April 12, 2018
THE FLATS — Georgia Tech volleyball head coach Michelle Collier signed three student-athletes in Alexandra Dorn, Mattison McKissock and Mariana Brambilla during spring signing period, giving the Yellow Jackets seven newcomers for the 2018-19 season.
“I am very proud of the group of young women we have coming into this 2018 class,” Collier comments. “Not only will they impact our gym immediately on the volleyball side, but also our program and school with the extraordinary qualities and values that they have. They will make everyone around them better.”
Lexi Dorn (San Diego, Calif./Purdue)
A native of San Diego, Calif., Lexi Dorn joins the Yellow Jackets as a junior transfer from Purdue University. A two-year letterwinner for the Boilermakers, Dorn saw action in nine matches during the 2017 season at setter. She accrued 11 assists in those outings, averaging 1.22 assists per set. A product of Cathedral Catholic High School, Dorn was part of four division III state championship teams and was named one of PrepVolleyball’s 250 Senior Aces and to the site’s high school all-American preseason watch list and 2015 club volleyball all-American highest honorable mention listing. She competed internationally in Croatia as a member of the SCVA High Performance team during her junior year of high school.
Collier on Dorn: “Lexi brings in a high level of experience to our young roster. She has played volleyball at very high levels and we expect her to be a very positive influence in our group and help us continue to raise our level and our standards.”
Matti McKissock (Orlando, Fla./The First Academy)
A 5-foot-9 setter, Matti McKissock comes to The Flats from Orlando, Fla. She played for four seasons under Dan Hedger at The First Academy in Orlando both as setter and right side, serving as a captain for one season. In 2016, she was a member of The First Academy volleyball team that won the state championship. In 2017, she was dubbed the team’s offensive MVP before receiving the most outstanding player award in 2018. The right-handed setter was a four-year member of the National Honor Society and honor roll student.
Collier on McKissock: “Matti is a fun player to watch, she has had some great training and is a natural leader. Her ability to run a fast offense will allow us to add a new dimension to that side of our game.”
Mariana Brambilla (Porto Alegre, Brazil/Centro de Ensino Médio Pastor Dohms)
Tech brings another Brazilian into the fold with the addition of Mariana Brambilla. A native of Porto Alegre, Brazil, she attended Centro de Ensino Médio Pastor Dohms where she competed on the volleyball team for three seasons, serving as a captain all three seasons. In 2015, she helped her school to a state championship and in 2016 helped her club team, Sogipa Club, to a state championship as well.
Collier on Brambilla: “Mariana brings in an extensive international experience and will be a strong addition to our outside position. She is a dynamic player who is comfortable with the demands of that role and can play all parts of the game. I am looking forward to her career here at Tech.”
“2018 will be a year of growth for us as we have a very young roster (only one senior, and 16 underclassmen),” adds Collier. “Our goal is to continue to learn the game and compete at the highest level possible while moving towards our goal of winning championships. The future is promising and I can’t wait to get in the gym with this amazing group and get to work.”
The three spring signees join the four incoming freshmen that inked with the Jackets during the fall period, including outside hitter/middle blocker Kayla Kaiser (Louisville, Ky./Assumption HS), middle blocker Breland Morrissette (Birmingham, Ala./The Altamont School), libero/defensive specialist Maddie Tippett (Atlanta, Ga./St. Pius HS) and outside hitter Mikaila Dowd (Naperville, Ill./Metea Valley HS). Dowd arrived on The Flats as an early enrollee in January 2018.
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