KENNESAW, Ga. – Head Coach
Keith Schunzel announced the addition of three new signees to the Kennesaw State volleyball team Tuesday, welcoming two Cobb County natives and a two-time defending Alabama state champion in McKinley Ferguson, Claire Parsons and Addi Goede to the 2020 freshman class.
"This is a small but important class for us," said Schunzel. "We're really excited about these three women, what they're about, how much they want to be Owls and the skill sets they bring to the table."
McKinley Ferguson | Jasper, Ala. | S/OH | Jasper HS
A member of the two-time defending AHSAA 5A State Champion Jasper Vikings, McKinley Ferguson helped lead her prep team to its first ever state title in 2018. Over the past two seasons, the Vikings have accumulated a 133-14 overall record. Ferguson was named the State Tournament MVP her junior season before being named a member of the all-state tournament team in 2019. A 2019 AHSAA North All Star Team MVP, she did it all her senior season, recording 561 kills, 175 aces, 98 blocks, 270 digs and 360 assists on the year. Mckinley was named an AHSVCA all-state team member three times, finishing her career with over 1000 kills and 500 digs to go along with nearly 400 aces and 150 blocks.
What coach says: "Lou is another small-town Alabama kid who is a competitor to the bone. This is a young woman who is blue collar, loves working hard and simply loves training and playing the game. She is a setter who is a fantastic athlete with a really high ceiling in that position. She also has a whip of an arm, which will give us a realistic chance to look at a 6-2 offense with her setting and hitting in the future. It's going to be so fun to train Lou and help her develop into a high-level collegiate player."
Claire Parsons | Marietta, Ga. | MB | Lassiter HS
Claire Parsons comes to KSU from just down the road at Lassiter High School where she was a four-year varsity player. The middle blocker helped the Trojans go 33-8 this past season, finishing runner up in the GHSA 7A State Tournament. Named a 2019 GHSA First Team All-State selection, Parsons tallied 358 total kills and 122 blocks her senior season while hitting .422 on the year. She was also named to the GHSA Senior All Star Team and a member of the AVCA Under Armor All-American watch list. No stranger to championship clubs, Parsons was a member of the 2018 USAV 16 USA National Championship and AAU 16 Premier National Championship teams. A 2019 Prep Volleyball All-American, she closed out her high school tenure with a career .370 hitting percentage, recording over 700 kills and nearly 300 blocks.
What coach says: "Claire is someone who flew under the radar a little bit early in her high school career as her athleticism caught up with her body, but in the last year Claire's game has exploded. She has a ton of length, has a knack for blocking, and is a very natural quick attacker who sees the defense well and has the ability to attack for a high percentage. As Claire continues to get stronger and more dynamic, with hard work and competitiveness, she has the chance to be a fantastic player for us. She's a wonderful young woman, who's a pleasure to be around and we can't wait to work with her every day and have her in this program."
Addi Goede | Kennesaw, GA | S/DS | Kennesaw Mountain HS
Addi Goede helped lead Kennesaw Mountain to a 33-14 record and an Elite Eight appearance in the GHSA 7A State Tournament this past season, narrowly falling to Etowah HS in five sets. A two-time First Team All-Region 3-7A selection, Goede was named the Region 3-7A Player of the Year in 2019. She led the team with 459 digs her senior season to become the latest member of Kennesaw Mountain's 1,000 career digs club. She was also second on the team with 109 assists and 64 aces this past season to earn an invitation to the GHSA Senior All-Star Game. The Mustangs' primary setter her junior year, Goede led the team with 670 assists and 54 aces while adding 77 kills and 57 blocks.
What coach says: "Addi is your prototypical winner. Every team she's on wins, and she helps her teams win in so many different ways. She can pass, set, defend and play so many facets of the game at a high level. In addition, she is as competitive as they come, which is truly what makes her special. We're so excited about Addi because she's someone we've watched and been interested in for a long time but we weren't sure if KSU was the right place for her. When it all worked out, we couldn't be happier. She's as high of a character person as you'll find and someone who will compete her butt off every day in the gym to make herself and this program better."
