WILLIAMSBURG, Va. ­– William & Mary volleyball head coach Tim Doyle announced his first recruiting class at the helm of the program on Tuesday. The Tribe adds five incoming freshmen to its 2019 roster, plucking talent from various parts of the southeast and also snagging an Arizona product.
 
Kaitlyn Ferguson | Tampa, FL | Tampa Preparatory School | MB | 6-0
 


Prep
Four-year letter winner in volleyball at Tampa Prep … Finished prep career with 470 kills, 281 blocks, and a .427 hitting percentage … Shattered school records for most kills (18) and blocks (10) in a match … Honored as a Terrapin Scholar Athlete … Recipient of the William J. Angle II Scholar Award and William & Mary Book Award … Member of the Terrapin Day Committee, Future Business Leaders of America, National Honor Society, Key Club and Cum Laude Society.
 
Personal
Daughter of Mazi Ferguson and Dionne Jones … Enjoys going to the beach, art and singing.
 
Doyle on Ferguson
"Kaitlyn is a silent killer. She's not always going to be the loudest person on the court but if you don't watch out, she hurts you. That quiet determination and hate-to-lose mentality will pay huge dividends for us. Kaitlyn embodies the dynamic versatility we recruit and I'm psyched to see her grow and develop here."
 
Gabi Ganley | Leesburg, VA | Heritage High School | L | 5-4


 
Prep
Tabbed First Team All-Region and All-District in 2018 … Named team MVP and received the Best Digger Award her final season … Garnered Second Team All-District honors her junior year ... Earned the Best 18's Digger Award after helping the Virginia Junior Volleyball Club claim third place at the Capital Hill Classic Tournament … Collected the Initiative and Leadership Award as a member of the Virginia Elite Volleyball Club … Member of distinguished organizations Mu Alpha Theta, Rho Kappa, National Honors Society,  and Spanish Honors Society … Participated in Pride Leadership Project, Principal Leadership Council, Reading Buddies, Same Sky Club, Sources of Strength.
 
Personal
Daughter of Diane and Michael Ganley … Mother, Diane, played volleyball at Boston College … Enjoys hiking, going to the beach, swimming, fishing, listening to music, drawing, and hanging out with friends.
 
Doyle on Ganley
"What strikes most people when they meet Gabi is her love of the game, love for her teammates, and willingness to put in work. Gabi constantly strives to get better. That work ethic, determination, and fight bolster the pieces we have in place and will make those around her better. When you pair that with her instincts and first step quickness, she'll be a big-time playmaker for us."
  
Shiyanna McLeod | Riviera Beach, FL | The Benjamin School | MB | 6-0


 
Prep
Helped the Benjamin School finish runner-up in the 2018 4A State Playoffs … Led the Buccaneers to a first-place finish in the 2017 Palm Beach Classic … In 2016, guided her club team, Tribe VC, to third-place in the Disney Volleyball Showcase, second-place at the 43^rd AAU Girls Junior National Championship and fifth-place in the USAV National Championship … Helped Tribe VC win the Disney Volleyball Qualifier, Tri-County Volleyball Showcase, and the FL Winter Volleyball Festival in 2017 … Two-time published author of poetry … Won Top Prize of the Palm Beach County Annual Poetry Contest … Won Twenty Pearls High Achiever Award … Placed first in the SECME National Competition … Garnered 20-plus hours Community Service Award Palm Bach County Library System … Member of the National Honor Society … Founder of the Black Student Union.
 
Personal
Daughter of Ian McLeod and Dorothy Sims … Brother, D'Athony Joboam, played three combined years of college football at Western Illinois and LSU … Uncle, Teddy Sims, competed in the NFL for five years with the Indianapolis Colts … Great uncle, Jeff Sims, spent three years boxing professional … Enjoys reading, playing the viola, volunteering, debating, eating and solving riddles and puzzles.
 
Doyle on McLeod
"I'm pumped for the new feel our middle blocker position will have with the addition of Shiyanna – she possesses the ability to terminate offensively and defensively; her physicality will help us control the net. Shiy also grew as a senior leader this past season so I'm also eager to watch as that part of her blossoms at W&M."
 
 
Anna Porter | Atlanta, GA | St. Pius X Catholic High School | L | 5-8


 
Prep
Led St. Pius X Catholic to the 2018 4A State Championship …  Made the 2018 PrepVolleyball.com Highest Honorable Mention list for All-Americans ... Tabbed Region 8 Player of the Year (2018) … Honored as a Georgia Senior All-Star (2018) … Selected to the Georgia 4A All-State First Team (2018) … Named to the 2018 McGill-Toolen Catholic Cup All-Tournament Team … Received the team MVP award and served as team captain her final season … Excelled in the classroom after helping the program earn the 2017-18 AVCA Team Academic Award … Guided her club team, Tsunami Volleyball to a fifth-place finish in the 2016 USAV Nationals … Member of the National Honor Society … Held the role of Student Ambassador.
 
Personal
Daughter of Timothy and Melissa Porter …. Her father, Tim, was a member of the Purdue Track and Field team … Her mother, Melissa, played golf at Notre Dame … Enjoys playing the piano and engage in outdoor activities.
 
Doyle on Porter
"I'm most excited for the leadership Anna immediately brings to our team. Anna is the type to never quit on a ball and do whatever it takes for the team to compete, plus she's an incredible athlete with superb defensive range and natural ball control. She hates to lose and her intensity will go a long way for our team – Anna is a flat-out baller."
 
 
Kate Van Houten | Scottsdale, AZ | Chaparral High School | S | 5-9

 

Prep
Three-time All-Region pick … Selected to Arizona Republic 2016 Honorable Mention All-State Team …. Made the Scottsdale All-City Team in back-to-back seasons … Led her region in assists for three-consecutive seasons … Two-time Arizona Girls High School Athlete of the Week … Set a new school record in all-time assists with 3,435 … Named to 2017 Academic All-State  Team …Earned a spot on the 2014 Arizona High Performance Team … Participated in the 2016 USAV A2 High Performance Program … Member of the National Honors Society, Spanish National Honors Society, Secretary of Global Family Philanthropy.
 
Personal
Daughter of Lance and Sara Van Houten … Mother, Sara, ran cross country and track and field at Dartmouth … Enjoyed reading, watching volleyball, and grabbing coffee with friends.
 
Doyle on Van Houten
"Kate is a wizard with the ball and understands the ebb and flow of the game – she's the type of setter who commits to figuring out her teammates and attackers so she knows how to work and communicate with them in a way that positively affects the outcome of the match. A setter who gets that makes all the difference in the world and Kate excels as one of those setters."