New look Bearcats
The Bearcats enter the season with eight newcomers along with the nations number 21 recruiting class featured by freshman middle blocker Zeta Washington, who was the 31st ranked player in the class of 2023. Washington a 6’2 middle blocker will look to be an immediate impact player for the Bearcats alongside 2-time AAC second team selection Abby Walker at the middle position. The Bearcats also brought in 6’5 outside hitter Nina Horning, who was another top 50 recruit and will provide a huge threat on the outside pin, both offensively and defensively.
The Bearcats also added three players via transfer portal in junior setter Katelyn Leffler, graduate defensive specialist Carly Skrabak, and graduate outside hitter Jadyn Bauss. All 3, will look to play an immediate role for the Bearcats, as Leffler comes to Cincinnati from Illinois State. Leffler led the Redbirds in assists (742) in 2021, before missing time in 2022 due to injury.
“Katelyn Lefler comes in as a junior and is just a really physical athlete. Offensively, she’s strong and just her presence on the court is strong. For her height and strength, she has really quick feet. That’s something that we look for in setters so you can get to the ball quickly. She’s pretty mobile for her size too and puts up a really nice block. I think just her presence on the court. Her leadership has been fantastic and has really developed since she came in the spring. We got her an extra semester, so that was tremendous,” said Alvey.
Bauss spent the last four seasons at SMU, where she tallied 752 kills, 899 digs, 80 service aces, in her four-year tenure at SMU. Bauss also gathered AAC second team honors her sophomore season in 2020-2021. “Jadyn Bauss is a little bit of a unique situation because we played against her for the four years that she was at SMU. So, as soon as we saw her in the portal, it was a no brainer for us,” said Molly Alvey. “As an outside, she’s not overly tall but she’s so long in her reach, and her vision, how she sees the block. Her ability to make decisions in the moment and her ball control is phenomenal. It’s just that natural maturation process and really knowing what’s expected of you. That’s the level that those two graduate transfers bring in. They have experience and that’s one thing as coaches we can’t teach.”
Skrabak comes to Cincinnati after spending the last three seasons at Marquette University where she helped lead the Golden Eagles to their second ever NCAA Sweet 16, after the Golden Eagles went 29-4 in 2022, and 17-1 in Big East play. Skrabak has racked up 1,487 career digs throughout her collegiate playing career and will look to anchor the back line for the Bearcats this fall.
“Carly, comes to us from Marquette where she excelled at an extremely high level. I describe her as almost gymnast-like on the court,” said Alvey. “Just super athletic, but light on her feet and she moves to the floor. She’s graceful, she’s composed. She touches everything in her area. It’s impressive to watch her play. She’s going make some great plays. That position doesn’t get noticed as much, but I think if you know that about her and you can kind of hone in and watch to see that she is just a tremendous athlete.”
