by Nancy Allison Worley – Middle blocker Piper Roe, outside hitter Melanie McHenry, and right side hitter Megan Sloan have signed national letters of intent to continue their volleyball career at the University of Louisville according to head coach Anne Kordes.
“I am extremely excited about our 2016 recruiting class. Not only are all three bringing size and athleticism, but they have also been a part of successful programs and played for some of the country’s best coaches,” said Kordes. “They have won championships and are used to working hard and competing, which is equally important to me as how high they jump or how hard they swing. Each player in this recruiting class is going to make a huge impact on our volleyball program, on and off the floor and I am fired up to see them in a U of L uniform!”
Piper Roe comes to Louisville from Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, Virginia, where she broke the Virginia High School League record for career blocks and also surpassed the 1,000 kills milestone as a senior. Under head coach Tamalyn Tanis’ tutelage, Cave Spring High School was the 2014 3A State runner-ups after being named 3A West Region Championships and Conference 32 Champions. As a junior on the state runner-up squad, Piper was named 2014 first team 3A All-State as well as first team All-3A West Region and first team All-Conference 32. In her sophomore campaign, Piper was named first team All-Conference 32. As a freshman, she was named second team all-River Ridge District. Piper also plays club for Lynchburg Volleyball Academy for coach Elizabeth Ellinger . She was also named to PrepVolleyball’s Class of 2016 Senior Aces.
“Piper Roe is already one of the most natural blockers I have seen at her age. She is instinctual, quick laterally, and aggressive,” said Kordes. “She has great size and she is fast, so she has the ability to not just block opposing hitters, but she takes away angles and forces hitters to drive balls in to our defense. I know our back-row is going to love playing behind Piper’s block. When Louisville made the announcement that we were headed to the ACC, I had a meeting with my staff and we talked about recruiting the best players in ACC country. Piper Roe is a product of that meeting. We saw her on our first trip to Virginia and became immediately impressed. After her first visit to Louisville we were certain. This kid has it going on. She is smart, humble, and works hard. She is going to be a great teammate and has natural leadership skills. I am grateful she chose Louisville when she had the chance to stay closer to home. I believe it’s a great fit on both ends.”
Outside hitter Melanie McHenry joins the Cardinals from Speedway, Indiana, where she played for head coach Sadie Dizney at Speedway High School. A member of PrepVolleyball’s Class of 2015 Senior Aces, Melanie was named third-team Under Armour All-American in 2014 and led the state in kills in both the 2014 and 2015 seasons. She was named 2014 ICC Player of the Year and three-time team MVP. Melanie was a finalist for Prep Volleyball Freshman of the Year and Prep Volleyball Sophomore of the Year. A four-time All-County selection and three-time All-Conference selection, Melanie was named an Underclass All-American and Small Schools All-American in both 2013 and 2014. A four-time AVCA Player of the Week selection, Melanie played club volleyball for Circle City Volleyball Club and was named AAU All-American in 2014 and the 2013 President’s Day Tournament MVP. Melanie is the first female football player in Lucas Oil history and was a four-year kicker for the football team as well as a four-year varsity tennis player, including MVP honors in 2015.
“What drew me to Melanie in the recruiting process was her competitive drive and her heavy arm. This kid has one speed and she isn’t scared to take a big swing in a big moment,” said Kordes. “I know she is going to give me everything she has every time she steps on the court, which is why I think the Louisville fans are going to fall in love with Melanie and her competitive spirit immediately. As an outside hitter, Melanie has the potential to be a great six-rotation player. She has a heavy arm and good range with the ability to pull out different shots and find ways to score. Melanie had a medical scare last year that kept her in the hospital for three weeks. She lost a large amount of weight and it was a incredibly scary experience for her and her family. What was amazing to witness was her fight and determination, not just to get well, but to find her way back to the court. This kid is a fighter and she has proved that on and off the floor.”
Right side hitter Megan Sloan joins Louisville from Zionsville, Indiana, where she played for head coach Jean Kesterson at Cathedral High School. Under Kesterson’s tutelage, she was a four-year starter on the right side. Her high school, Cathedral, is ranked No. 1 in the nation. A member of the 2015 IHSAA Class 4A Volleyball State Champion, Megan has been named first team all-state both her junior and senior years, and received All-American honorable mention in 2015. Megan has been invited to the South All-Star team this year and was a South All-Star Team member as a junior. She played for Munciana 18-1s club volleyball team where she played for Mike Lingenfelter and her team finished third in Nationals last year. A Prep Volleyball 2015 Top 50 selection as a junior and 100 as a senior.
“Megan Sloane comes from one of the best high school programs in the country as well as one of the best club programs. She has been training at a very high level year round and it’s paid off,” said Kordes. “She is long, lean, and wiry strong. She has a whip of an arm and can get on the ball fast, which makes her hard to block and defend. She plays as a right-side hitter for club and high school, but she has the arm for the left-side as well. In addition to her ability to swing, Megan has one of the most lethal serves of any player I have seen at her age. You better believe we look forward to developing her into an exciting point scorer from the service line. Personality wise, you really can’t help but smile around Megan. She works extremely hard, but she can make you laugh and keep things light. I love watching her play, I love being around her, so I am certain I am going to love coaching her.
Nancy Allison Worley
Associate Director, Sports Information
University of Louisville Athletics
2100 S. Floyd, Louisville, KY 40292