Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook head women’s volleyball coach Coley Pawlikowski has announced the Seawolves’ six-member incoming class to take the court in August 2016.

Carly Cason (Carmel, Ind.), Jordan Gels (Lewis City, Ohio), Kardasia Hitchcock (Alexander City, Ala.), Liz Pulver (Temecula, Calif.), Aspen Rocha (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and Leanne Sakowicz (Wauconda, Ill.) comprise the incoming class for Pawlikowski’s fourth season at the helm at Stony Brook.

The six-member class features two California natives and one each from Alabama, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. The group consists of three outside hitters, one middle blocker, one setter and one libero/defensive specialist, with many bringing versatility to the Seawolves via experience in other roles on the floor. Three of the six were named to the AVCA Watch List prior to the year.

"We are incredibly excited about the talent and caliber of the student athletes that we have joining us in our 2016 class,” Pawlikowski said. “We are thrilled to see them continue to elevate the level of play within our program and significantly contribute to the direction we are going here at Stony Brook. They will be a great addition and we are excited for their class to be an integral part of what's ahead.  

“We are proud of the six individuals coming in and what they represent on and off the court.  Not only have all six excelled and are competing at a high level on the volleyball court with their respective high school and club teams, they also will continue to raise the bar for the academic standards within our program.  The young women we have joining us are equally as driven in the classroom and towards their career endeavors and intend to take full advantage of the strong academics in store for them here at Stony Brook."

The 2016 Incoming Class

Carly Cason
6-0 | MB | Carmel, Ind./Carmel | Team Indiana

About Cason: Competed at Carmel (Ind.) HS for Coach Rich Coleman … Named to Prep Volleyball and AVCA Under Armour watch lists in her senior year … Carmel won Indiana 4A state title in Cason’s senior year, which followed trips to the state championship match as a sophomore and junior … Led the Greyhounds in kills and aces as a senior … Three-time all-county selection … All-conference and team MVP honors as a senior.

Why Stony Brook? "I chose Stony Brook because I loved the volleyball program and the opportunities it provides, and also because it is a good fit for me academically as I plan to pursue a degree in nursing. I feel confident at Stony Brook I will be successful as both an athlete and a student with the great support system in place there." 

Coach Pawlikowski on Cason: "Carly will be a great addition to our middle blockers. She fits our system well and is versatile with her attacking game. Her competitiveness on the court is fun and exciting to watch and we cannot wait to have that in the gym with us! She was won at a high level - winning the Indiana state championship with Carmel High School and with her Team Indiana teams - and understands what it takes to compete with and find success against strong opponents. Her drive on and off the court will fit well with the culture within our group."

Jordan Gels
6-1 | OH | Lewis City, Ohio/Olentangy Orange | Mintonette Sports

About Gels: Competed at Olentangy Orange HS in Ohio for Coach Katie Duy … Conference Player of the Year as a senior … Named to AVCA Under Armour Watch List as a senior … USAV 15 National Division All-American … 2012 AAU Championships 14 Open Division All-American … Two-time Orange HS MVP … First-team all-conference selection as a junior and senior after a second-team honor as a freshman … First-team all-district as a senior, as she hit .450 with 342 kills and 73 aces … Second-team all-district as a junior honorable mention all-state … Member of National Honor Society … Ranked sixth in her class out of 426 students entering her senior year with a 4.28 GPA.

Why Stony Brook? "I chose Stony Brook because of the family atmosphere of the volleyball team, its great academics in my field of study, and of course the location."

Coach Pawlikowski on Gels: "Jordan is a talented and complete six-rotation player. Her game is intentional and aggressive both on offense and defense.  Throughout the recruiting process, we have been equally impressed with her ball control and her attack, which is exciting to have in our gym soon! She makes those around her better and has trained at a high level with Mintonette VBC. Jordan has the ability to make an immediate impact with all facets of her game. She is also a phenomenal student planning to major in biomedical engineering."

Kardasia Hitchcock
5-3 | DS/OH | Alexander City, Ala./Clay-Chalkville | Southern Performance Volleyball Academy

About Hitchcock: Recorded 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs at Clay-Chalkville HS in Alabama for Coach Natasha Brown … Team ranked 14^th in the state in 2015 … Team captain … Two-time Alabama All-West selection … Three-time county tournament MVP and three-time area tournament MVP … Three-time All-Metro all-tournament team honoree … Also competed as high jumper on the track & field team … Class President and member of National Honor Society.

Why Stony Brook? "I chose Stony Brook because I fell in love with its volleyball coaching staff, atmosphere, and team. They showed interest better than anyone else. The school is in New York and that is somewhere I've always wanted to live. In addition, Stony Brook’s academics are something I can use to better my future."

