STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Stony Brook volleyball head coach Kristin Belzung has announced the signings of seven student-athletes that make up the 2023 signing class for the Seawolves.

"We could not be more excited to add these seven student-athletes to our 2023 roster.  This class brings an incredibly high-level of club volleyball experience along with athleticism and a competitive fire which will help them both transition smoothly to college and continue to develop during their time at Stony Brook. They have a great combination of ball control and physicality and complement each other and our current student-athletes perfectly which will help us continue to build in the CAA. Once again, we feel like we added the right cultural fit to Stony Brook University and are looking forward to seeing them grow on and off the court during their time here," said coach Belzung as she discussed the 2023 signing class. 

Mercedes Motton | Middle Blocker | Worthington, Ohio
Motton is a Worthington, Ohio, native out of Bishop Watterson High School. She began her high school career at Thomas Worthington High School. Motton plays middle blocker and plays her club volleyball for Mintonette Sports. She is a three-year member of the volleyball team at Bishop Watterson and has been a starter for all three years. She has also competed on the varsity wrestling team for two years. She earned Third Team All-State honors as a senior and was selected as an AVCA All-American, along with being a First Team All-District player.

"I chose Stony Brook because the team is like a big family and I've never felt so welcomed anywhere else," Motton said. "Another reason I chose SBU is because of the location. It is a beautiful school in a wonderful location."

Rayanne Wheat | Setter | Mount Olive, Ala. 
Wheat is a Mount Olive, Alabama native, and is a setter for her club volleyball team, Alabama Performance. Wheat was a starter for her varsity team for five years and was named Setter of the Year. She was a member of the JVA Watchlist for four seasons, the Ultra Ankle Watchlist three times, and played on the USA High Performance Beach Team. In the classroom, she has been a member of the Honor Society for two years. Wheat will major in psychology at Stony Brook because she wants to be able to help people with the same issues that she has gone through.

"Stony Brook had everything that I was looking for in a future home," Wheat said. "Their team environment is something I strive to be a part of and contribute to. It is academically challenging which is also what I was looking for."

Ava Jackson | Pin Hitter | Lexington, Ky.
Jackson is a native of Lexington, Kentucky, and currently attends Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. She plays club volleyball for Lexington United. Jackson has been a five-year varsity member and has amassed 1,765 kills throughout her career. She totaled 601 kills this season. Jackson earned First Team All-State honors as a junior and senior and was named the Region Player of the Year, along with the team's Offensive MVP. She helped lead her team to a state championship runner-up finish as a senior, becoming the third public school to ever make it to the state championship game. Jackson was a 2022 All-Tournament selection for the state tournament.

"I chose Stony Brook University because of its welcoming and comfortable atmosphere," she said."I also love all of the staff on campus who are there to help and make your experience the best it can be." 

Madison Cigna | Defensive Specialist | Pittsburgh, Pa.
Cigna is a Pittsburgh native and currently attends Oakland Catholic High School. She has been a three-year starter as a libero/defensive specialist on the varsity team and plays club volleyball for Pittsburgh Elite. Cigna totaled 443 digs and 122 assists during her club season in 2022. She has been an All-State selection twice and a First Team All-Section selection three times throughout her high school career. Cigna has also been a two-time First Team All-WPIAL (district) honoree. In the classroom, Cigna is an AAU Academic All-American. She will study business and finance at Stony Brook and she comes from a volleyball family as her sister Taylor currently plays at Colgate.

"I really like the welcoming atmosphere and the culture of the program," Cigna said. "Stony Brook is a great school academically and the combination of suburb and city is ideal for me."

Ella Shields | Defensive Specialist | Northville, Mich.
Shields is a native of Northville, Michigan, and comes out of Mercy High School. She plays club volleyball for Legacy Volleyball Club. She has played four years of varsity volleyball at Mercy, totaling 300 kills, 267 digs, and 67 aces. Shields was named to the All-Catholic League team as a junior and senior. She was an All-State selection and an AAU All-American. She hails from a family of athletes, as her mother played volleyball at Lincoln Memorial University and her father played baseball at Lincoln Memorial University and went on to play for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He was a World Series champion in 2002.

"I chose to attend Stony Brook University because the team and coaches are amazing," Shields said. "The campus has a family feel and everyone seems very welcoming."

Ashleigh Woodruff | Middle Blocker | Scarsdale, N.Y.
Woodruff is a native of Scarsdale, New York, and comes to Long Island from The Masters School. She plays club volleyball for NYC Juniors Volleyball Club. She has been a four-year member of the varsity volleyball and track teams in high school. She was named her volleyball team's MVP and earned the Panther of the Month award. Woodruff will study biology at Stony Brook, because of her love for animals and science. She comes from a family of athletes, as her mother was a member of the rowing team at Brown University and her father played basketball at Lake Forest College. 

"One of the most important qualities I wanted in a school was community," Woodruff said. "Time and time again Coach Belz, Coach Justin (Dueck), and Coach Sarah (Bullock) showed me an amazing community within the volleyball team, and when I visited I got to see these same qualities in the school itself."

Ayanna Pierre Louis | Middle Blocker | Austin, Texas
Pierre Louis is a native of Austin and comes out of Crockett High School, where she has been a four-year varsity volleyball player. She plays club volleyball for Austin Performance. At Crockett, she has totaled 307 kills, 417 digs, 50 blocks, and she averaged 2.7 kills per set. She led the team in blocks, kills per set, kills, and hitting percentage. Pierre Louis will study biology at Stony Brook. 

"I chose Stony Brook for the volleyball program, campus size, location, and academic reputation," she said as she discussed why she chose to attend Stony Brook. 

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