Kansas State University Athletics
Fritz Adds Three During Fall Signing Period
Nov 10, 2021 | Volleyball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State head volleyball coach Suzie Fritz announced the signings of Aniya Clinton, Ava LeGrand and Brenna Schmidt to National Letters of Intent (NLI) on the first day of the fall signing period.
Clinton is a 6-foot-2 outside hitter out of Midland High School in Midland, Texas while LeGrand is a 6-foot setter from Papillion-La Vista South High School in Papillion, Nebraska. A 6-foot-6 middle blocker, Schmidt hails from Eagle, Nebraska and attended Elmwood-Murdock High School.
"This is a group that will be impactful in our program in a number of ways," Fritz said of her 2022 signing class. "They are excellent students and women of character in addition to their athletic talents. We are looking forward to adding their competitive and collective talents, and we believe they will complement our current roster and continue to help us move the program forward."
Clinton was a four-year starter for Midland and earned the 2020 District 2-6A Outstanding Hitter award in addition to her selection to the 2020 Texas 6A Girls Coaches Association's All-State Team. In her senior season, Clinton helped Midland reach the Texas 6A bi-district playoffs with a 19-17 record.
Clinton led the Lady Bulldogs with 396 kills in 2021, while ranking second on her team with 274 digs. She produced a double-double with 17 kills and 12 digs in her final match of the regular season against Midland Legacy.
Playing her club ball for Texas Advantage under head coach and 1984 Chinese Olympian Ping Cao, Clinton's squad finished third in this year's national tournament.
"Aniya is a versatile outside hitter with a well-rounded skill set and the ability to help the team in a number of ways," said Fritz of Clinton. "She is coming off a successful club season playing for a very high-level club in Texas. The ability to effectively execute in all facets of the game is what is most exciting about Aniya. She is just beginning to scratch the surface of her potential and is going to get better and better with higher level of competition and training."
LeGrand was a four-year letterwinner for Papillion-La Vista South and led the Titans to an undefeated season (40-0) in 2021 that was capped by a Nebraska Class A state championship, defeating Millard West in straight sets in the title match on November 6.
In four seasons at Papillion-La Vista, LeGrand totaled 2,524 assists, including 1,109 in her senior season (11.32 per set). LeGrand also tallied 1,350 digs, 792 kills, 299 total blocks and 118 service aces in her Titan career.
A three-time all-state selection, LeGrand led the Titans to two state championships and a state runner-up finish over her final three seasons as the team's setter. Papillion-La Vista South was ranked as the nation's No. 3 team by MaxPreps and the eighth-ranked team in the latest USA Today poll.
According to PrepDig.com, she is the top setter and second overall recruit in the Cornhusker State and is ranked as the nation's No. 103 recruit by PrepVolleyball.com.
"Ava is an incredibly disciplined and driven athlete, exactly the kind of mentality and demeanor you want in a setter," stated Fritz. "We are excited about the athleticism, size and strength she brings to the setter position. She has strong leadership qualities and is a proven winner from a volleyball family. She most recently finished her high school season by leading her team to an undefeated season and convincing Nebraska State Class A championship. We're looking forward to Ava joining us in the spring and getting a head start on her collegiate career."
Schmidt was a four-year varsity letterwinner for Elmwood-Murdock, with a career-high 540 kills and 132 blocks in her senior season. In four seasons with the Knights, she totaled 1,209 kills (4.17 per set), 310 blocks (1.09 per set) and 78 service aces.
Nine times this season Schmidt recorded 20 or more kills, including three straight 20-kill outings in the Nebraska Class D1 State Tournament, helping lead Elmwood-Murdock to the state semifinals.
Schmidt finished the season with a .346 hitting efficiency and logged a season-high 27 kills on November 4 against Mead and picked up a season-best 10 blocks in a five-set win over Palmyra on October 14.
Additionally, Schmidt was named a 2020 All-State Class C2 Honorable Mention selection in basketball by the Lincoln Journal Star.
"Brenna brings power, length and size to the middle blocker position," Fritz said of Schmidt. "We are excited about what she adds to the team with her offensive production. She is an incredibly smart and committed student-athlete, who most recently led her team to the Nebraska State Volleyball Tournament. Brenna has developed her physicality and overall game in the last year and has an incredibly high ceiling that she is just beginning to tap into."
LeGrand will graduate high school early and join the program in January for spring practices. Clinton and Schmidt will arrive next summer ahead of the 2022 campaign.
K-State (14-7, 5-5 Big 12) begins a four-match road swing on Thursday with a pair of matches at Iowa State. The Wildcats and Cyclones will play Thursday at 6:30 p.m. before concluding the series Saturday at 1 p.m. Both contests will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
2022 K-State Volleyball Signing Class
Clinton is a 6-foot-2 outside hitter out of Midland High School in Midland, Texas while LeGrand is a 6-foot setter from Papillion-La Vista South High School in Papillion, Nebraska. A 6-foot-6 middle blocker, Schmidt hails from Eagle, Nebraska and attended Elmwood-Murdock High School.
"This is a group that will be impactful in our program in a number of ways," Fritz said of her 2022 signing class. "They are excellent students and women of character in addition to their athletic talents. We are looking forward to adding their competitive and collective talents, and we believe they will complement our current roster and continue to help us move the program forward."
