Central Michigan University Athletics
Volleyball Announces 2025 Team Captains
8/21/2025 10:39:00 AM | Volleyball
Coach Wilson and her staff announce four captains ahead of the start of the 2025 season.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – First year Central Michigan volleyball coach Arielle Wilson has named Alina Anderson, Grace Thomas, Hannah Langton and Taylor Cripe as team captains for the 2025 season.
"These four represent the goals we have set for our season very well," Wilson said. " Three of them are returners with expensive experience and success on the court, and they bring a lot of leadership and confidence to our team...We are really looking forward to seeing how this group leads this season. These girls have earned the respect of the teammates and the coaching staff."
Alina Anderson, a senior from Rockford, Michigan, plays the DS/L position for the Chippewas finding great success in the 2024 season as a defender and server for CMU.
Anderson has displayed incredible dedication to Central Michigan and the athletic department in her time as a Chippewa, after transferring from Ferris State after her freshman season. Alina spent the 2023-24 winter season as a part of the Central Michigan Women's Basketball team where she appeared in 21 games with four starts.
Grace Thomas and Hannah Langton, both sophomores, return after being named to the MAC All-Freshman Team in 2024, while Thomas earned Second Team All-MAC Honors.
Hailing from Dublin, Ohio, Thomas posted outstanding numbers in her inaugural season with the Chippewas, emphasized by 10 blocks in her first game. Thomas started all 119 sets for the Chippewas in her freshman season and charted 239 kills, with eight double-digit kill games.
Thomas charted a total of 101.0 blocks in 2024 with at least one block in all but two games, aiding in her post season accolades. Against Buffalo on October 25th, she tallied 19.5 points, as one of her seven games with 15 or more points.
Serving as the libero in all 119 sets for Central Michigan in 2024, Hannah Langton made an immediate impact in her freshman season.
Langton, from Kingston, Illinois, totaled 522 digs, tied for 8th best in a single season in program history. Langton continued the tradition of successful freshmen liberos as Aly Gurtiza, a 2024 graduate charted the 7th most digs in a single season with 534, and holds the program record of 637 in her sophomore campaign – hinting at a traditionally successful season for sophomore liberos at Central Michigan.
With 32 service aces in the 2024 season, Langton fell second on the team, just two behind now senior, Natalia Rejment.
Taylor Cripe, a freshman outside hitter from Indianapolis, Ind., is the fourth captain for the Chippewa squad.
Cripe comes to CMU after a very successful career at South Newton High School. Earning four varsity letters in volleyball, she also earned letters in track & field and wrestling, and was a IHSAA State semifinalist in her senior season.
"This opportunity for Taylor is a great chance for her to grown as a leader and to help prepare her for where the see the future taking her. She has a lot of big shoes to fill. As a staff, we have felt that she has brought a lot of grit, energy and enthusiasm to our court and team environment."
For the latest news and updates on CMU Volleyball, follow the team in X (@cmuvolleyball) and on Instagram (@cmuvolleyball).
"These four represent the goals we have set for our season very well," Wilson said. " Three of them are returners with expensive experience and success on the court, and they bring a lot of leadership and confidence to our team...We are really looking forward to seeing how this group leads this season. These girls have earned the respect of the teammates and the coaching staff."
Alina Anderson, a senior from Rockford, Michigan, plays the DS/L position for the Chippewas finding great success in the 2024 season as a defender and server for CMU.
Anderson has displayed incredible dedication to Central Michigan and the athletic department in her time as a Chippewa, after transferring from Ferris State after her freshman season. Alina spent the 2023-24 winter season as a part of the Central Michigan Women's Basketball team where she appeared in 21 games with four starts.
Grace Thomas and Hannah Langton, both sophomores, return after being named to the MAC All-Freshman Team in 2024, while Thomas earned Second Team All-MAC Honors.
Hailing from Dublin, Ohio, Thomas posted outstanding numbers in her inaugural season with the Chippewas, emphasized by 10 blocks in her first game. Thomas started all 119 sets for the Chippewas in her freshman season and charted 239 kills, with eight double-digit kill games.
Thomas charted a total of 101.0 blocks in 2024 with at least one block in all but two games, aiding in her post season accolades. Against Buffalo on October 25th, she tallied 19.5 points, as one of her seven games with 15 or more points.
Serving as the libero in all 119 sets for Central Michigan in 2024, Hannah Langton made an immediate impact in her freshman season.
Langton, from Kingston, Illinois, totaled 522 digs, tied for 8th best in a single season in program history. Langton continued the tradition of successful freshmen liberos as Aly Gurtiza, a 2024 graduate charted the 7th most digs in a single season with 534, and holds the program record of 637 in her sophomore campaign – hinting at a traditionally successful season for sophomore liberos at Central Michigan.
With 32 service aces in the 2024 season, Langton fell second on the team, just two behind now senior, Natalia Rejment.
Taylor Cripe, a freshman outside hitter from Indianapolis, Ind., is the fourth captain for the Chippewa squad.
Cripe comes to CMU after a very successful career at South Newton High School. Earning four varsity letters in volleyball, she also earned letters in track & field and wrestling, and was a IHSAA State semifinalist in her senior season.
"This opportunity for Taylor is a great chance for her to grown as a leader and to help prepare her for where the see the future taking her. She has a lot of big shoes to fill. As a staff, we have felt that she has brought a lot of grit, energy and enthusiasm to our court and team environment."
For the latest news and updates on CMU Volleyball, follow the team in X (@cmuvolleyball) and on Instagram (@cmuvolleyball).
Players Mentioned
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