Shires Announces 2014 Recruiting Class
May 6, 2014 | Volleyball
OMAHA, Neb. – Omaha head volleyball coach Rose Shires has announced her incoming recruiting class for 2014, which includes outside hitter Mackenzie Horkey, setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy, libero Emily Leichner and defensive specialists Aftyn Johnson and Marisa Moseman. All five student-athletes will join the Maverick program for the 2014 season.
MACKENZIE HORKEY
Outside Hitter – 5-9 – Jordan, Minn. (Southwest Christian)
Horkey was a four-year letterwinner for coach Greg Sayuk at Southwest Christian. As a senior, she led the Stars to a state championship and was named all-conference, all-metro and all-state. Horkey was named the Class A Player of the Year, was a Top 5 Miss Baden finalist and was honored by PrepVolleyball.com as a Top 150 All-American. Over her career Horkey earned four all-conference awards and three all-state nods, and her Southwest Christian squad finished as state runner-up in her junior year as well.
Horkey also lettered three years in softball, garnering all-conference recognition. She played club volleyball for the Northern Lights Juniors for coach Adam Beamer. In the 15 Open division, her team won a national championship, then placed sixth in the 16 Open division. Horkey's club team has played in a variety of international tournaments, which have taken her to Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland. Horkey will graduate this spring with top honors.
“Mackenzie is a true six-rotation outside hitter who has international experience,” Shires said. “She is used to and very capable of carrying a team on her shoulders. She is an explosive athlete with great shot selection and the volleyball IQ to score. Mackenzie consistently earns 20-plus kills per match and will be relied on heavily as a freshman.”
AFTYN JOHNSON
Defensive Specialist – 5-7 – Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln Southwest)
Johnson was a four-year letterwinner for coach Mary Schropfer at Lincoln Southwest High School. She was part of a Silver Hawk program that won four straight district championships to make four consecutive state tournament appearances.
Johnson also lettered one year in soccer at Southwest. She played club volleyball for Nebraska Elite for coach Steve Bymers, helping her team to two national tournament appearances. A four-year member of the honor roll, Johnson carries a 4.125 GPA and plans to major in education at UNO.
“Aftyn has solid ball control and serving skills,” Shires said. “We are excited to have her join our defensive corps and give much-needed depth to that area for our program.”
EMILY LEICHNER
Libero – 5-8 – Omaha, Neb. (Millard West)
Leichner was a three-year letterwinner for coach Erin Byrd at Millard West High School. As a senior, she led the Wildcats to their third straight state tournament berth, highlighted by a state runner-up finish and a district championship with a record of 36-3. Individually, Leichner was named to the All-Metro Second Team, and she holds the school record for digs in a season (590). She was previously honored as all-state honorable mention and All-Metro honorable mention as a junior, and that season she was the state's Class A leader in digs per set.
Leichner played club volleyball for Nebraska Juniors for coach Jake Moore, and her team finished 14th at the 2013 AAU national tournament in the open class. She also lettered two years in track & field for Millard West and was a state meet qualifier.
Also a standout in the classroom, Leichner twice garnered academic all-state recognition. A member of the National Honor Society, she carries a 4.167 GPA and ranks 16th in her graduating class of 562 students. She plans to major in nursing at UNO.
“Emily is an extreme competitor with a wide range in the back court,” Shires said. “She, along with Aftyn and Marisa, will join Kimberly Bailey to make up our defensive group in 2014.”
MARISA MOSEMAN
Defensive Specialist – 5-7 – Hickman, Neb. (Norris)
Moseman lettered four seasons for coach Christina Boesiger at Norris High School. As a senior, she was named second-team all-state and first-team all-conference, and she helped Norris to a state championship and a district championship with a record of 30-8. For her performance at the state tournament, Moseman was honored on the Class B All-State Tournament Team. She was previously lauded as second-team all-conference as a junior, second-team all-conference and all-league honorable mention in her sophomore year.
Moseman also lettered four years in track & field and was a two-time state meet qualifier. She played club volleyball for Nebraska Redline for coach Scott Mattera, and she was part of a team that won a regional championship in 2013.
“Marisa has amazing first-step quickness with the ability to make big plays,” Shires said. “We have an advantage with Marisa in that we can also use her in a backup setter role when our team needs it next season.”
SYDNEY O'SHAUGHNESSY
Setter – 5-8 – Omaha, Neb. (Marian)
O'Shanughnessy lettered four years for coach Rochelle Rohlfs at Marian High School. As a senior, she led the Crusaders to the state championship and a district title, and she was named the honorary captain of the Omaha World-Herald All-State Team. O'Shaughnessy was also named a high school All-American by the AVCA/MaxPreps, and she was the Greater Omaha Sports Committee Student-Athlete of the Year.
In her career, O'Shaughnessy was a three-time All-Metro pick and twice earned all-state honorable mention recognition before being named all-state in her final season. She owns school records for assists in a season (1,164) and assists in a single match (60), the latter of which was set in the 2013 state championship match against Millard West.
O'Shaughnessy plays club volleyball for Nebraska Juniors for coach Gwen Egbert, and her team finished third at the Houston JVA World Challenge. She plans to major in business and education at UNO.
