Fritz Adds Four During Fall Signing Period
Nov 13, 2019 | Volleyball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State head volleyball coach Suzie Fritz announced the additions of Aliyah Carter, Kadye Fernholz, Mackenzie Morris and Jayden Nembhard for the 2020 season during the fall National Letter of Intent (NLI) signing period.
Carter is an outside hitter out of Wahlert Catholic High School in Dubuque, Iowa, while Fernholz is a middle blocker from Miller High School in Miller, South Dakota. A defensive specialist/libero, Morris hails from Ursuline Academy in Dallas, Texas, and Nembhard is an outside hitter from Keller High School in Keller, Texas.
"The true impact of a recruiting class evolves in time, but this is one of the most athletically gifted classes we have had," Fritz said of the 2020 signing class. "These student-athletes are winners. They have had success everywhere they go, and in everything they do. They are outstanding players, excellent students and even better people. We feel confident that they will have the same impact at K-State."
Carter has helped lead Wahlert Catholic to two straight 4A state championships. The 5-foot-9 outside hitter was voted the 2019 MVC Valley Division Player of the Year in addition to being a unanimous all-conference selection. Carter played her freshman season at Hempstead High School before transferring, guiding Hempstead to the state tournament. In her junior season she led the state in kills per set and hitting efficiency.
A two-sport star, Carter has also taken home state titles in the long jump while placing in the high jump. Carter was one of three finalists for the 2019 All-Female Iowa Athlete of the Year named by the Des Moines Register. The award honors the top multi-sport female athletes in the state of Iowa.
"Aliyah has a strong potential to be a six-rotation impact player," said Fritz. "She is one of the most physically gifted jumpers in the nation. She is an elite multi-sport athlete who has set several state records in track and field to go with multiple state championships in volleyball. Aliyah comes from an athletic family, with both brothers currently playing college basketball."
Fernholz was named to the 2019 Under Armour Girls High School All-America Second Team by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) earlier this month. Additionally, the Miller, South Dakota, product collected 2019 AVCA High School All-Region honors and was named a PrepVolleyball.com's Senior Ace as one of the nation's top 150 recruits.
Fernholz has collected over 1,900 kills with over 300 blocks in her high school career and has amassed over 450 kills at a .441 clip in her senior season. The 6-foot-1 middle blocker is a two-time first-team all-state selection while also earning second-team all-state honors as a freshman. The Rustlers are currently the top seed in the state tournament that begins November 21 in Rapid, City, South Dakota. Fernholz led MHS to an appearance in the Class A championship match in last season.
"A versatile and well-accomplished multi-sport athlete," Fritz said of Fernholz. "She has the capacity to play a variety of positions, but we like her athleticism and speed from pin to pin as a middle blocker. With that speed, she will be able to get out and run in transition to be an offensive threat. Kadye has excellent arm speed and will be able to generate kill production in a lot of different gaps."
Morris, a 5-foot-7 libero, was named 2018 6A District 2 Defensive Player of the Year in addition to first-team all-state and first-team all-district honors following her junior season. Additionally, Morris was named academic all-state and was tabbed as the district's Newcomer of the Year in 2017.
On the club side, she helped lead Excel to a third-place finish at the 2018 USAV Junior National Championship while also being selected to the all-tournament team.
"One of the most underrated liberos in the 2020 class," Fritz said of Morris. "A highly desired characteristic of a good libero is the ability to make the people around you better. Mackenzie does just that. She is an incredibly hard worker and has a relentless-pursuit mentality that all good defenders require. She possesses tremendous speed and ball control and sees the game well for a young player."
Nembhard, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, is a four-year letterwinner for Keller and collected over 1,400 kills, 150 blocks and 500 service aces in her high school career. Nembhard helped lead the Indians to the Class 6A district playoffs in her senior season while earning first-team all-district honors.
Nembhard, whose brother RJ plays basketball at TCU, helped her club team win gold in the Open division of the 2017 Girls Junior National Championships.
"Jayden comes to us with strong competitive experiences coming from the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex in both her club and high school programs," added Fritz. "She is an outstanding athlete and jumper with good blocking instincts. Jayden has the ability to play incredibly high and score points fast at the net. She comes from an athletic family with her brother, RJ, currently playing basketball at TCU and her father playing in the NBA and her grandfather playing in the NFL."
The four newcomers join K-State's 20th-ranked recruiting class from a year ago in Teana Adams-Kaonohi, Anna Dixon, Faith Hammontree, Loren Hinkle and Dru Kuck, according to PrepVolleyball.com.
The Cats take on No. 1 Texas Wednesday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Lawrence to face rival Kansas in the season's second Dillons Sunflower Showdown Saturday.
2020 K-State Volleyball Signing Class
Carter is an outside hitter out of Wahlert Catholic High School in Dubuque, Iowa, while Fernholz is a middle blocker from Miller High School in Miller, South Dakota. A defensive specialist/libero, Morris hails from Ursuline Academy in Dallas, Texas, and Nembhard is an outside hitter from Keller High School in Keller, Texas.
"The true impact of a recruiting class evolves in time, but this is one of the most athletically gifted classes we have had," Fritz said of the 2020 signing class. "These student-athletes are winners. They have had success everywhere they go, and in everything they do. They are outstanding players, excellent students and even better people. We feel confident that they will have the same impact at K-State."
