By: Sam Boender
GOLDEN, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines Volleyball Head Coach
Jamie Magalei unveiled her incoming class for the fall of 2022 on Friday with the addition of six Orediggers.
Making up the class are
Hailey Aigner,
Allison Jansen,
Kate Kudlac,
Morgan McChesney,
Jada Price and
Meghan Slaninka. Magalei's focus with the group was the middle and defense as she added three middle blockers and three defensive specialists and she went all over the country to find the best. States represented among the new Orediggers are Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Texas and of course Colorado. All six additions are true freshmen set to arrive in Golden this coming August.
Below is a snapshot of the incoming class.
Hailey Aigner – 5-10 – Defensive Specialist/Libero
Colorado Springs, Colo. – Pine Creek HS – Colorado Juniors
HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB: Three-time varsity letter winner as a volleyball student-athlete at Pine Creek High School in Colorado Springs … Played around the rotation as an outside hitter, libero, setter and opposite … As a junior and senior racked up 415 kills, 66 blocks, 484 digs and 51 service aces … Served as a team captain in 2020 and 2021 … Twice named All-Pikes Peak Athletic Conference with second-team honors as a junior and first-team distinction as a senior … Also named team MVP as a junior and senior … Senior season also featured the Eagle Award, CHSCA Honorable Mention All-State and an invitation to the CHSCA All-State games … Played club ball for Colorado Juniors … Academically a member of the Spanish Honors Society and appeared on the Principal's Honor Roll every semester of her prep career … Also earned an Academic Letter all four years with CHSAA First-Team Academic All-State honors … Plans to major in quantitative biosciences & biomedical engineering at Mines.
COACH'S COMMENT: "I'm looking forward to Hailey's leadership in the freshman group. She's focused and driven and has the desire to get better each practice. Hailey sees the game well and makes great defensive touches."
Allison Jansen – 6-0 – Middle Blocker/Opposite
Chesterfield, Mo. – St. Joseph's Academy – High Performance 18 Royal
HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB: Three-sport athlete at St. Joseph's Academy in St. Louis, Mo., competing in volleyball, basketball and track & field … Accumulated a total of nine varsity letters … Played as a middle on the volleyball team, guard and forward on the basketball team, and appeared in the 200-meter dash, high jump, long jump and triple jump on the track & field team … Played all 80 sets her senior year and racked up 71 blocks while hitting .250 … Named Missouri Second-Team All-Conference, Second-Team All-District and Missouri First-Team Academic All-State … Also served as senior captain of her volleyball and basketball teams … Earned the American Volleyball Coaches' Association Team Academic Award … Played club ball for High Performance 18 Royal … Helped her club team place #9 at the 2021 USAV Nationals … Graduated Cum Laude as a member of the National Honor Society … Claimed Honor Roll and First Honors for six semesters of her prep career … Earned St. Joseph's Academy STEM Scholar Award in 2020 and 2021 … Won the St. Louis Annual Catholic Appeal Scholarship Essay competition … Also a member of the National English Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Beta Chi Pi, Rho Kappa and the National Spanish Honor Society … ACES 2021 Academic Contest regional winner … Served as president of St. Joe TV as well … Plans to major in civil engineering at Mines.
COACH'S COMMENT: "Allison is an exceptional athlete who I believe will progress quickly in her training. She works hard, jumps well and is quick to the ball on offense and defense. Allison is very coachable and backs up her training with competitive drive."
