BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State University volleyball head coach Matt Ginipro announced the addition of two more student-athletes help bolster the roster for the upcoming 2016 campaign on Wednesday. Taylor Ashcraft (Cumming, Ga./West Forsyth) and Tierney Flaherty (Georgetown, Ind./Floyd Central) will officially join the Mountaineer volleyball program.
“It's a great day when players who can make you better just show up on your doorstep and that's exactly what happened with Taylor and Tierney,” said Ginipro. “We're excited to get them in the gym once preseason starts up in August.”
Taylor Ashcraft
5-6 • Defensive Specialist
Cumming, Ga.
West Forsyth
Ashcraft will join the Mountaineers as a true freshman for the upcoming 2016 season. As a senior, Ashcraft accumulated 321 total digs and averaged 6.20 digs per set. She appeared in 107 sets last season and contributed 2.90 kills per set and 2.20 assists per set. Ashcraft also finished with a .280 hitting percentage. In 2015, Ashcraft was named as an all-area first-team, first-team all-county selection.
As a junior, she earned Defensive Player of the Year in region 6AAAAAA, while also recording a second-team all-county selection in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Ashcraft earned a season ace record in 2011 and the season kills mark in 2012 and 2013, while being named Player of the Match 21 times in 2014.
Ginipro's Comments: “Taylor will be another good addition to our ball control group. We put a huge emphasis on first ball contact and having a big defensive specialist group will only make our practice gym more competitive. Taylor comes in with some good experience and will help make our corps of defensive specialists stronger.”
Tierney Flaherty
6-0 • Outside Hitter
Georgetown, Ind.
Floyd Central
Wofford
Currently a sophomore on the Appalachian State University's women's club volleyball team, Flaherty played her freshman season at Wofford during the 2014 season. While at Wofford, Flaherty saw action in 26 matches and made two starts, while participating in 54 total sets. Flaherty accumulated 12 kills and 12 services aces as a Terrier. She also posted 22 digs and four blocks during her freshman campaign.
Before her lone season at Wofford Flaherty was a three-year letterwinner at Floyd Central High School where she led them to a 75-32 (.701) record in three seasons, as well as conference, sectional and regional championships as a senior. She took Floyd Central to the final elite eight of the Indiana State tournament and was selected to the Class 4A Indiana All-Star Team and all-Hoosier Hills conference team as a senior in 2013. During her senior campaign, Flaherty racked up 234 kills and was selected as an academic all-state volleyball player. She was also a member of National Honor Society.
Ginipro's Comments: “Tierney will add some much needed depth to our pin hitter group and I was very happy when she came into the office to say she wanted to join the team. She was excited for the opportunity to play D-1 volleyball again and she absolutely fits in with our group personality-wise. Tierney has good size and comes from a great high school and club background, so I don't think it will take her long to adjust back to the college game.”
