Missouri Southern’s volleyball recruiting class carries a southwest Missouri flavor.

Lions coach Trish Knight’s nine-player class includes two transfers from Evangel — Aleisha Joyce from Carthage and Ashlynn Meredith from Aurora — as well as two area incoming freshmen — Kaycia Fry of Liberal and  Cheyanne Crandall from Neosho.

Joyce has one year of eligibility remaining after playing two seasons at East Central College in Union, Mo., and one year at Evangel. Joyce, 6-foot middle blocker, was a two-time all-conference pick at East Central and helped her team win two regional titles. She averaged 0.57 blocks and 1.19 kills per set and had a .262 hitting percentage last season at Evangel.

“Aleisha’s experience and strength at closing the block will be an asset for us,” Knight said in a press release. “She has a great presence on the court. She has fun but is a fierce competitor and has the right personality for the middle. But she could play right side as well.”

Meredith, 5-7 defensive specialist, has four years of eligibility after redshirting at Evangel, but she will sit out this season. She earned all-Big 8 Conference honors her junior and senior seasons at Aurora and led the Lady Houns in aces and kills as a senior.

“Ashlynn has very good ball control and she will have an important role in playing on the scrimmage team to help us prepare for competition,” Knight said. “It will be nice to have such a quality player who can contribute in that role and then be ready to take the court the following season.”

Crandall, 6-0 opposite/middle hitter, started three years at Neosho and led the Wildcats in kills and blocks as a senior while earning first team all-Central Ozark Conference laurels. She holds the school career records for blocks and kills.

“Cheyanne is a very good athlete who will just keep improving with training,” Knight said. “She is versatile and can play all front row positions and will be able to contribute wherever we need her to play. She is a hard worker and has a great attitude. With those qualities, I expect Cheyanne to develop into a really good player.”

Fry, 5-5 defensive specialist, was a four-year starter at Liberal and received all-Spring River Valley Conference honors each season. She holds career school records for kills (739), digs (770) and blocks (210) and single-season aces (75). She also helped Liberal win three district championships, and she was a member of three relay teams that hold school track records.

“Kaycia is a worker, You won't outhustle her,” Knight said. “She has a great attitude and I expect her to contribute on the back row for us. She has the heart it takes to make an excellent libero/defensive specialist. She has a good understanding of the game as well."

Nairobys (Nai) Montano, 5-11 outside hitter, transfers to the Lions after two seasons at Independence Community College. A native of Porlamar, Venezuela, Montano averaged 2.7 kills, 1.87 digs and 9.49 blocks per set last season and earned all-Jayhawk Conference honors two seasons.

The Lions’ other high school signees:

• Payton Graves, 6-1 middle hitter from Glendale, was a four-year starter and holds single-season school records for Blocks (106) and attacks (280). She earned all-Ozark Conference honors her junior and senior seasons.

• Abby Finder, 5-8 setter, was a two-year starter at St. Louis Lafayette and earned all-state honors as a senior when Lafayette won the Class 4 state championship last season. Her father, Thomas Finder, played football at Missouri Southern.

• Sarah Cunningham, 5-6 defensive specialist from Warrenton, started four years and earned all-conference honors, and she was a state qualifier in track.

• Callie Whetstone, 6-1 middle hitter from Springfield, Ill., was named tow six all-tournament teams during her last two years at Pleasant Plains High School, and she earned all-conference honors as well.

“I went to St. Louis to watch Sarah Cunningham play and got a big bonus,” Knight said. “There was this tall 6-1 middle just banging away on the other court and was just so competitive. When I checked, I found out she hadn't signed yet. Call it fate, but what a great find. Callie is super athletic and competitive.”