PENSACOLA, Fla. - UWF volleyball announced a signing class of six incoming players who will join the squad for the 2025 season, a few of them joining for the spring as well. These six are set to take on big roles in 2025, Coach Melissa Wolter's 22nd season leading the Argonauts. 
 
"We are really excited about this incoming class," Wolter said. "We have known the majority of this group for a long time from working with them at our summer camps. They are all very talented volleyball players, great students and really good people. This is one of the most multi-faceted recruiting classes I have had in years. Most of them have experience playing multiple positions. All of them have very solid fundamentals and all-around skill sets and come from winning programs.  Each one of them will help fill the gap of losing nine talented seniors and I have very high aspirations for the legacy this recruiting class will leave behind."
 
Ana Colon
OH, 6'0
Niceville, Fla.
Niceville HS/850 Elite Volleyball Academy
 
PREP: 2023 Mississippi Gulf Coast Open - 16U Open MVP … 2023 Prep Dig Sunshine Qualifier Showcase - Top Performer … 2023 MLK Ft. Lauderdale Invitational All-Tournament Team - 16U Premier Division … 2022 AVCA Phenom List … 2022-2023 HS Varsity Offensive Player of the Year (Sophomore Year) … 2022 PrepVolleyball Big South Qualifier Showcase - Supernova … 2022 PrepDig USAV Nationals Article Highlight - Powerhouse Pins … 2021-2022 Northwest Florida All-Area 1st Team Freshman Year … 2021-2022 HS Varsity MVP (Freshman Year) … Played club at 850 Elite Volleyball Academy
 
PERSONAL: Anne T. Mitchell award recipient as Summa Cum Laude (4.25 GPA and above) … Member of Key Club, Conversation Club, National Honor Society and Niceville HS Leadership student organizations
 
Why UWF? "God revealed to me in a dream that UWF is the place for me. I love the campus; I get to stay close to my family. Being at UWF felt right; it felt like a home. The girls on the team are very kind, the coaching staff is amazing, and I believe that I can grow at UWF not only as a volleyball player, but as a person." 
 
Wolter's Comments: "Ana has been attending our camps since she was in middle school. We have followed her and watched her develop into one of the most confident, aggressive and lethal outsides in our area. She was an easy decision because she grew up around our program and already bleeds green and blue. It's a huge blessing to get her as an early high school grad, joining us in January. Ana has all the physical tools to start taking on point scoring responsibilities, immediately. Her new teammates and Argo fans are going to love what she brings to our program." 
 
Maddie Mire
DS/Libero, 5'8
Mobile, Ala.
Baker HS/Pensacola State College/Lower Alabama Volleyball
 
Junior college transfer from across town at Pensacola State College from 2022-23 … Played for head coach Patricia Gandolfo and assistant coach Kierra Potts, both former Argonaut standouts … Libero for a Pirates team that won two FCSAA (Florida College System Activities Association) DII NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) South Atlantic District Championships, earning the automatic bid to the NJCAA National Tournament, as well as the 2023 NJCAA Sportsmanship Award … Holds program record for 1369 career digs
 
2024 (So.): NJCAA Third Team All-American … FCSAA DII NJCAA South Atlantic District All-Tournament Team … FSCAA DII NJCAA South Atlantic District Tournament Most Outstanding Player … FCSAA Defensive Player of the Week (2x) … Region 8 All-Tournament Team … All Sun-Lakes First Team … Recorded 616 digs through 28 matches for an average of 6.1 per set

2023 (Fr.): All Sun-Lakes Second Team … All-State … Region 8 All-Tournament … NJCAA DII All-Tournament Team … FCSAA Defensive Player of the Week (2x) … NJCAA Defensive Player of the Week
 
PREP: Lettered and started two years at Baker … Recorded 390 digs, 54 assists and 51 aces as a senior … Named All-County and Area All-Tournament twice as she helped the team claim an Area Championship … Played for Lower Alabama Volleyball club
 
PERSONAL: National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society member in high school … Named to the 2023-24 Dean's List and FCSAA All-Academic Team at PSC … Received Go the Distance Award from Fellowship of Christian Athletes … Also lettered in softball, basketball and swimming at Baker HS … Named to A/B Honor Roll, National Honor Society and graduated with honors
 
Why UWF? "I chose UWF because I immediately felt welcomed and at home when I met the team and the coaches. The competitiveness that UWF brings is definitely something I am looking forward to as well. The atmosphere created by the program is exactly what I was looking for in a school and I was blessed to be able to find that again after PSC!"
 
Wolter's Comments: "Maddie is an excellent addition to our program. She helped lead Pensacola State College to back-to-back Conference Championships and National Championship appearances, as their libero. Maddie has excellent ball handling skills and refuses to let any ball hit the floor. She also has really strong leadership skills. We are really excited about the addition of Maddie, especially having her start up with us in January. Maddie has already reached a lot of her college goals, and we are excited for her to set new goals here at UWF."
 
