SIOUX FALLS -- University of Sioux Falls Volleyball Head Coach Joel McCartney today announced the signing of four student-athletes, who will continue their academic and athletic careers at USF.  The NCAA signing period opened November 14.

Building on the momentum of USF Volleyball's best season at NCAA DII, McCartney has signed a total of eight recruits this fall. After announcing four signees on November 14, McCartney added to the talent pool at USF with four new signees today (Dec. 14, 2018). The group includes Setter/Defensive Specialist, Grace Gilles of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Outside Hitter, Nicole Jacobson of Dakota Dunes, South Dakota; Setter/Defensive Specialist Marlee Schneider of Custer, South Dakota; and Outside Hitter, Adrianna Smith of Marquette, Nebraska. Those four student-athletes join a 2019 USF Recruiting Class which also includes Defensive Specialist Avery Elfering of Danube, Minnesota; Middle Blocker, Grace Marti of Willmar, Minnesota; Outside Hitter, Hayley Fox of Saint Paul, Nebraska; and Outside/Opposite Hitter, Riley Robbe of Bentonville, Arkansas.

"We are all very excited about the 2019 class of athletes and their families becoming a part of our Cougar program," said USF eighth-year head coach Joel McCartney, who directed USF to a 20-10 record and its first-ever "top-four finish," of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Postseason Volleyball Tournament. "We are very excited about adding these four to our 2019 class and love that they will become a part of our Cougar program family.  We feel like we're getting a complete group of athletes upgrading every area of our roster," said McCartney.
 
"Although we have a lot of work to do in keeping our program among the strongest nationally, these athletes have the right kind of serious attitude about helping with that initiative.  They also bring a great youth and excitement to our future," said McCartney, whose 2018 team also recorded a program-high 14 league victories and was ranked sixth in the final poll or the NCAA Central Region.
 
This year, USF graduates five seniors including; All-American Bria Barfnecht, all-time kill leader Makenna Rockeman, three-time All-NSIC middle blocker Lexi Scott, setter Megan Hamstad and defensive specialist Anna Peterson.
 
The four new recruits include --
 

Grace Gilles, 5-6, Setter/Defensive Specialist, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin / Regis High School
 
A four-year starter at Regis (Wis.) High School, Gilles was named the Western Cloverbelt Conference Player of the Year in 2018. The daughter of Joni and Dan Gilles, she was named All-Western Cloverbelt Conference four times (2015-18) and selected to the WIAA State All-Tournament Team in 2017. In both 2015 and 2017, she helped lead Regis High School to the WIAA State Tournament. Gilles also competed with the Wisconsin Ice Volleyball Club.
 
"Although Grace (Gilles) is a setter by trade, she also has excellent platform skills and I believe we can use her as a defensive specialist as well as the setting position," said McCartney. "I am so excited to have an athlete like Grace bringing four-years of quality experience from both her high school and club programs.  I am impressed with Grace's technical ability on the court, but enamored by the way she relates to others."
 
Nicole Jacobson, 6-0, Outside Hitter, Dakota Dunes, South Dakota / Bishop Heelan High School

 
A four-year starter at Bishop-Heelan in Sioux City, Iowa, Jacobson was named all-state, first-team all-region and first team all-conference in 2018. She helped lead Bishop Heelan to the Iowa State Tournament in 2015, 2016 and 2017.  A daughter of Carol and Dave Jacobson, she was part of an AAU National Championship 16 U Club team in 2016. In 2016 and 2017, Jacobson competed at the USA High Performance National Championship Tournament. She was also a team MVP for her club team.
 
"I really believe that Nicole will be great in our gym.  She is so seriously competitive with everything on the court, but has a great sense of humor and is really enjoyable to be around," McCartney said. "She has what it takes to become a solid 6-rotation player for us and most importantly, I think she has the DNA to become a great teammate and leader for our program."
 

Marlee Schneider, 5-7, Setter/Defensive Specialist, Custer, South Dakota / Rapid City Stevens
 
Named all-conference four straight years (2015-18), Schneider was a setter on the Rapid City Stevens team that won the 2018 South Dakota State Championship. Named to the State Volleyball Championship All-Tournament Team in 2018, she led her team to a runner-up state finish in 2017. The daughter of Renae and Kent Schneider, she was a member of the Blacks Junior Volleyball Club.
 
"We are pretty excited to get an athlete like Marlee in our 2019 class.  She has great experience leading a team to a State Championship and we can use leadership like that in our every-day training," said McCarney. "We will count on Marlee to add depth to our Setter position group, but also compete for a defensive specialty role for our team."

 
Adrianna Smith, 6-0, Outside Hitter, Marquette, Nebraska / Aurora High School
 
A three-year starter at Aurora High School, Smith was named to the Heartland All-Conference Team in 2017 and 2018. The daughter of Julie and Aaron Smith, she helped lead her high school team to the Nebraska State Championship Tournament in 2015 and 2016. Smith, who played for the Nebraska Juniors Volleyball Club team, was named to the Nebraska Academic All-State Team from 2016-18.
 
"We feel really fortunate to sign Addie to our program.  She originally committed to a Division I program in her junior-year, but after suffering an ACL injury, the school backed off of their recruitment," said McCartney. "She is still working through full recovery, but by the time she reaches our campus this summer, Addie is going to be ready to contribute."
Located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, University of Sioux Falls is a member of NCAA Division II and competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.