Central Michigan University Athletics
Volleyball Signs 3 to National Letters of Intent
11/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Central Michigan volleyball coach Mike Gawlik has announced the signing of three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent.
The new Chippewas are Grace Butler of Hawthorn Woods, Ill., Lyza Myers of Napoleon, and Miani Bolden of Homewood, Ill. They will join the program for the 2017 season.
"I think size and athleticism is something we need in our gym," Gawlik said. "They're coming from programs that have prepared them to play at the collegiate level. We're anxious to get our hands on them and see what they can do in maroon and gold."
Butler is a 6-foot setter who plays at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, Ill. She was named in 2016 to the Prepvolleyball.com 150 Senior Aces list and was named an All-American at the 2016 AAU National Tournament.
She has helped lead Carmel Catholic to four consecutive regional championships and holds the school career and season assist records.
"I like her leadership," said Gawlik, who is in his first season at CMU. "She's a player that plays with a maturity on the volleyball court. She plays beyond her years. She's got a high volleyball IQ."
Myers, who plays at Columbia Central High School in Brooklyn, is a lanky 6-3 outside hitter who earned Third Team Class C All-State honors from the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association in 2015 and holds school season records for kills and digs.
"She's got a live arm and she's coming around with her six rotation skills with her passing," Gawlik said. "I think her six rotation skills are going to be a continued focused for her. Her physicality with her attacking and blocking will make our gym more competitive on day one."
Boldon is a 6-3 middle blocker who plays at Homewood-Flossmoor High School. She helped her AAU team to a bronze medal in the 2015 nationals.
"Although she's relatively new to volleyball we think she has tremendous upside and is really just starting to scratch the surface of what she will be capable of at the collegiate level," Gawlik said.
 | Miani Bolden • Middle Hitter • 6-3 • Homewood, Ill. /Homewood Flossmoor HS Two-year letterwinner ... MVP for Varsity All-Tournament team in 2015-2016 season ... earned a bronze medal in AAU Nationals in 2015 ... led her team in blocks and registered over 150 kills in 2016 high school season. | |
 | Grace Butler •Setter • 6-0 • Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Carmel Catholic HS Four-year letterwinner ... selected to the PrepVolleyball.com 150 Senior Aces list in 2016... named to East Suburban Catholic All-Conference Team in 2016 ... won IHSA Regional Titles in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 ... selected to Chicago Tribune All-Area Team and first team all-county in 2014, 2015 and 2016 ... a IHSA Sectional Finalist in 2014 and 2016 ... selected to the 2016 AAU National Tournament All-American Team where she placed fifth with her club Rolling Thunder VBC ... was IHSA All-State selection in 2015 ... member of East Suburban Catholic Conference North Championship team in 2014 ... selected to the 2014 PrepVolleyball.com sophomore team ... named 2016 team captain of club team ... recorded 62 kills, 18 digs and 25 blocks in her freshman year ... as a sophomore, recorded 479 assists, 149 kills, 172 digs and 34 blocks ... increased her seasonal stat lines in her junior year while breaking the single season assist record with 687 ... also recorded 131 kills, 185 digs and 47 blocks in the same season ... as a senior season, broke her own all-time career and single season record in assists she previously set as a junior, registering 727 assists, 156 kills, 249 digs and 68 blocks, bringing her high school career total to 1,893 assists, 498 kills, 624 digs and 174 blocks ... became the first player in school history to win four regional championships ... team captain of her high school team in her junior and senior year. | |
 | Lyza Myers • Outside Hitter • 6-2 • Napoleon, Mich./Columbia Central HS Four-year letterwinner ... named first team all-conference in 2013, 2014 and 2015 ... selected first team all-area and all-county in 2014 and 2015 ... named all-region and third team all-state in 2015 ... named Michigan Player of the Week twice by Max Preps in 2015 ... held the title of team captain for her club team in 2016 and for CCHS in junior and senior years ... recorded 658 kills and 419 digs in the 2016 regular season ... named to academic all-conference team in 2015 ... also lettered in basketball and track. |
