Coach Rick Younger and the Butler volleyball team has announced the signing of six players who will join the Grizzlies in the fall of 2014.
The signing class includes two players from El Dorado (Baylie Harsh and Megan Riffel) as Butler continues its commitment to pursuing local talent. Butler also signed Brenna Haines from Great Bend. In addition to those in-state additions, Butler has incoming signees from Colorado, Illinois and Montana.
These players will be joining a program that finished its season with an overall record of 30-9, the second straight year in which the Grizzlies won 30 or more matches and the third time in the past six years under Younger. The Grizzlies were fourth in the Jayhawk East Conference and were ranked 13th nationally at the end of the season. It is the second straight year Butler has finished in the top 15 of the national rankings.
Below is a brief bio of each of the six signees.
Rachael Buzanowski • Hunrtley Project High School • Worden, Montana • Middle/Opposite Hitter
Buzanowski led her high school team to an undefeated season and state championship. She was and all-conference player and second team all-state in Montana. She was also all-conference her junior year and all-state tournament team honorable mention. She is a three-year letter winner and has participated in club volleyball for 11 years. Rachael is also active in track as a pole vaulter, is vice president of her FFA chapter and has had a champion steer and reserve senior lamb at the Montana State Fair.
Brenna Haines • Great Bend High School • Great Bend, Kansas • Middle/Outside Hitter
Haines currently holds the school record in career blocking (391), season blocking (179), and hitting efficiency at .470. She is in sixth place in the school records for kill attempts at 1,431 and seventh in career kills at 578. She was named all- tournament team at the 2013 Tonganoxie Tournament and first team all- conference as both a junior and senior.
Baylie Harsh • El Dorado, High School • El Dorado, KS • Setter
Harsh is a 5-10 setter from Eldorado High school. She has played club for six years with clubs Xplosion, Feist and Heartland. Harsh was a four-year starter for El Dorado and was twice named to all-conference teams in 2012 and 2013. Baylie also received an all-tournament award this past season. Baylie is the cousin of former Grizzly Hope Harsh.
Rebecca Sewald • Kiowa High School • Kiowa, Colorado • Outside Hitter
Sewald is a 5'11 outside hitter that also is a four-year varsity starter. She has been named to her all-conference team the last three years and led the conference in kills in each of the past two seasons. Sewald also plays basketball and runs track. She is also an active member in 4H and shows horses and steers.
Megan Riffel • El Dorado, High School • El Dorado, KS • Defensive Specialist/ Libero
Riffel is a 5-6 played club for five years, one year with Club 81 and the past four with Redline. She is a two-year varsity starter and was all-conference honorable mention this past season. Megan is also a cousin of former Grizzly Alyssa Riffel.
Lauren Truvillian • Plainfield South High School • Plainfield, Illinois
Lauren is a 5-11 Opposite/Middle Hitter that is a very good six rotation player. She is a four-year varsity starter. In the 2012 and 2013 she was awarded for the most blocks in a season. Lauren plays cub for Illinois Alliance and her club team finished third in the club division at the AAU National Tournament this past summer.