RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University's beach volleyball team will be welcoming seven newcomers to the program as they hit the sand ahead of the 2025-26 season.
The Colonels welcome the newcomers made up of six freshman and one transfer following a 2024-25 campaign that saw EKU secure its third straight winning season and first ASUN Tournament win in program history.
The new class includes the following;
Zsa Zsa Ferguson,
Lily Kerbl,
Maddie Knaak,
Vittoria Lane,
Carlyn Mcallister,
Sutton Sales, and
Kaiya Ward.
Zsa Zsa Ferguson | Defender | 5-5 | Sophomore | Parkland, Fla. | St. Thomas Aquinas HS / UL-Monroe
The lone transfer into the program this season, Ferguson appeared in 29 duals last season at Louisiana-Monroe going 14-15 on the season with a 9-9 record in the 4
th flight.
A criminal justice major, she was the Sun Sentinel Player of the Year and Miami Herald Player of the Year at St. Thomas Aquinas High School graduating with a 4.0 GPA.
Lily Kerbl | Defender | 5-3 | Freshman | Fairhope, Ala. | St. Michael Catholic HS
A four-year varsity member and team captain for St. Michael's indoor volleyball team, Kerbl helped lead the Cardinals to AHSAA Area Championships in 2021 and 2024.
On the sand, she was named the MVP of her beach volleyball club that finished ninth at USAV National Championships.
Maddie Knaak | Split Blocker | 5-9 | Freshman | Fort Myers, Fla. | Bishop Verot Catholic HS
A beach volleyball and softball player in high school, Knaak comes from a family of athletes with her brother (Aidan) playing baseball at Clemson and her father (Robert) having played baseball at California Poly State.
Vittoria Lane | Split Blocker| 5-8 | Freshman | Cocoa Beach, Fla. | Cocoa Beach HS
A three-time state champion at Cocoa Beach, Lane was a captain in her final high school season, plans on studying criminal justice.
Carlyn Mcallister | Split Blocker | 5-8 | Freshman | Spanish Fort, Ala. | Spanish Fort HS
Led Spanish Fort to a state championship in her senior season finishing her indoor career with an average of 3.6 digs and 1.9 kills per set.
Sutton Sales | Split Blocker | 5-8 | Freshman | Erie, Co. | Erie HS
A four-year varsity member, Sales was a first team all-conference selection her junior and senior year before being inducted into the Erie Tiger Wall of Fame.
Kaiya Ward | Blocker | 5-10 | Freshman | Brooksville, Fla. | Hernando HS
Ward joins the Colonels with an impressive list of high school accolades including leading the district in kills for indoor as a sophomore, junior, and senior, a district championship with the Hernando Leopards in 2025
, and was the GC8 Beach Volleyball Player of the Year.
