28-2 team record.
Over her three seasons, Wilford and the Rampants went a combined 65-9 record, advancing to at least the semifinals for the 3A state championship each season. Wilford is the daughter of Ray and Li-Ling Wilford and is planning to major in biology with a forensic specialty.
"I love the team atmosphere," said Wilford. "Everyone is so positive, but they are also competitive and have the desire to win. The coaches are really invested in the success of the volleyball program, and you can just tell that everyone cares so much about each other. I also love the campus. It is so peaceful and I just loved being there."
Coach Tomic's Take:
"Helen adds even more depth to our middle blocker position and has all the pieces necessary to thrive in college. She has the size, work ethic, and desire to be the best she can be. Helen is young in volleyball but has excelled tremendously in a short time because of her coachability and love for the game. Helen is a great learner, competitor, and teammate whose ceiling is very high. We are thrilled that she chose to be a Falcon!"
Edyta Waclawczyk (Katowice, Poland / Zespol Szkol Sportowych / MKS Dabrowa Gornicza)
A 6-foot outside hitter, Edyta Waclawczyk will come to the Falcons from Katowice, Poland ahead of the 2023 season. Waclawczyk has been named the best middle blocker of the regional talent tournament, the best attacker of the Silesian Cadet Championship and best attacker of the Silesian Junior Championship.
Waclawczyk competed with the Poland national team, receiving a silver medal in the Women's Eastern Europe Championships U16 in 2019 and a bronze medal at the U19 European Women's Championships in 2022. Waclawczyk is a three-time gold medalist, three-time silver medalist and three-time bronze medalist at the Silesian Voivodeship Championship. The daughter of Marek and Katarzyna, Waclawczyk is currently a volunteer firefighter and plans to pursue a degree in business with the ultimate goal of earning her MBA.
"I think BGSU will be the perfect place to further my development, both in volleyball and education," said Waclawczyk. "I love the atmosphere and people at the University and I am grateful that I will have the opportunity to play with such a great team."
Coach Tomic's Take:
"Edyta is a dynamic and explosive outside hitter who brings an invaluable wealth of playing at the high level of international volleyball. Her skills and team-first attitude will enhance our strong roster of outside hitters. Edyta's experience playing as an opposite and middle blocker gives her versatility which we like to see in our players. Edyta knows what it takes to win at the highest level from her club and national team experiences. We are thrilled that she chose to be a Falcon!"
Amanda Otten (Batavia, Ill. / Batavia High School / Team One)
Amanda Otten, a 6-foot-3 setter/right side hitter, is set to become a Falcon during the 2023 season after four years with the Batavia High School Bulldogs. During the 2022 season, Otten was named First-Team All-State after recording 319 kills on a .274 hitting percentage. Otten added 254 assists, 187 digs, 60 aces and 59 blocks for the Bulldogs. In addition to All-State, the stat line resulted in being named the Batavia High School MVP, All-Conference and AVCA All-Region while receiving a 2022 UA Camp Invite.
Otten was named to the AVCA Phenom List in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Her accolades include: 2021 Honorable Mention All-State; 2021 Honorable Mention All-America by Prep Volleyball; 2021 All-Conference; 2020 Batavia High School Varsity MVP; 2020 All-Conference.
Otten is the daughter of Nicholas Otten and Karma Forrestal, both of whom played basketball at Wheaton College. Otten plans to major in business with the career ambition of owning her own business or bakery.
"I chose to attend Bowling Green because as soon as I stepped onto campus, I knew it would be my second home," said Otten. "The people are absolutely amazing, and I know that they are going to push me to become the best person I can be. Ultimately, I knew that I was going to be happy at BG."
Coach Tomic's Take:
"Amanda brings a unique set of skills and size that is hard to find. Being a 6-3 setter/right-side hitter is an excellent addition to our current roster and will give us many options when creating our system of play. On top of that, she is a great teammate and leader who makes everyone around her better. Amanda has a huge ceiling, and with her work ethic, relentless competitive drive, and character, the sky is the limit. We are thrilled she chose to be a Falcon and cannot wait for her to join us in January!"
Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons volleyball team on social media
Twitter - @BGAthletics and @BGSUVolleyball
Instagram - 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsuvolleyball'
Facebook - 'BGSU Athletics' and 'Bowling Green State University Volleyball'
TikTok - @bgsuvolleyball
YouTube - 'Falcon Athletics'
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