Spartan Volleyball Adds Two Exceptional Players to 2015 Team
Volleyball Adds Two For 2015 Team
BIG EAST Player of the Year, defensive specialist join Spartans
East Lansing, Michigan -- Michigan State head coach Cathy George announced on Friday the addition of two student-athletes to the Spartan volleyball program. Transfer student Autumn Bailey (Burlington, Ontario/Assumption Catholic Secondary High School/Marquette University) and incoming freshman Sarah Washagesic (South Haven, Mich./South Haven High School) will enroll at Michigan State in the fall.
“These are two players who will be great additions to our program,†said George. “We believe that both Autumn and Sarah will provide some excitement to MSU volleyball. Autumn is an outstanding player who is well skilled in every area. She is a high flyer who is dynamic, aggressive and passionate. Sarah is a defensive player who is small in stature but big in heart and fight. Both are strong passers who will make an impact on our overall game.â€
Bailey will come to Michigan State after two years at Marquette, and the junior will be eligible immediately. The reigning BIG EAST Conference Player of the Year had a Marquette school-record 576 kills in 2014, averaging 4.80 kills per set and hitting .250. She also averaged 3.38 digs per set and 0.61 blocks per frame, adding 46 service aces . In her two-year career with the Golden Eagles, she averaged 4.49 kills, 0.53 blocks, and 5.15 points per set. She was an Honorable Mention AVCA All-America, AVCA East Coast region Freshman of the Year, and BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and First Team All-Conference pick in 2013, earning academic honors in the conference as well. The 5-10 outside hitter hails from the same high school *(Assumption Secondary Catholic) and club team (Defensa) as current rising junior Alyssah Fitterer, where the duo helped Assumption to its first Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations tournament title in 2012 and captured a Canadian National Championship with Defensa in U16 in 2011 and U18 in 2013, earning silver medal in 2012. Bailey earned Most Valuable Player honors in both National Championships, and was selected to the Canadian Junior National Team in 2012. Bailey will continue her pursuit of a degree in education.
Washagesic will help bolster the Spartan back row, as the libero was a four-year letterwinner and three-time First-Team All-Conference pick at South Haven High School, earning Defensive Player of the Year and All-Region honors as a junior and senior. As a junior in 2013-14, she was named the VanBuren/Cass County Female Athlete of the Year. She played club for Impact Dynamic Volleyball in Grandville, earning a first-place finish in the Junior Nationals Tournament and DeVos. Washagesic is also a standout softball player, helping South Haven to the Wolverine Conference tournament championship as a sophomore and earning All-Conference and All-District honors in each of her first three seasons.
Michigan State went 19-14 in 2014, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans are one of four programs in the Big Ten to finish .500 or better in each of the last four seasons, and return 13 letterwinners from last year’s team.