Coach Pawlikowski on Hitchcock: "Kardasia will be a blast to have in the gym. She is an incredible athlete and, although small, definitely mighty! Kardasia is exceptionally quick and easy off the ground, and we are excited to see what she will bring to our group. The versatility she brings and the potential roles she can be in are also exciting. She is a great teammate with a team-first mentality. We are looking forward to really developing her ball control skills and what she can do in a defensive role with her speed and athleticism. We are looking forward to working with her and for her to bring strong work ethic to our wolfpack."

Liz Pulver
6-1 | OH | Temecula, Calif./Chaparral | Forza 1 Volleyball Club

About Pulver: Competed at Chaparral HS in California for Coach Dana Burkholder … Advanced to CIF quarterfinals in her senior year … Captain as a senior … First-team all-league, varsity MVP and Press Enterprise All-Inland second-team as a senior … Second-team all-league and Valley News All-Valley second-team as a junior … All-league honorable mention and Varsity Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore … Four-time all-league academic team honoree.

Why Stony Brook? "I chose Stony Brook because it not only has an amazing athletics program, but very strong academics. Also, the team and awesome coaching staff made me feel right at home from the minute I stepped on campus. I feel like we have the opportunity to really put this volleyball program in the national spotlight in the coming years and I wanted to be part of a program where I can have a role in that type of impact and success."

Coach Pawlikowski on Pulver: "We are really looking forward to what Liz brings to the program! Liz's attacking game is extremely physical and her ceiling is excitingly high! Her positive energy and work ethic on and off the court are contagious and she has been a tremendous leader with her high school and Forza1 VBC teams. We are really looking forward to working with Liz and no doubt seeing her grow on the court will be really exciting as she develops into a strong six-rotation player! She has a great arm and loves to compete … we cannot wait to have her here with us."

Aspen Rocha
5-8 | OH/L | Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach | Prime Volleyball Club

About Rocha: Four-time league champion at Laguna Beach (Calif.) HS for Coach Raul Papaleo … Team captain as a senior … First-team all-league selection as a junior and senior after a second-team honor as a sophomore … Member of the National Honor Society and Superintendent’s Honor Roll.

Why Stony Brook? "I chose Stony Brook because it offers me the chance to strive in the classroom and on the court. I can be part of a volleyball program that is developing and growing each year. I will feel at home and have the most amazing experiences. Most importantly, Stony Brook will make me into the person I want to be because of the opportunities offered and the people that will surround me."

Coach Pawlikowski on Rocha: "Aspen's athletic ability and volleyball IQ are awesome! She is exceptionally versatile having played primarily outside, but also as a setter as well. Her beach background and experience really compliments how dynamic she is and contributes to her court sense and strong ball control. She is a true student of the game and we are looking forward to her continuing to grow and be an impact within our program. Aspen is incredibly committed to being the best version of herself she can be for her and her teammates while making those around her better and bringing a strong sense of confidence. We are looking forward to her mentality within our group."

Leanne Sakowicz
5-10 | S/OH | Wauconda, Ill./Wauconda | Rolling Thunder Volleyball Club

About Sakowicz: Competed at Wauconda (Ill.) HS for Coach Alison Williams … Named to AVCA Watch List as a senior … Rolling Thunder 17 Blue team finished ninth at AAUs in 2015 … Two-time co-captain at Wauconda HS … Three-time all-conference selection … Two-time first-team all-area honoree … Two-time varsity MVP … Prairie Division champions as a junior and senior … Two-year letterwinner in track & field … Broke school record in 4x200 relay and also ranks in the top 10 in school history in the 4x100 and 300-meter hurdles.

Why Stony Brook? "I chose Stony Brook because of the great academics and volleyball program!  I wanted to major in engineering and play volleyball at a high level and the school allows me to do that. I knew Stony Brook was the right school when I met the team and the coaches.  I knew I was going to become part of a family that cared about each other, and become part of a program that has a great future."

Coach Pawlikowski on Sakowicz: "We are looking forward to the versatility that Leanne brings. She has fantastic hands, is familiar and comfortable with running the offense as a setter, but also can be relied on to side her team out, put a ball down or handle the ball in serve receive when called upon. That makes the future with her exciting to see how she compliments the team and the possibility for roles she can contribute in for us over her four years!  Leanne is a competitive and great kid on and off the court and will also be pursuing engineering academically here at Stony Brook."

The Seawolves will begin the 2016 season Friday, Aug. 26. Check StonyBrookAthletics.com and @StonyBrookVB on Twitter for the announcement of the 2016 schedule this spring.