“Sydney is a dynamic, driven setter who has the capacity to run the show for us,” Shires said. “She delivers the ball quickly and accurately. Sydney is extremely quick and makes great decisions on the court.”
MACKENZIE HORKEY
Outside Hitter – 5-9 – Jordan, Minn. (Southwest Christian)
Horkey was a four-year letterwinner for coach Greg Sayuk at Southwest Christian. As a senior, she led the Stars to a state championship and was named all-conference, all-metro and all-state. Horkey was named the Class A Player of the Year, was a Top 5 Miss Baden finalist and was honored by PrepVolleyball.com as a Top 150 All-American. Over her career Horkey earned four all-conference awards and three all-state nods, and her Southwest Christian squad finished as state runner-up in her junior year as well.
Horkey also lettered three years in softball, garnering all-conference recognition. She played club volleyball for the Northern Lights Juniors for coach Adam Beamer. In the 15 Open division, her team won a national championship, then placed sixth in the 16 Open division. Horkey's club team has played in a variety of international tournaments, which have taken her to Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland. Horkey will graduate this spring with top honors.
“Mackenzie is a true six-rotation outside hitter who has international experience,” Shires said. “She is used to and very capable of carrying a team on her shoulders. She is an explosive athlete with great shot selection and the volleyball IQ to score. Mackenzie consistently earns 20-plus kills per match and will be relied on heavily as a freshman.”
AFTYN JOHNSON
Defensive Specialist – 5-7 – Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln Southwest)
Johnson was a four-year letterwinner for coach Mary Schropfer at Lincoln Southwest High School. She was part of a Silver Hawk program that won four straight district championships to make four consecutive state tournament appearances.
Johnson also lettered one year in soccer at Southwest. She played club volleyball for Nebraska Elite for coach Steve Bymers, helping her team to two national tournament appearances. A four-year member of the honor roll, Johnson carries a 4.125 GPA and plans to major in education at UNO.
“Aftyn has solid ball control and serving skills,” Shires said. “We are excited to have her join our defensive corps and give much-needed depth to that area for our program.”
EMILY LEICHNER
Libero – 5-8 – Omaha, Neb. (Millard West)
Leichner was a three-year letterwinner for coach Erin Byrd at Millard West High School. As a senior, she led the Wildcats to their third straight state tournament berth, highlighted by a state runner-up finish and a district championship with a record of 36-3. Individually, Leichner was named to the All-Metro Second Team, and she holds the school record for digs in a season (590). She was previously honored as all-state honorable mention and All-Metro honorable mention as a junior, and that season she was the state's Class A leader in digs per set.
Leichner played club volleyball for Nebraska Juniors for coach Jake Moore, and her team finished 14th at the 2013 AAU national tournament in the open class. She also lettered two years in track & field for Millard West and was a state meet qualifier.
Also a standout in the classroom, Leichner twice garnered academic all-state recognition. A member of the National Honor Society, she carries a 4.167 GPA and ranks 16th in her graduating class of 562 students. She plans to major in nursing at UNO.
“Emily is an extreme competitor with a wide range in the back court,” Shires said. “She, along with Aftyn and Marisa, will join Kimberly Bailey to make up our defensive group in 2014.”
MARISA MOSEMAN
Defensive Specialist – 5-7 – Hickman, Neb. (Norris)
Moseman lettered four seasons for coach Christina Boesiger at Norris High School. As a senior, she was named second-team all-state and first-team all-conference, and she helped Norris to a state championship and a district championship with a record of 30-8. For her performance at the state tournament, Moseman was honored on the Class B All-State Tournament Team. She was previously lauded as second-team all-conference as a junior, second-team all-conference and all-league honorable mention in her sophomore year.
Moseman also lettered four years in track & field and was a two-time state meet qualifier. She played club volleyball for Nebraska Redline for coach Scott Mattera, and she was part of a team that won a regional championship in 2013.
“Marisa has amazing first-step quickness with the ability to make big plays,” Shires said. “We have an advantage with Marisa in that we can also use her in a backup setter role when our team needs it next season.”
SYDNEY O'SHAUGHNESSY
Setter – 5-8 – Omaha, Neb. (Marian)
O'Shanughnessy lettered four years for coach Rochelle Rohlfs at Marian High School. As a senior, she led the Crusaders to the state championship and a district title, and she was named the honorary captain of the Omaha World-Herald All-State Team. O'Shaughnessy was also named a high school All-American by the AVCA/MaxPreps, and she was the Greater Omaha Sports Committee Student-Athlete of the Year.
In her career, O'Shaughnessy was a three-time All-Metro pick and twice earned all-state honorable mention recognition before being named all-state in her final season. She owns school records for assists in a season (1,164) and assists in a single match (60), the latter of which was set in the 2013 state championship match against Millard West.
O'Shaughnessy plays club volleyball for Nebraska Juniors for coach Gwen Egbert, and her team finished third at the Houston JVA World Challenge. She plans to major in business and education at UNO.
“Sydney is a dynamic, driven setter who has the capacity to run the show for us,” Shires said. “She delivers the ball quickly and accurately. Sydney is extremely quick and makes great decisions on the court.”
Players Mentioned
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