MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's Volleyball rounds out its recruiting class for the upcoming season with a pair of highly-touted student-athletes from outside of California. Madi Zorn and Kjersti Strong have signed their NLIs with Saint Mary's College and will join the Gaels for the upcoming 2022 indoor season.
 
Madi Zorn is another well-decorated setter joining the Gaels, coming from Spokane, Washington and Mead High School. Zorn has been nothing but spectacular with the Panthers, racking up 935 aces and 153 aces while being named Class 3A Player of the Year by the coaches association for her team that won the Class 3A state championship in 2021. Zorn was named First-Team All-State during all four of her varsity seasons.
 
"We have been watching Madi from a very young age," recalls Rob Browning, head coach of Saint Mary's. "She is perhaps the longest recruited prospect in SMCVB history, as she started attending our camps as a 10-year old. Madi has been the leader on a state championship team, which is a testament to her skill as a player and her personal character. She will represent SMCVB well on the court, in the classroom, and in her personal life."
 
Kjersti Strong certainly does have strong credentials from the middle blocker position, as the 6'4" native of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania played two seasons at Snow College. Strong was top-ten in the NJCAA in hitting efficiency during the 2021 season, hitting at a .359 clip, and finished on teams that ended the year seventh and second in the NCJAA National Tournament. In high school, Strong was First Team All-State as a senior for Skyridge High School, and she helped lead them to a 5A State Championship as a junior.
 
"Kjersti has been a dominant attacker and blocker at Snow College, where she has developed under the guidance of a great coach," Browning mentions. "She is a polished veteran whose personality and character are a great match for our team. An outstanding student, KJ will contribute to our team's success in every way."
 
Hailee Garcia, announced in November, also picked up some major awards post-season. Garcia was named the 2021 Deseret News Ms. Volleyball for the state of Utah, and set the UHSAA state record for career assists with 3,311, making her just one of two players in Utah state history to eclipse 3,000 career assists.
 
"This is one of the most-decorated recruiting classes we've ever had in Hailee, Madi, and Kjersti," Browning said of the three newest Gaels. "All of their championships and individual awards and records are a direct result of each one's personal character, work ethic, leadership, and team-first attitude. Each of them knows what it means to be a great teammate, and they know how to win. We are beyond excited to welcome them and their wonderful families into our SMCVB family."