By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Juniata College women's volleyball head coach Heather Pavilk has announced six committed student-athletes for the class of 2018. Katie Dickins (Claremont, Calif./Vivian Webb), Karly Grimes (Williamsport, Md./Williamsport), Rachel Harris (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory), Christine Irwin (State College, Pa./State College), Lydia Mueller (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle), and Chelsea Scafuro (Geneva, Ohio/Geneva) will be wearing the blue and gold as Eagles next season.
Dickins, a Claremont, Calif. native, was a four-year letterwinner and starting setter for Vivian Webb School. She led the league in assists per set during the 2011 and 2012 seasons. In 2013 her high school team finished the season tied for fourth in the Prep League. That season the top three teams in the Prep League reached the final four of the Division 2A California Interscholastic Federation tournament. Dickins was named team captain for both her high school and Pacific Juniors Volleyball Club teams and in 2009 she was a member of the A2 USA High Performance Team as a setter.
"Katie is a very good setter and has been trained extremely well over her scholastic and club career," said Pavlik. "She plays in the extremely competitive southern California volleyball environment so she has competed against and with some of the best. She is a very good competitor and understands the mental aspects of the game very well. I am really looking forward to working with her for the next four years."
Grimes earned two varsity letters in both volleyball and basketball at Williamsport High School and also competed for the softball team. The defensive specialist was twice named to the All-County and All-Monocacy Valley Athletic League (MVAL)/Antietam Honorable Mention teams and as a senior was chosen to participate in the Spikefest all-star game. She helped the Williamsport team capture the 2012 and 2013 2A West Regional Championship and the Maryland 2A State Championship. She was named a team captain for the basketball team and received the team Sportsmanship Award for softball.
"Karli is a really good defensive player and passer who will be a great addition to this team. She is barely scratching the surface of her abilities at this point. Her length and athleticism should translate very well in our gym and I am looking forward to watching her development as a player," said Pavlik.
A four-year letterwinner at Hickory High School in Chesapeake, Va. as a middle blocker, Harris was chosen to participate in the Virginia High School Coaches Association State All-Star game after her senior season and in 2014 received the Chesapeake Superintendent's Scholar Athlete award. Harris was named to the First-Team All-District and First-Team All-Region teams as a senior and over her four years was a three-time all-district honoree. Harris has played the last two year with the Coastal Volleyball Club where she helped the team capture the 18 Open Division championship at the 2014 Capital Hill Classic and participated as the only junior on the 2013 team and finished fifth at the AAU Nationals in Orlando, Fl. Harris will be studying Biology at Juniata.
"Rachel is a very dynamic player with a great competitive attitude. Her physical explosiveness and speed will be a great addition to this team. She also brings an infectious energy to the court each and every time she plays. Her ability to ball control as a middle makes her very versatile. I am really looking forward to spending time in the gym with her over the next four years," said Pavlik.
Irwin will be making the trip over the mountain from State College, Pa. to join the Juniata volleyball community. She was a four-year letterwinner in volleyball as an outside hitter at State College Area high school and also lettered twice in track & field as a javelin thrower. Irwin was a three-time All-Conference, two-time All-District and All-State teams, and two-time PennLive All-Star honoree. The State College Area team finished top-10 in the state during three of her four years with the team including a sixth place finish in 2011. Irwin was named team defensive player of the year in 2012 and as a senior she was named team co-captain. She currently plays for the Revolution Volleyball Club.
"Christine is a player who excels at all the facets of the game," said Pavlik. "She is a great ball control player as well as a terminal hitter. Her knowledge of the game will lend itself well to making the transition to the collegiate game. She is a fierce competitor who has played with and against other great players throughout her high school and club career. She has been coached well and I am looking forward to helping her develop her game over the next four years."
A Carlisle, Pa. native, Mueller was a three-year letterwinner at Carlisle Area as an opposite. She played two years with the Revolution Volleyball Club and two years with Chambersburg Area Volleyball Express (CAVE) club. In 2012 she was named First-Team Mid Penn Commonwealth All-Star, First-Team All-Sentinel All-Star, First-Team Patriot News Big 12 All-Star, and Carlisle Area team MVP. Mueller was a repeat Mid Penn Commonwealth All-Star as a senior and was named District 3 AAA and State College Invitational all-star. Mueller plans to study Pre-Pharmacy at Juniata.
"Lydia is a very good front and back row player. Her net skills are excellent and the ability to play great defense and pass as a lefty opposite are major bonuses. In some ways, she is just scratching the surface of the outstanding player that she can be someday. It will be fun to watch her game develop to its fullest in the collegiate environment. I am really looking forward to her four years here at Juniata," said Pavlik.
Scafuro joins Juniata volleyball after a four-year letterwinning career at Geneva High School in Geneva, Ohio. In 2013 she was named Ashtabula County Player of the Year after earning a share of the award as a co-Player of the Year in 2012. The outside hitter was four times selected a First-Team All-Ashtabula County member. She set the Geneva high school single season record for service aces (50) as a freshman. Scafuro was named a team captain in 2012 and 2013 and helped the team capture the 2011 and 2013 Geneva High School's Premier Athletic Conference championship. She currently plays for the Eastside Cleveland Volleyball Club.
"Chelsea is a very good all-around player," said Pavlik. "Her passing and defensive skills will be a great asset to this team. She possesses a great knowledge of the game and has played with and against very good players both in high school and during her club career. This has prepared her well to make the transition to the collegiate game. I am looking forward to her four years here at Juniata."
Pavlik led the 2013 Juniata team through a 31-5 season in which they captured the 2013 Landmark Conference championship, advanced to the NCAA Regional semi-finals, boasted six All-Landmark honorees including the 2013 Landmark Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, had four American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region members including the Mid-Atlantic Rookie of the Year, and an AVCA First-Team All-American.
Follow Your Eagles! Stay up-to-date on your Juniata College Eagles by following us on twitter (@JuniataEagles) and on Facebook (Juniata Eagles).
