NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion volleyball secured its 2021 incoming class Monday afternoon, announcing the signing of three newcomers from the high school ranks.
Head coach Fred Chao will bring in Kira Smith (San Diego, California), LeeAnne Lowery (Verona, New York) and Myah Conway (Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania).
"Our incoming class represents another step forward for our program," ODU head coach Chao said. "We bring in a mix of positions who will increase our skill level or our physical presence as soon as they arrive. In the longer term, they have the potential to develop into impact players within the league. Academically, they will fit right in with the team and enhance the ODU community with their high-academic mindset."
Kira Smith
Position: 5-10, Outside Hitter
Hometown: San Diego, California
High School: Cathedral Catholic
Club: Wave Volleyball Club
Academic Interests: Biomedical Sciences
Accolades:
- San Diego All-Academic Team (4.42 GPA)
- 4x League Champion
- 2019 Durango Fall Classic Champions
- Duran Fall Classic All-Tournament Team
- 2018 and 2019 CIF SDS Open Division Runner-ups
- 2018 AVCA Phenom List
- Prep Volleyball Soph 79 Honorable Mention
- Recorded 111 digs and a .312 hitting percentage her junior season
Why ODU? "I chose ODU because I thought it was a great opportunity to be apart of such a new team that has the ability to compete at a high level while also balancing academics, specifically in STEM-H fields."
Chao on Smith: "Kira is a skilled outside hitter with high level club and high school experience. We were fortunate to identify her early on at a showcase where we first saw Teresa. Their friendship as high school teammates certainly worked in our favor, as Kira will make an immediate impact in the gym and should compete for playing time."
LeeAnne Lowery
Position: 6-4, Middle Blocker
Hometown: Verona, New York
High School: Vernon Verona Sherrill HS
Club: Koda Volleyball Club
Academic Interests: Mechanical Engineering
Accolades:
- Central New York Girls Winter Volleyball Section First Team All-Star
- Two-time TVL Pioneer League First Team All-Star
- Two-time All-Mohawk Valley All Star Team
- VVS Girls Most Valued Player
- Career Block Record (148)
- Seasonal Block Record (87)
- Also competed in Track and Field
- Member of National Honor Society
Why ODU? "I chose ODU because the engineering program has a high-ranking performance across the country. The school is also located close to the largest naval base in the nation. My deciding factor to choose ODU was the huge opportunity coach Fred, coach Becca and coach Adam had given me."
Chao on Lowery: "LeeAnne is a strong, physical presence on the court. Though she does not have the same volleyball experience as the others, she has proven mental strength and athleticism by excelling at track and field and cross country. At 6'4, she has the strength and agility to move with speed and precision. We are excited to get her in the gym and begin working with her."
Myah Conway
Position: 6-1, Right Side Hitter
Hometown: Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania
High School: Blue Mountain
Club: East Coast Power Volleyball Club
Academic Interests: Civil Engineering
Accolades:
- Three-time Pennsylvania All-State Team
- 2020 All-Area Player of the Year
- Two-time High School League Championships
- Named to the Under Armour All-American Watch List as a junior and senior
Why ODU? "ODU is a beautiful campus and great academic school that I can see myself living at for the next four years with a unique opportunity to be a part of this new volleyball program."
Chao on Conway: "Myah has shown tremendous physical growth since the first time we saw her play. She has always had a strong shoulder and a whip of an arm, but she has worked hard over the last year and increased her strength and jumping ability. She is used to being the hitter who gets all the bail-out sets and has strong "feet to ball" ability to attack. As a lefty, she creates a different set of problems for other teams. She is long and her block poses a significant threat to opponents."