Griz volleyball team signs three more to NLIs

The reconstruction of the Montana volleyball team continued this week with the signing of three prep athletes to National Letters of Intent.

Joining the Grizzlies as freshmen in the fall will be Missy Huddleston, of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Hannah Cantrell, of Sacramento, Calif., and McKenzie Kramer, of Murrieta, Calif.

Second-year coach Brian Doyon also signed Janna Grimsrud, of Buena Vista, Saskatchewan, and Ashley Watkins, of Battle Ground, Wash., to NLIs during November's early signing period.

With just five players returning from last year's team and additional newcomers to be announced in the coming weeks, Montana will have more fresh faces on its 2016 roster than veterans.

"My focus for this program and for the development of Montana volleyball is to build a foundation with a younger group so we can create a great and lasting culture," said Doyon, who thus far has stuck with incoming freshmen over transfers to rebuild his program's numbers.

"Lots of teams try for a quick fix, and we could do the same thing, but that's not going to allow us to make strides in changing our culture. By bringing in and developing younger players, it will help us create an atmosphere that people get excited about."

November's signees, Grimsrud and Watkins, are a middle blocker and setter, respectively. Huddleston is a 5-foot-11 outside hitter, Kramer a 6-foot-1 middle blocker, and Cantrell a six-footer who has the type of athleticism coaches dream about. Her versatility defies pigeonholing.

Asked recently what position Cantrell plays, Doyon and assistant coach Allison Lawrence replied in unison. One said outside hitter, one said middle blocker. It's a good problem to have.

"I'm really excited about these three players. With the two we signed in November, I think it's a great group," Doyon said. "They bring a lot of talent and diversity to the team, which is exciting.

"All these athletes come out of tremendous and well-respected high school and club programs that have served these athletes well by preparing them to play at the collegiate level."

Huddleston, a senior at Coeur d'Alene High who plays for North Idaho Thunder, is the most local of Doyon's five signees.

"I knew I wanted to go to college somewhere closer to home. I looked at campuses all around the area, and nothing seemed to 100 percent please me," said Huddleston.

"As soon as I got to Montana, I just fell in love. It is big enough but not too small, and I just love the college-town feeling and atmosphere. The players and coaching staff made me feel like I was home."

Huddleston was the Inland Empire League MVP as a senior and led the Vikings to a fourth-place finish at last fall's Class 5A state tournament while earning first-team all-tournament honors. She was named second-team all-tournament as a junior after helping her team to a runner-up finish.

"Missy is a tremendous athlete. I'm excited about her joining the program," said Doyon, who has three outside hitters in his group of five returners: redshirt sophomore (in the fall) Mykaela Hammer and sophomores Lia Gaogao and Cassie Laramee.

"I think she's going to be able to do some good things for us right away and be an impact player. It's her ball-control that excites me the most. She's a steady athlete in serve-receive."

Montana does not have any returning middle blockers from last year's team, which made it a critical area of need in the building of this year's incoming class.

Grimsrud is 6-foot-1, as is Kramer, who comes off the Southern California assembly line of ready-for-college players, a deep pool of talent created by the region's high-level club scene. Kramer played for 951 Elite of nearby Wildomar, a club that is sending 14 seniors on to college volleyball programs.

"McKenzie is a dynamic middle. She's got size, she moves really well laterally, and she has good foot speed," said Doyon. "She does a good job of controlling the net and being her team's first line of defense, and then her speed frees her up to be a really good attacker.

"What I really like about McKenzie is her drive and passion, and her desire to be great. She wants to play the game at a high level."

Kramer's versatility as an athlete allowed her to be a four-year varsity basketball player at Vista Murrieta High, where she was part of three state playoff teams. But it was always volleyball that she was going to play beyond high school.

"My goals have always included attending college out of state and playing Division I volleyball, so the opportunity to play at Montana was a perfect fit," said Kramer. "The journalism program is one of the best in the country, and the facilities are state-of-the-art.

"The campus and city are gorgeous, and it's awesome that the community is so supportive. Most important, the coaching staff and players made me feel immediately like I was part of the family. Hiking the 'M' with Coach Doyon and Coach Lawrence clinched the deal for me."

Cantrell has played at the highest level of all the newcomers, which is how she became Doyon's first signee from his connection and work with USA Volleyball.

As a junior, Cantrell made USA Volleyball's A1 national training team for her age group, which landed her in July at the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, where Doyon was coaching.

"I first got to meet Hannah in the USA system. She was playing as a middle blocker on her A1 team," he said. "She is a hard worker and very physical player with very good athleticism. She has great jumping ability, so she plays high above the net. The other thing she brings is a great, infectious personality."

One thing Cantrell, who competed for Gold Cal Juniors, won't bring is the ability to play next fall. She suffered an injury last winter at Colorado Crossroads, a major club tournament in Denver, that will preclude her from being ready for the 2016 season.

"If anybody has the ability to come back from that type of injury, Hannah is going to come back stronger and better," said Doyon. "She is very determined to be great."

Cantrell is a senior at Antelope High, which means Montana stole her right out of Sacramento State's backyard, but the right fit is the right fit.

"I decided to sign with Montana because I felt I would be happiest there," Cantrell said. "Brian is great. After meeting him, I knew I would achieve a lot and become a much better athlete playing for him, and that is a very important aspect for me. I want to continue to learn and grow.

"Playing at this level has been my goal since the beginning. I believe I will gain a lot of knowledge coming into a program that is building under a coach like Brian. And Montana has my desired major, environmental science."

"When all these athletes came to campus, they fell in love with Montana and really saw themselves fitting in and being part of our culture and program," said Doyon. "We want players who want to embrace the environment, embrace the culture, and all three of these athletes do that."

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