Clinton was a four-year starter for Midland and earned the 2020 District 2-6A Outstanding Hitter award in addition to her selection to the 2020 Texas 6A Girls Coaches Association's All-State Team. In her senior season, Clinton helped Midland reach the Texas 6A bi-district playoffs with a 19-17 record.
Clinton led the Lady Bulldogs with 396 kills in 2021, while ranking second on her team with 274 digs. She produced a double-double with 17 kills and 12 digs in her final match of the regular season against Midland Legacy.
Playing her club ball for Texas Advantage under head coach and 1984 Chinese Olympian Ping Cao, Clinton's squad finished third in this year's national tournament.
"Aniya is a versatile outside hitter with a well-rounded skill set and the ability to help the team in a number of ways," said Fritz of Clinton. "She is coming off a successful club season playing for a very high-level club in Texas. The ability to effectively execute in all facets of the game is what is most exciting about Aniya. She is just beginning to scratch the surface of her potential and is going to get better and better with higher level of competition and training."
LeGrand was a four-year letterwinner for Papillion-La Vista South and led the Titans to an undefeated season (40-0) in 2021 that was capped by a Nebraska Class A state championship, defeating Millard West in straight sets in the title match on November 6.
In four seasons at Papillion-La Vista, LeGrand totaled 2,524 assists, including 1,109 in her senior season (11.32 per set). LeGrand also tallied 1,350 digs, 792 kills, 299 total blocks and 118 service aces in her Titan career.
A three-time all-state selection, LeGrand led the Titans to two state championships and a state runner-up finish over her final three seasons as the team's setter. Papillion-La Vista South was ranked as the nation's No. 3 team by MaxPreps and the eighth-ranked team in the latest USA Today poll.
According to PrepDig.com, she is the top setter and second overall recruit in the Cornhusker State and is ranked as the nation's No. 103 recruit by PrepVolleyball.com.
"Ava is an incredibly disciplined and driven athlete, exactly the kind of mentality and demeanor you want in a setter," stated Fritz. "We are excited about the athleticism, size and strength she brings to the setter position. She has strong leadership qualities and is a proven winner from a volleyball family. She most recently finished her high school season by leading her team to an undefeated season and convincing Nebraska State Class A championship. We're looking forward to Ava joining us in the spring and getting a head start on her collegiate career."
Schmidt was a four-year varsity letterwinner for Elmwood-Murdock, with a career-high 540 kills and 132 blocks in her senior season. In four seasons with the Knights, she totaled 1,209 kills (4.17 per set), 310 blocks (1.09 per set) and 78 service aces.
Nine times this season Schmidt recorded 20 or more kills, including three straight 20-kill outings in the Nebraska Class D1 State Tournament, helping lead Elmwood-Murdock to the state semifinals.
Schmidt finished the season with a .346 hitting efficiency and logged a season-high 27 kills on November 4 against Mead and picked up a season-best 10 blocks in a five-set win over Palmyra on October 14.
Additionally, Schmidt was named a 2020 All-State Class C2 Honorable Mention selection in basketball by the Lincoln Journal Star.
"Brenna brings power, length and size to the middle blocker position," Fritz said of Schmidt. "We are excited about what she adds to the team with her offensive production. She is an incredibly smart and committed student-athlete, who most recently led her team to the Nebraska State Volleyball Tournament. Brenna has developed her physicality and overall game in the last year and has an incredibly high ceiling that she is just beginning to tap into."
LeGrand will graduate high school early and join the program in January for spring practices. Clinton and Schmidt will arrive next summer ahead of the 2022 campaign.
K-State (14-7, 5-5 Big 12) begins a four-match road swing on Thursday with a pair of matches at Iowa State. The Wildcats and Cyclones will play Thursday at 6:30 p.m. before concluding the series Saturday at 1 p.m. Both contests will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
2022 K-State Volleyball Signing Class
| Name | Pos. | Height | Hometown / High School / Club |
| Aniya Clinton | OH | 6-2 | Midland, Texas / Midland HS / Texas Advantage |
| Ava LeGrand | S | 6-0 | Papillion, Neb. / Papillion-La Vista South HS / Nebraska Juniors |
| Brenna Schmidt | MB | 6-6 | Eagle, Neb. / Elmwood-Murdock HS / Nebraska Juniors |
Help us welcome out newest Wildcat, Aniya Clinton 😼@ClintonAniya is a 6-foot-2 outside hitter from Midland, Texas. #KStateVB x #NSD21 pic.twitter.com/4FzZLvDR2c
— K-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) November 10, 2021
Welcome to the VolleyCat family, Ava LeGrand! 😼
— K-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) November 10, 2021
A 6-foot setter from Papillion, Neb., @avajl0220 #KStateVB x #NSD21 pic.twitter.com/ydu3Ao62wl
Let's welcome Brenna Schmidt to the VolleyCat Family 😼
— K-State Volleyball (@KStateVB) November 10, 2021
Brenna is a 6-6 middle blocker from Eagle, Nebraska #KStateVB x #NSD21 pic.twitter.com/c3WniqNSRy
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