Carter has helped lead Wahlert Catholic to two straight 4A state championships. The 5-foot-9 outside hitter was voted the 2019 MVC Valley Division Player of the Year in addition to being a unanimous all-conference selection. Carter played her freshman season at Hempstead High School before transferring, guiding Hempstead to the state tournament. In her junior season she led the state in kills per set and hitting efficiency.
Welcome to the Family! An outside hitter who is a state champion in both volleyball and track & field, Aliyah Carter (@aliyah_carter22). #KStateVB #EMAW pic.twitter.com/2BPEdM0oZ4
— K-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) November 13, 2019
A two-sport star, Carter has also taken home state titles in the long jump while placing in the high jump. Carter was one of three finalists for the 2019 All-Female Iowa Athlete of the Year named by the Des Moines Register. The award honors the top multi-sport female athletes in the state of Iowa.
"Aliyah has a strong potential to be a six-rotation impact player," said Fritz. "She is one of the most physically gifted jumpers in the nation. She is an elite multi-sport athlete who has set several state records in track and field to go with multiple state championships in volleyball. Aliyah comes from an athletic family, with both brothers currently playing college basketball."
Fernholz was named to the 2019 Under Armour Girls High School All-America Second Team by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) earlier this month. Additionally, the Miller, South Dakota, product collected 2019 AVCA High School All-Region honors and was named a PrepVolleyball.com's Senior Ace as one of the nation's top 150 recruits.
Fernholz has collected over 1,900 kills with over 300 blocks in her high school career and has amassed over 450 kills at a .441 clip in her senior season. The 6-foot-1 middle blocker is a two-time first-team all-state selection while also earning second-team all-state honors as a freshman. The Rustlers are currently the top seed in the state tournament that begins November 21 in Rapid, City, South Dakota. Fernholz led MHS to an appearance in the Class A championship match in last season.
Welcome to the Family! An Under Armour/AVCA All-America Second Team middle blocker from Miller, South Dakota, Kadye Fernholz (@kadye_fernholz).#KStateVB #EMAW pic.twitter.com/uXiYbjF5Yp
— K-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) November 13, 2019
"A versatile and well-accomplished multi-sport athlete," Fritz said of Fernholz. "She has the capacity to play a variety of positions, but we like her athleticism and speed from pin to pin as a middle blocker. With that speed, she will be able to get out and run in transition to be an offensive threat. Kadye has excellent arm speed and will be able to generate kill production in a lot of different gaps."
Morris, a 5-foot-7 libero, was named 2018 6A District 2 Defensive Player of the Year in addition to first-team all-state and first-team all-district honors following her junior season. Additionally, Morris was named academic all-state and was tabbed as the district's Newcomer of the Year in 2017.
Welcome to the Family! A 5-foot-7 libero and district defensive player of the year from Dallas, Mackenzie Morris (@mackenzmorris22).#KStateVB #EMAW pic.twitter.com/T9VLHrfbzk
— K-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) November 13, 2019
On the club side, she helped lead Excel to a third-place finish at the 2018 USAV Junior National Championship while also being selected to the all-tournament team.
"One of the most underrated liberos in the 2020 class," Fritz said of Morris. "A highly desired characteristic of a good libero is the ability to make the people around you better. Mackenzie does just that. She is an incredibly hard worker and has a relentless-pursuit mentality that all good defenders require. She possesses tremendous speed and ball control and sees the game well for a young player."
Nembhard, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, is a four-year letterwinner for Keller and collected over 1,400 kills, 150 blocks and 500 service aces in her high school career. Nembhard helped lead the Indians to the Class 6A district playoffs in her senior season while earning first-team all-district honors.
Welcome to the Family! A 6-foot-1 outside hitter with over 1,400 career kills from Keller, Texas, Jayden Nembhard (@jaydennembhard2).#KStateVB #EMAW pic.twitter.com/J7aOG95j3L
— K-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) November 13, 2019
Nembhard, whose brother RJ plays basketball at TCU, helped her club team win gold in the Open division of the 2017 Girls Junior National Championships.
"Jayden comes to us with strong competitive experiences coming from the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex in both her club and high school programs," added Fritz. "She is an outstanding athlete and jumper with good blocking instincts. Jayden has the ability to play incredibly high and score points fast at the net. She comes from an athletic family with her brother, RJ, currently playing basketball at TCU and her father playing in the NBA and her grandfather playing in the NFL."
The four newcomers join K-State's 20th-ranked recruiting class from a year ago in Teana Adams-Kaonohi, Anna Dixon, Faith Hammontree, Loren Hinkle and Dru Kuck, according to PrepVolleyball.com.
The Cats take on No. 1 Texas Wednesday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Lawrence to face rival Kansas in the season's second Dillons Sunflower Showdown Saturday.
2020 K-State Volleyball Signing Class
| Name | Pos. | Height | Hometown / High School / Club |
| Aliyah Carter | OH | 5-9 | Dubuque, Iowa / Wahlert Catholic HS / Adrenaline |
| Kadye Fernholz | MB | 6-1 | Miller, S.D. / Miller HS / Adrenaline |
| Mackenzie Morris | DS/L | 5-7 | Dallas, Texas / Ursuline Academy / Excel |
| Jayden Nembhard | OH | 6-1 | Keller, Texas / Keller HS / Excel |
Players Mentioned
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/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
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