NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The Notre Dame volleyball team has signed five players to national letters of intent for the early signing period, including Cailey Dockery, Eva Hudson, Rachel Jepsen, Harmony Sample and Lucy Trump, head coach Mike Johnson announced Wednesday (Nov. 10). All five players are set to join the Irish for the fall 2022 season.
“I am fired up to welcome Lucy, Cailey, Harmony, Rachel, and Eva to Notre Dame,” said Johnson. “Early on in this process, we set out to find people of the highest character who have an internal drive to become the very best. This is a complete class filling needs across every position. And while this group is highly capable on the court as well as in the classroom, each is an exceptional person raised by a tremendous family. I couldn’t be more excited about this class!”
The Cailey Dockery File
Position: Libero
Height: 5-7
Hometown: Murphy, N.C.
High School: Murphy High School
Club: A5
Hailing from Murphy High School, Dockery helped her squad make the North Carolina 1A Elite Eight last season before her team reached the 1A Final Four in 2021. Dockney also competed on the club circuit with A5 and was named an AAU All-American as a freshman. The Murphy, North Carolina, native competed with A5 in international events in Africa and Croatia and was named to the JVA UltraAnkle Watchlist on two occasions.
Johnson on Dockery:
“We quickly fell in love with Cailey’s spirit. She is a fierce competitor who always plays with a chip on her shoulder. I look forward to the tenacity she will bring into our gym and I look for her to continue to elevate our serve receive and defense. We are excited for Cailey’s future!”
The Eva Hudson File
Position: Outside Hitter
Height: 6-1
Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN
High School: Bishop Dwenger
Club: Munciana Samurai
Hailing from Bishop Dwenger and ranked #33 on PrepVolleyball’s Senior Aces List, Hudson helped her squad capture the Indiana 3A State Championship in 2020. Hudson is a two-time Glass Spike Award honoree, and became the first sophomore to earn the honor in 2019. She also holds the Indiana 3A record for most kills in a match with 33. Hudson also competed on the club circuit with Munciana Samurai, and she was named to both the 2020 and 2021 Ultra Ankle JVA All-National Team.
Johnson on Hudson:
“Eva possesses the attributes held by the most elite attackers in the country. She couples awesome physical gifts with a fiery competitive spirit. Eva aims to be the very best at everything she does and we can’t wait to coach her!”
The Rachel Jepsen File
Position: Middle Blocker
Height: 6-4
Hometown: Holladay, UT
High School: Olympus High School
Club: Club V
A four-year letterwinner at Olympus High School, Jepsen was a three-time invitee to train with the USA Volleyball National Training Development Program. Jepsen earned academic high honor roll honors each of the past four years, and actively served her community via the “Friend to Friend” service organization that organizes monthly community service opportunities for students. She also competed on the club side for Club V.
Johnson on Jepsen:
“Rachel combines incredible physical gifts with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Her growth and ascension over the last few years has been nothing short of remarkable. She is only scratching the surface of what she can become. Rachel’s future is incredibly bright!”
The Harmony Sample File
Position: Setter
Height: 5-11
Hometown: Lewisville, TX
High School: Hebron High School
Club: Texas Advantage
Sample competed four years for Hebron High School and earned Under Armour All-American honors as a senior in 2021. A two-time team captain and #115 on PrepVolleyball’s Senior Aces List, Sample has earned Texas All-District 6 accolades twice and has currently helped her squad earn District and Area crowns so far in 2021. On the club side, Sample helped the Texas Advantage earn the bronze medal at USA Volleyball’s 17 Open National Championships while earning All-Tournament Team honors.
Johnson on Sample:
“I can’t say enough about Harmony. Very few players in America have the ability to impact the game in every facet as she can. Harmony can do it all. She brings a no-nonsense mentality and absolutely wants to be great. I can’t wait to coach Harmony!”
The Lucy Trump File
Position: Outside Hitter
Height: 6-0
Hometown: Florence, KY
High School: Larry A. Ryle High School
Club: Tri-State Elite Volleyball Club
Trump, the top-rated recruit out of Kentucky by Prep Dig and #9 on PrepVolleyball’s Senior Aces List, was named Kentucky’s Ms. Volleyball in 2021. Trump competed for four years at Larry A. Ryle High School and was named Kentucky’s Region 9 Player of the Year in 2019, 2020 and 2021. A four-time All-State honoree, Trump also competed on the club circuit for Tri-State Elite Volleyball Club and helped her squad earn Summerfest, Adidas Bluegrass and two Buckeye Battle championships.
Johnson on Trump:
“Lucy has impressively refined skills for this stage of her career. She has played at the national level for quite some time and this experience has only amplified her ability and left her hungrier for more. She will have the ability to impact our team in a number of ways and we can’t wait to have her in the gym!”
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