NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Niagara volleyball head coach Vilis Ozols has announced the 2014 recruiting class. The Purple Eagles will welcome Alexis Gray, Rayenne "Annie" Hale, Meghan Higley, Rylee Hunt, Nicole Matheis and Breanna DaPra to Monteagle Ridge.

"I am excited for the potential of this incoming class of players," Ozols stated. "It will be fulfilling to see these six grow and develop as students and as athletes. Each one had many academic and athletic options and chose Niagara. We can't wait to see how good this group will be!"

Alexis Gray | 5-8 | Setter | San Clemente, Calif. | Capistrano Valley High School

Gray was a two-time selection to the USA Volleyball Youth National A2 Team. Gray is a member of the Saddleback Valley Volleyball Club program which has qualified for the Junior National Championship this summer. At Capistrano Valley High School, she earned California Sea View League First Team All-Conference honors in 2012 and 2013 while also being named the team's MVP in 2010, 2012 and 2013. She was on the Superintendent's Honor Roll and CVHS Scholar Athlete Award recipient in all four years in high school. She intends in majoring in Chemistry and her career aspirations are playing volleyball professionally and becoming a marine biochemist.

Gray was recruited by TCU, Columbia, Yale, UMBC, Wyoming, New Mexico and Ashford.  

"Alexis brings National Junior Team experience as an elite player," Ozols said. "She is a dynamic athlete, a ferocious competitor and a natural leader."

Rayenne "Annie" Hale | 5-11 | Outside Hitter | Los Alamitos, Calif. | Los Alamitos High School

Hale was a two-year member of the Los Alamitos Griffins where she helped the team to a 66-10 overall record and a 19-1 league record playing in the talent-rich California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). Los Alamitos was ranked as high as fourth in California and seventh in the nation. Hale, who played along another incoming Purple Eagle Rylee Hunt, was a starting outside hitter for the 2013 Griffins who won the 2013 CIF 1-AA Southern Section title and advanced the Griffins to the 1-AA State finals.   

Hale was named to the 2013 CIF 1-AA All-State First Team and an All-Orange County Honorable Mention Selection. As a Junior she was named to the first team 2012 All-Sunset League team. Hale's club team, the Golden West Volleyball Club, is a qualifier for the 18 Open Junior National Championships this summer. She also was a two-time selectee for the USAV A2 High Performance program.

Hale was pursued by Loyola Marymount, West Point, Houston, and Menlo College.

"Annie will contend for a key role as a starter the moment she arrives here," Ozols added. "She is a six-rotation player who can impose her will on a match offensively and defensively."

Meghan Higley | 5-9 | Setter | Grafton, Ohio | Midview High School

Higley was a three-year starter at setter for Midview High School in Grafton, Ohio. Higley led the Ohio High School DI level in total assists with 852 during her senior campaign.  Higley, a four-year letterwinner and two-time captain, capped her career at Midview by earning First Team All-West Shore Conference, First Team All-Lorraine County and Second Team All-Greater Cleveland District honors. Higley had offers from Clarion and Slippery Rock.

"Meghan has everything you look for in a setter; poise, confidence, intensity and leadership," Ozols said. "She has a terrific combination of ball control and athleticism that our program will benefit from."

Rylee Hunt | 5-9 | Defensive Specialist | Cypress, Calif. | Los Alamitos High School

Hunt was the anchor for the Los Alamitos Griffins in her final two seasons as she helped the Griffins to a 66-10 overall record and a 19-1 league record playing in the talent-rich California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). Los Alamitos was ranked as high as fourth in California and seventh in the nation. As the starting libero, Hunt was instrumental in leading Los Alamitos to the 2013 CIF 1-AA Southern Section title which advanced the Griffins to the 1-AA State Championship match.   

Hunt's consistent passing and digging helped garner her CIF 1-AA All-State First Team accolades, along with All-Orange County First Team honors in 2013. Hunt was named to the 2013 USA Junior National 17 Championships All-Tournament Team.  Hunt is a member of the Golden West Volleyball Club which has qualified for the 18 Open Junior National Championships this summer.

Hunt, who is coming to Niagara with high school teammate Annie Hale, was sought after by programs such as UConn, Maryland and Winthrop.  

"Rylee brings an unmatched level of defensive intensity in her style of play," Ozols stated. "She has 'game-changing' ability and can impact a match on the defensive side of the ball at even the highest level of play."

Nicole Matheis | 6-0 | Outside Hitter | Laguna Niguel, Calif. | Dana Hills High School

Matheis was a four-year letterwinner for the Dana Hills Dolphins in Dana Point, Calif. Matheis was named to the 2012 and 2013 California South Coast (CSC) League First Team All-Conference teams and earned CSC League Second Team All-Conference honors in 2011.

Matheis was a starting outside hitter and team MVP for the 2013 California South Coast League Champions Dana Hills, which advanced to the second round in the state tournament. In her final two seasons, Dana Hills went 44-14 overall and went a prefect 16-0 in conference. Matheis is a member of the Saddleback Valley Volleyball Club program which has qualified for the Junior National Championship this summer. 

An outstanding student, Matheis was Dana Hills' Scholar-Athlete and made the superintendent's honor roll all four years en route to being named her senior class' Valedictorian. Matheis was recruited by Seattle, Radford, Drake, West Georgia, New Orleans, and Cal State Dominguez Hills.

"Nikki is a true six-rotation player who can hit with pace and placement," Ozols explained. "She is a determined player who opponents will have to game plan for offensively and defensively."

Breanna DaPra | 5-8 | Middle Blocker | Georgetown, Texas | Gateway College Prep School 

DaPra, a middle hitter/outside hitter from Georgetown, Texas, is the first Division I student-athlete to come from Gateway College Prep. DaPra was a starting middle blocker for her club team, Club Max Performance in Austin, Texas. DaPra was recruited by Salem International University, Clarkson University, Christian Brothers University, Highlands University, Colorado Mesa University, and Hendrix College.

"Bre is a unique physical player with a vertical jump that appears effortless," Ozols said. "Her offensive capabilities have a tendency to demand immediate attention."