TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State volleyball team has signed a pair of student-athletes to National Letter of Intent, head coach Traci Dahl-Skinner announced today. Laura Gross (Potomac, Ill./Schlarman HS) and Lindsey Wilkins (Lexington, Ky./Tates Creek HS) will join the Sycamores in the fall of 2017.
"I am very pleased with the early recruiting class for next year. Laura and Lindsey are going to be big impacts on our team," Dahl-Skinner said. "Laura will be transferring in the spring of 2017 so she will have some good time to get acclimated to the program and expectations. Spending a spring with us will help better prepare her for the fall season."
"Both young ladies will bring different aspects to the game for us. Along with their athletic achievements, they are successful in the classroom and hold themselves to very high standards. They both are going to be great additions to the Sycamore Volleyball Family."
Laura Gross
5-10 - MH/S - Potomac, Ill. - Schlarman HS - Parkland College
Gross comes to Terre Haute after two very successful seasons at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois. She helped lead the team to a NJCAA National Championship in 2015 and is currently in the midst of the National Tournament now. She was named Player of the Year and First-Team All-Region both seasons at Parkland as well as a First Team All-American during 2015. Along with two All-Conference selections, Gross also helped lead the Cobras to a Region 24 Championship.
A multi-sport athlete at Schlarman High School, Gross was a part of three-straight Elite 8 runs while helping her squad to three regional and sectional titles. She was named an All-Area Player of the Year as well as a News-Gazette First Team All-Area team member three times.
"Laura has been extremely successful at Parkland College and has led her team to one NJCAA title and is in the midst of getting another one this week. I look for her to come in and vie for a spot at one of the pins for us."
Lindsey Wilkins
6-0 - OH/MB - Lexington, Ky. - Tates Creek HS
Wilkins comes to Indiana State after an outstanding four-year career at Tates Creek High School where she led the Commodores to a trio of district championships as well as three region runner-up finishes. During her time at Tates Creek she participated in swimming, soccer, softball, track & field as well as gymnastics.
"Lindsey has had a great high school career and has grown tremendously as a player. She is very strong and hits a very heavy ball. Right now she is a three rotation player but I expect her transition over to becoming a six rotation player for us."
The Sycamores will close out the regular season this weekend as Drake and Northern Iowa come to town.
