Volleyball Adds Three in Fall Signing Period

COLUMBIA, S.C – South Carolina volleyball head coach Tom Mendoza welcomed three new members to the program on Wednesday, Nov. 10, announcing the signing of two in-state standouts and an athletic blocker from Pennsylvania for the 2022 fall season.
 
“I think they’re going to fill needs for our team, I think they’re going to fit in really well with the direction we’re going and what we value as program,” Mendoza said. “Three really good people, three really good teammates. We’re excited for all three of them as far as what they immediately bring, but we’re also excited for the long term and the direction we’re going as a program.”
 
Joining the Gamecocks for the 2022 season are…
 
Megan Holland | 6-4 | Middle Blocker | Nazareth, Pa. | Nazareth Area HS | East Coast Power

• Daughter of Geoffrey and Christine.
• Has two sister, Morgan and Madelyn.
• Plans to major in business at South Carolina.
• A four-year varsity starter for her high school and was an all-conference honoree for the 2021 season.
• Named to the Lehigh Valley Live’s All-Area team and made her district’s all-star roster in 2020. 
• Based on available records, she is just the third member of the program to hail from Pennsylvania, the previous two were Kim Brown (1981-84) and Sarah Morgan (2002-05).
• Plays club volleyball for East Coast Power in Lehigh Valley.

“I think her movement is pretty special … We’re really excited to see her learning curve, get her in the gym, get her up to speed with the tempo that the game is played at the SEC level and then just watch her hopefully flourish,” Mendoza said. “She brings athleticism, she’s quick off the ground, her reaction and reading in the middle of the court is pretty high level. Now it’s just getting her used to playing volleyball at this level and finding out how to score points, how to control the net … Megan brings her strengths to that and I think as she gets more and more comfortable with it, she’s going to be a standout player for us.”
 
Alayna Johnson | 6-1 | Outside Hitter | Kershaw, S.C. | North Central HS | Upward Stars

• Daughter of Andy and April.
• Has one brother, Blake.
• Plans to major in Sport and Entertainment Management at South Carolina.
• Was a five-year starter playing high school volleyball with her father Andy as her head coach, winning four region titles in a row.
• Helped North Central make its first trip to state championship in almost 30 years as a senior.
• Five-time Region Player of the Year and five-time all-state selection.
• Totaled over 2,000 kills and 1,000 digs in her high school career.
• Named to the 2021 American Volleyball Coaches Association’s (AVCA) All-America First Team.
• A 2021 finalist for South Carolina’s Gatorade Player of the Year award.
• Plays club volleyball at Upward Stars.
• Also made the AVCA’s 2019 and 2020 Phenom Watch List.
• Named to the Junior Volleyball Association’s 2021 All-National Team, representing the graduating class of 2022.

“She’s good at everything which, for a six-rotation pin, is a pretty good quality,” Mendoza said. “She’s comfortable in serve receive, she reads the game, she betters the ball, she makes her teammates better and you start to say ‘okay, well, where’s the weakness?’ When she’s good at all those things it helps the team in a lot of different ways. Another coach’s daughter, so she’s been around the game for a long time seeing the game from both sides and the fact that we’re getting her earlier, she’s going to join at semester, I think it’s going to be huge for building those relationships.”
 
Kimmie Thompson | 5-11 | Setter | Simpsonville, S.C. | St. Joseph’s Catholic HS | Axis Elite Volleyball Academy

• Daughter of Greg and Debbie
• Has two older sisters, Kaely and Kyra. 
• Kaely spent three seasons playing at South Carolina (2018-20), playing in 20 games. Kyra is currently a member of the beach volleyball team at the College of Charleston.
• Plans to major in exercise science at South Carolina, with a career goal of working in either physical or occupational therapy.
• Played five seasons for St. Joseph’s Catholic, leading the Knights to the 2A state championship in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021. 
• Trains at the club level with Axis Elite Volleyball Academy, helping her team reach the championship of AAU nationals in 2021.
• Earned a spot on the AAU All-America team in 2021 as well.
• Part of the JVA’s All-National Team watch list from 2019-22.

“She’s competitive and highly skilled, really good setter, really good leader, another coach’s daughter so she’s been around the game for a long time thinking the game through trying to find ways to put her teammates in great situations,” Mendoza said. “I think she brings that great balance of competitiveness with being able to pull a team together and rally a group and have them all unite for a singular cause. That’s something, especially at the setter position, that’s incredibly valuable.”

The Gamecocks (14-11, 6-9 SEC) have five members from the current roster in their final season. Next up for the current team will be a road series at Florida Nov. 20-21. Follow @GamecockVolley on social media for updates all season long.