BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford Volleyball Head Coach Keylor Chan announced on Friday five additions to the program as part of the 2023 recruiting class.
Ally Cordes | Outside Hitter | 6'1 | Wyoming, Ohio
Ally Cordes comes to Samford from Wyoming, Ohio, where she was a four-year letter winner at Wyoming High School. Cordes set the school record with 1,524 career kills while also tallying 667 digs, 162 blocks, and 161 aces during her prep career. A two-time First Team All-Ohio selection, Cordes was named the District Player of the Year in 2022 while earning Cincinnati Hills League Player of the Year three times.
Cordes spent the last five seasons playing club volleyball with Tri-State Elite Volleyball based out of Cincinnati.
"Ally is a skilled and talented six rotation pin that has the background and ability to impact the program quickly," Coach Chan said. "Ally's club is one of the premier clubs in the Midwest and she has developed a great skill set at a very young age. Along with her physical skills, Ally's will to compete and rise in big moments is what set her apart in the recruiting process for us. We place a high value on finding athletes that enjoy big moments and Ally proved that during our evaluation process. Ally is the next generation of great pins at SUVB."
Ashley Evans | Middle Blocker | 6'2 | Lake Mary, Fla.
Ashley Evans joins the Bulldogs from Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary, Fla. A four-year letter-winner for the Rams, Evans tallied a district-high 54 blocks as a senior while also registering 111 kills. Evans has twice been named an Under Armor All-American and once to the SAC All-Conference Team.
Evans honed her middle blocking skills with her club team Top Select Volleyball Academy in Orlando, Fla. for eight years.
"Ashley has tremendous potential as a collegiate middle blocker," Chan said. "She has the range, quickness, training, and talent to help the program compete on the national stage. The middle in the 2023 class needed to be a combination of realized skill and future potential, and Ashley was the perfect fit. Ashley's club is also one of the very best in the southeast and the nation. Her exposure to advanced blocking/attacking concepts can translate into her helping the program quickly. We believe Ashley will emerge as one of our best middles during her career."
Janie Stinchcomb | Middle Blocker | 6'3 | Duluth, Ga.
Janie Stinchcomb comes to Birmingham from Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross, Ga. Stinchcomb lettered four seasons for the Spartans and helped led them to the Class AAA state championship in 2021 and the class AAAAA championship in 2022. She was an all-state selection and a first-team all-county selection as a junior in 2021, racking up 149 kills, 78 blocks, 45 digs, 25 aces (on a .923 serve percentage), and 12 assists.
Stinchcomb is a product of the A5 Volleyball Club based out of Roswell, Ga., where she currently is a member of 18-Boba 2023.
"Janie is a welcomed addition as she will compete and elevate our middle position," Chan said. "She is an athlete with the right drive, attitude, and talent we look for on the recruiting trail. Janie hails from one of the best clubs in the Atlanta area, and like the entire class, we placed a high value on bringing in the student-athletes that understand high-level volleyball. Janie is exactly the type of person and athlete that we have built Samford Volley around."
Annabelle Straty | DS/Libero | 5'7 | Dublin, Ohio
Annabelle Straty joins the Bulldogs from Dublin, Ohio. Straty lettered for four seasons at Dublin Coffman High School, where she was a Second Team Ohio Capital Conference honoree as a senior and an honorable mention as a junior and a sophomore. She helped lead the Shamrocks to a 2022 All-OCC District Championship.
Straty has played her last five seasons of club volleyball at Mintonette Sports in Columbus, Ohio, where she currently resides on team M.82.
"Annabelle landed on our radar a bit late in the recruiting process and we feel fortunate that she felt Samford was the fit for her," Chan said. "Annabelle grew up in one of the best clubs in Ohio and the nation. She understands how to lead and the demands of pushing herself to be her very best. Her skills as a libero will be impactful as we graduated two liberos that anchored much of our back-row play the past four years. Annabelle is a technical player with a high skill set that will compete quickly in our libero group."
Lexi Thatcher | Setter | 5'11 | Indianapolis, Ind.
Lexi Thatcher comes to the Magic City from Indianapolis, Ind., where she was a four-year letter winner at Bishop Chatard High School. The no. 1 ranked setter in Indiana by Prep Dig in 2022, Thatcher compiled 1,003 assists, 359 digs, 100 kills, and 76 service aces during her prep career. Thatcher was twice named Indianapolis All-City, in addition to earning Circle City All-Conference, All-District, and Academic All-State honors.
Thatcher has spent her last three seasons playing club volleyball at The Academy Volleyball Club in Indianapolis.
"Lexi was our first commit in the class of 2023 and quickly rose as our top-setting prospect," Chan said. "Lexi's skill, potential, and story were exactly what we were looking for in our future setter. Lexi's volleyball IQ is exceptional. She understands how to connect a team and what situations require to put her team in the best position to succeed. Lexi also comes from an elite club that has provided her with the experiences necessary to compete quickly when she arrives on campus. The demands from the setting position are vast within a volleyball program and we believe Lexi will rise to meet them and set a new standard before she graduates."
Samford Volleyball is coming off a 2022 campaign that saw them finish 19-13 overall and 11-5 in Southern Conference play. The Bulldogs captured their fourth Southern Conference Tournament Championship in five years and their fifth in seven seasons under Chan.
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS:
For the latest news and information on Samford volleyball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordVolleyball (Facebook), @SamfordVB (Instagram), and @SamfordVB (Twitter).
