Volleyball Welcomes Four to 2020 Signing Class

URBANA, Ohio – Urbana University women's volleyball announced the signing of four individuals set to join the program next fall, including Emily Jarrell (Indianapolis, Ind.), Nicole Logan (Hilliard, Ohio), Alexis Nelson (Crawfordsville, Ind.) and Karly Niesen (Cincinnati, Ohio).

"We're very excited to welcome these four young women to the Blue Knight family," said head coach Kara Hellmann. "They are extremely talented athletes but even better people with strong academic backgrounds. I know they will provide a positive impact on campus and within our program right away."

Jarrell, a 6-foot middle blocker, earned three varsity letters at Franklin Central High School and plays for The Academy Volleyball Club in Indianapolis. As a senior, Jarrell led the Hoosier Crossroads Conference in total blocks (126) and posted a .303 hitting percentage to earn a spot on the AVCA High School All-Regional team. Her accolades include being selected to all-conference and all-county teams, as well as appearing on the AVCA Phenom Watch List and listed as an IHSVCA South All-Star nominee. Jarrell served as a team captain for the Flashes, finishing her career with 615 kills and 234 blocks. She was named 2019 IHSVCA Academic All-State and plans to study health sciences at Urbana University.

Logan, a 5-foot-11 right side/outside hitter, earned a pair of varsity letters in volleyball and eight total as a multi-sport athlete at Hilliard Darby High School. She helped the Panthers advance to the district semifinals in the OHSVCA tournament this past season. She also plays club ball for Mintonette Sports. Logan holds a 4.0 GPA and is planning to pursue a degree in education at Urbana University.

Nelson, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter, earned four varsity letters at Southmont High School and also competes with The Academy Volleyball Club. She racked up a school-record 630 kills as a senior while earning first-team all-conference, all-district and all-state honors. Nelson became the first Southmont High School player named to the IHSVCA All-Star Team after leading the Mounties to the program's first sectional championship since 1993. She also earned first-team all-conference recognition as a junior and finished her career with over 1,400 kills. Nelson has an interest in studying dietetics while pursuing her degree at Urbana University.

Niesen, who is the younger sister of current Blue Knight Courtney Niesen, earned four varsity letters at Roger Bacon High School and plays club ball with Tri-State Elite. The 5-foot-9 setter dished out nearly 2,200 career assists, including a school record 934 in her junior season while helping the Spartans to back-to-back appearances in the regional finals. In 2018, Niesen was named GCL Player of the Year and was a key contributor to an undefeated regular season and league championship. She is a three-time all-conference and all-district performer, while being recognized on the 2019 OHSVCA All-Ohio Division II Second Team. Niesen plans to study accounting at Urbana University.

The Urbana University women's volleyball program recently wrapped up its fourth consecutive winning season with a 19-13 overall ledger and school-record 12 league wins, which included an impressive run to the Mountain East Conference Finals.