Reece Wright
OH/RS, 5'10
Milton, Ga.
Milton HS/A5 Volleyball
 
PREP: Nationally recognized as AVCA All-American Honorable Mention and AVCA All-Region as a senior … Second Team All-Region her freshman year … First Team All-Region as a sophomore, junior and senior … Named All-Region Player of the Year in her junior and senior years … Named to the USA Volleyball 15 Liberty All-Tournament Team and AAU 16 All-Tournament Team … Played club volleyball at A5, where current UWF outside hitter Cate Wright also played
 
PERSONAL: Won Scholar-Athlete Award at her high school … Member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes
 
Why UWF? "I chose UWF because of its balance between academics and volleyball, which I believe will set me up for success. The atmosphere that UWF provides is what drew me to want to become a part of the family. I'm very excited to have the opportunity to play in a very successful program that comes with such a great community of people."
 
Wolter's Comments: "Reece is a terminal athlete on the left or the right, with a really live arm. She plays for one of the best clubs in the country in A5 and will, no doubt, be ready to make an impact immediately. Not only will she help us score points, but she also has a great personality that is hard to not want to be around. Reece has a big upside and has a consistent composure in the way she plays. Her ceiling is very high."
 
Brighton Ferguson
DS/Libero, 5'4
Venice, Fla.
Venice HS/Venetian Bay Volleyball Club
 
PREP: Named 2024 Girls Indoor Volleyball Player of the Year … Won Coach's Award in beach volleyball … Named First Team All-Area … Was chosen to play libero internationally in Europe on BIP SE's 19u team for the Global Challenge … Played for a Venice HS team that was named Team of the Year in 2022 after winning the state championship … Played club at Venetian Bay Volleyball
 
PERSONAL: Top 10% of her class … Won Academic Award throughout her high school volleyball seasons … Member of Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Club and Drug-Free Youth Club
 
Why UWF? "After careful thought, I chose UWF because I was drawn to its hard-working environment and the types of people it attracted. I loved how strong and established its volleyball program was because it showed me how dedicated its coaching staff is and I knew I'd be taken care of. Looking at my personal goals for my future, I knew I'd be able to accomplish what I set out for myself at UWF."
 
Wolter's Comments: "Brighton comes from the same high school and club that Holly Mattmuller and Autumn Duyn played for, Venice High School and Venetian Bay. Brighton came to camp during Covid and impressed our staff as a really young player. She's played libero for her high school and club and led them both to championships. Brighton's athleticism and mindset is unmatched, and the quality of her leadership is tangible. She's constantly perfecting her craft and she will help raise the level of volleyball in our gym."
 
Emily Topp
MB, 5'11
Fleming Island, Fla.
Fleming Island HS/Jacksonville Skyline Volleyball Club
 
PREP: 2022 15U USAV National Runner-up … 2024 18U AAU National Champions … 4-year varsity letterman … in senior year, finished ranked No. 1 in hitting percentage and blocking in FL Class 5A District 3, ranked No. 14 in FHSAA in hitting percentage … Played club volleyball at Jacksonville Skyline
 
PERSONAL: Earned a 3.75 GPA in high school … Member of National Honor Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes
 
Why UWF? "I chose UWF because of the competitive, yet welcoming atmosphere. Coach Wolter has a proven track record of success, and I look forward to continuing to grow as a student athlete in this program. Additionally, it's comforting to know that UWF is a short drive from home and close to beautiful beaches."
 
Wolter's Comments: "Emily plays for the same club as current UWF volleyball standout, Taylor Teaman. Emily is a very physical middle and is a solid blocker and big-time attacker. Emily's superpower is her competitiveness. She's got another gear when the game gets tight and we know she's going to add value to our team on and off the court. Emily's ceiling is high and we can't wait to work with her."
   
Haleigh Kamer
OH/RS/S, 5'10
Swannanoa, N.C.
Asheville Christian Academy/Xcel Volleyball Performance
 
PREP: Played for an Asheville Christian team that won NCISAA (North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association) 3A State Championship in 2022, finished as runner-up in 2021 and 2024, and made the Final Four in 2023 … Earned Conference Carolina Athletic Association-All Conference honors in 2022, 2023 and 2024 … Conference Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024 … NCISAA 3A All-State in 2022, 2023 and 2024 … 2023 NCSAA (National Christian School Athletic Association) Southeast Super Region … 2024 NCSAA D2 Second Team All-American … Played club for Xcel Volleyball Performance
 
PERSONAL: Wyldlife middle school leader at Young Life ministry … Member of National Society of High School Scholars
 
Why UWF? "I chose UWF because as soon as I got on the campus I knew It was somewhere I wanted to be. I loved everything about it. The campus is gorgeous, I am able to study marine biology and everyone was so welcoming."
 
Wolter's Comments: "Haleigh has played multiple positions in high school and club and we will look to lean into that during her time here. She's got a heavy arm and she's got the ability to play on the outside or right side, in addition to setting. Haleigh is the type of player that will quietly lead her team to victories. She is extremely low-error and understands the game at a really high level. Haleigh is a Marine Biology major and a perfect fit for our program."
 
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