CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Adding more depth and athleticism to its roster, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's volleyball program announced the additions of Nadia Chwialkowski, Brooke Copley, Halle Gibson, Zoria Heard and Tayah Little.
All five will be eligible to play in fall 2022.
"We are really looking forward to the 2022 class and what they will bring to The Island. They are all well accomplished as student-athletes but most importantly bring a desire and passion to work hard and make their teammates better," said head coach
Steve Greene.
Chwialkowski is a 6-0 outside hitter from West Fargo, North Dakota. She guided West Fargo High School to a pair of EDC Conference Championships and was an All-EDC First-Team selection. Chwialkowski won several awards including Rookie of the Year, Most Improved, Junior Coaches Choice Award, Senior Year 1000 Career Kills, Student-Athlete of the Month (Aug. 2021) and was on the Midco Sports ND Player to Watch list (2021). She played club for Summit Junior Volleyball.
"Nadia has a natural touch on the ball and is a very steady all-around player. She passes and defends at a high level already and combined with her shot selection makes an outstanding six rotation outside hitter," Greene said.
Copley is a 6-3 middle blocker from Franktown, Colorado. She earned All-State and was a two-time All-League selection for Ponderosa High School. Copley played club for Colorado Juniors and helped the team earn first-place at the PacNorthwest Qualifier. The team qualified for nationals every year she was there.
"Brooke has really improved a lot the last couple of years and I'm so excited that all her hard work is paying off. She is a dynamic attacker off of one foot and will put up a formidable block," Greene said.
Gibson is a 5-9 setter from Cary, North Carolina. The two-time All-Conference First-Team honoree helped Green Level High School reach the state tournament four times times, including a 4A State Championship in 2021. Gibson was named the Team MVP her junior year and was a Team Captain her junior and senior seasons. She holds the school's all-time assists record and was named AVCA Best & Brightest, AVCA All-America Honorable Mention and to the All-Region 3 Team. Gibson played eight years of club for Triangle Volleyball Club.
"Halle is definitely a thinker on the court, very stoic and competitive. She has a knack for making her teammates better. She consistently puts the ball in a good location for her hitters to be successful and has a very high volleyball IQ," Greene said.
Heard is a 5-6 libero from Rowlett, Texas. She played for Sachse High School where she earned All-State distinction and was a four-time All-District honoree. The Defensive and Server of the Year helped the team win four district championships. She registered over 2,000 career digs and was the MVP of the All-State Team and All-Star game. Heard holds the school records for career, single season and single game digs. She played six years of club for MadFrog.
"Zoria has great range on defense and her ball control is outstanding. She brings a very upbeat personality to the game. She keeps her team in every point with a great first touch on serve receive and with tremendous defense," Greene said.
Little is a 5-9 middle blocker from Plano, Texas. During her time at Plano East Senior High School, she was named Newcomer of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive MVP and was a Team Captain. Little was named to the All-District First-Team. Like Heard, Little played club for MadFrog and was an All-Star MVP.
"Tayah is a very dynamic athlete who is not only quick off the ground but has great court vision. She's able to attack to open space consistently but also bring power when needed," Greene said.
All five will have four years of eligibility at A&M-Corpus Christi.
| Student-Athlete |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Hometown/High School/Club |
| Nadia Chwialkowski |
OH |
6-0 |
West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo/Summit Junior |
| Brooke Copley |
MB |
6-3 |
Franktown, Colo./Ponderosa/Colorado Juniors |
| Halle Gibson |
S |
5-9 |
Cary, N.C./Green Level/Triangle Volleyball |
| Zoria Heard |
L |
5-6 |
Rowlett, Texas/Sachse/MadFrog |
| Tayah Little |
MB |
5-9 |
Plano, Texas/Plano East Senior/MadFrog |
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