BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb volleyball program has received seven official commitments in the early signing period, welcoming Allyson Brown (Candler, N.C. / Homeschool), Hannah Donaldson (Virginia Beach, Va. / Ocean Lakes H.S.), Nichole Ford (Campobello, S.C. / Landrum H.S.), Kylee Garrison (Huntersville, N.C. / Southlake Christian Academy), Karen Morris (Canton, Ga. / Sequoyah H.S.), Madison Riggs (High Point, N.C./ Southwest Guilford H.S.), and Makaila Vang (Albemarle, N.C. / Gray Stone Day School) to the 2018 recruiting class, as announced by Gardner-Webb head coach Leo Sayles on Wednesday afternoon.
 
Allyson Brown, a 5-4 defensive specialist/libero, has played four years of varsity volleyball for the Harnett Warriors, earning North Carolinians For Home Education Athletic Commission (NCHEAC) All-Conference honors each year, and was named Eastern Division MVP following her sophomore season.  During her senior season, she led her team to a second-place finish at the NCHEAC State Championships, while averaging 5.32 digs per set and 3.31 service aces per game throughout her senior year.
 
Hannah Donaldson, a 6-3 middle blocker, has been a starter all four years at Ocean Lakes High School, leading the team to Virginia High School League (VHSL) conference and regional championships in 2016 and a second-place finish in the VHSL State Championships that year.  She has also earned first-team VHSL All-Coastal Conference and All-6-A South Regional honors.
 
Nichole Ford, a 6-0 outside hitter, has been one of Landrum High School's most productive players over the past four years, setting school records for career kills and blocks.  Ford has over 1,000 kills for her career and was named to the South Carolina All-State team in 2016 and 2017.  She was named Region Player of the Year and All-Area First-Team in 2016 and earned All-Region Team honors the past three years.
 
Kylee Garrison, a 5-10 outside hitter, has been a four-year MAC All-Conference selection for Southlake Christian Academy, and has twice been named to the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) 3-A All-State team.  She has been named the varsity MVP for Southlake Christian Academy all four years and have been the team captain the last two seasons.
 
Karen Morris, a 5-7 defensive specialist/libero, has played all four years on the varsity squad at Sequoyah High School, leading the team to a state championship in 2014.  This past season, Morris led the team to an Elite 8 appearance and was named to the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Area 6-AAAAAA All-Area First-Team, and in September was named the Cherokee County School District Athlete of the Month.  She also earned GHSA All-Area honors following her 2015 and 2016 seasons.
 
Madison Riggs, a 5-7 setter, has earned North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Piedmont Triad 3-A All-Conference honors all four seasons.  For her career at Southwest Guilford High School, she has tallied over 2,400 assists, 300 aces, 700 digs and 300 kills.  Riggs was also a Greensboro News and Record All-Area selection in 2016.
 
Makaila Vang, a 5-2 defensive specialist/libero, helped lead Gray Stone Day School to a 23-1 record and the Yadkin Valley Conference championship this past season before falling the NCHSAA 1A state playoffs.  Vang earned All-Conference honors in 2016.