Kate Kudlac – 6-1 – Middle Blocker/Opposite
Roswell, Ga. – Lassiter HS – A5 Volleyball
HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB: Two-sport athlete at Lassiter High School in Marietta, Ga., competing in volleyball and swimming … Accumulated a total of five varsity letters … Played middle blocker, outside and right side on the volleyball team … Senior season stats included 87 sets, 262 kills, .427 hitting, 27 service aces and 70 total blocks … Ranked #9 in hitting percentage in all of the state of Georgia and #2 in hitting percentage in 6A … Helped her team to the 2021 Georgia 6A Final Four and the 2019 Georgia 7A State Runner-Up … Named to the 2021 AVCA All-America Watch List … Also crowned GHSA Region 6A All-Area in 2021 and 2020 … Earned GHSA Region 4 7A All-Area in 2019 … Named Scholar Athlete four times … Appeared on the 2020 AVCA Phenom List … Titled Best Offensive Player in 2020 … Was a 2019 SOPH 79 Special Mention … During her senior season state playoff tournament, led the team by hitting .461 with 1.0 blocks per set … In the Final Four match against Sequoyah High School, converted at a .455 clip with 16 kills, seven blocks and three service aces … Career best game featured 29 kills, seven blocks and five service aces … Lassiter High School swim team won the state title in 2022 … Played club ball for A5 Volleyball where she was nominated for the 2021 Under Armour All-America Select Camp … Also helped club team to major tournament finishes of #1, #5, #9, #12 #13 and #21 … Named to the 2019 Peachtree Classic All-Tournament team as a middle … Academically earned a letter all four years and earned membership to the National Honor Society … Also a member of Mu Alpha Theta … Plans to major in mechanical engineering at Mines.
COACH'S COMMENT: "Kate comes from a high-level club and will bring a wealth of experience into her first college season. She has great size and knows how to use it, especially in blocking. Kate will be a great addition with the graduation of our two senior middles."
Morgan McChesney – 6-0 – Middle Blocker
Arvada, Colo. – Ralston Valley HS – Juggernaut Volleyball
HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB: Earned four varsity letters as a middle on the volleyball team for Ralston Valley High School in Arvada, Colo. … Career statistics featured 437 kills on .345 hitting with 249 blocks and 69 service aces … Earned Second-Team All-Conference as a junior and First-Team All-Conference as a senior … Also named Honorable Mention All-State as a senior … Played club ball for Juggernaut Volleyball … Academically earned 4.0 honor roll status for three years … Two-time Academic All-State honoree … Claimed the Outstanding Student-Athlete Award all four years … Plans to major in biochemical engineering at Mines.
COACH'S COMMENT: "Morgan will bring the strength and depth we are looking for in the middle position. Her movements are explosive and strong which will help with the speed of the college game. Morgan is optimistic and will be a great teammate with our returners."
Jada Price – 5-4 – Defensive Specialist/Libero
Argyle, Texas – Argyle HS – Madfrog Volleyball
HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB: Lettered playing volleyball four years at Argyle High School in Texas … Competed as a defensive specialist and libero … Senior statistics included 682 digs in 128 sets for an average of 5.3 digs per set along with 40 service aces … Set the school records for digs in match (47), season (682) and career (1,774) … Two-time All-Area and All-District Libero of the Year … Also named First-Team All-District and three-time Defensive Player of the Year … Played club ball for Madfrog Volleyball … Academically claimed First-Team Academic All-State and was a four-time Academic All-District honoree … Member of the National Honor Society … Plans to major in geophysical engineering at Mines.
COACH'S COMMENT: "Jada is a quick spitfire that plays with the intention of keeping the tempo on her side at an up speed. She has a great attitude and work ethic that will be a nice addition to the DS/L group."
Meghan Slaninka – 5-5 – Defensive Specialist/Libero
Fishers, Ind. – Hamilton Southeastern HS – Munciana 18 Open Quora
HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB: Two-sport athlete at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Ind., competing in volleyball and tennis … Accumulated five varsity letters … Played in the back row on the volleyball team and #2 doubles for the tennis team … Volleyball resume features 359 digs, 84 assists and 74 service aces in 146 sets … Earned First-Team All-Conference for the tennis team at #2 doubles … Also named Honorable Mention All-District in tennis … Played club ball for Munciana 18 Open Quora … Academically claimed four GPA awards … Graduated Summa Cum Laude … Plans to major in mechanical engineering at Mines.
COACH'S COMMENT: "Meghan is a talented defensive specialist that is disciplined in her movements and platform. She has set a great foundation for herself in accuracy. Meghan is also a strong student and will fit our academia well. I know she will come in and put her best foot forward as a student-athlete."
Fans can keep up with Mines volleyball on Twitter at @MinesVolleyball and Instagram at @mines_volleyball. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.
