Florida State University Athletics
Florida State Volleyball Announces Talented 2021 Class
11/13/2020 3:36:36 PM | Women's Volleyball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Seminoles.com) – Florida State Volleyball has announced its highly-talented 2021 signing class, which includes five signees who will bolster the Seminoles in the immediate future and have a chance for a significant impact in the long term.
Florida State’s five newcomers include libero Emery Dupes (Marietta, Ga.), middle blockers Skye Ekes (Sarasota, Fla.) and Khori Louis (Tallahassee), outside hitter Audrey Koenig (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) and setter Ava Pitchford (Norcross, Ga.).
The distinguished class has earned a No. 15 national ranking from PrepVolleyball.
“The 2021 class was rated the No. 15 class in the country by PrepVolleyball.com. We have a great balance of athleticism, height, power, ball control and setting skills in this class,” FSU Head Coach Chris Poole said. “It is the first class at Florida State where we have gotten all the different positions in one class. This is a large class of recruits and we expect them to be part of the next generation of Florida State Volleyball.
“Khori, Audrey and Ava will graduate early, finishing in December 2020 – so they will have a head start training with our program this spring,” Poole added. “The NCAA currently is not allowing them to be eligible to play in the spring, but things are constantly changing with the NCAA due to the virus and that is still a possibility. Either way, we are excited to have them in practice every day as we reload and work toward rebuilding the program post-COVID-19.”
Dupes is rated as the nation’s 33rd-best player by PrepVolleyball as well as the fifth-best libero nationally out of Walton High School and A5 Volleyball Club. In her four seasons on the varsity squad, Dupes led Walton to three Georgia 7A state titles. She also competes for one of the nation’s top clubs in A5 that has developed a pipeline to FSU and competes for national titles every year. On Nov. 11, Dupes was selected as an Under Armour First-Team All-American.
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Dupes’ outstanding prep career included amassing 1,006 career digs, 1,301 service receptions, 188 assists and 230 aces. Her junior campaign which was highlighted by her third consecutive state title included 238 digs, 408 serve receives and 65 aces. In her time with Walton High School, they once held a win streak within the state of Georgia of 138 consecutive matches which spanned over five years.
“Throughout my recruitment process, my visit to Florida State University was like no other,” Dupes said. “With the combination of the great coaching staff, winning tradition and the family atmosphere, I’m confident and excited for the next four years.”
Ekes is one of the country’s most outstanding middle blockers, ranking 15th on the position list and 66th overall. The 6-foot-1 performer was recruited heavily by several other schools including Florida, Penn State and Kentucky. Ekes was a dominant player out of Cardinal Mooney High School and with the Siesta Key Juniors. She nabbed an Under Armour Second-Team All-America selection on Wednesday.
Ekes was a 2019 PrepVolleyball First Team All-State player and is a three-time selection to the Under Armour All-American Watch List. Her senior season included 305 kills (3.6 kills per set) and a .441 hitting percentage while adding 78 total blocks (0.9 blocks per set). For her career, Ekes totaled 718 kills, a .371 hitting percentage and 0.8 blocks per set.
“I chose FSU because I believe that is where I’m meant to be,” Ekes said. “I have been presented with such a great opportunity and I have never been more excited about what the future holds.”
Koenig is a top-notch outside hitter who is ranked as the 72nd overall player in the country. She will be an early enrollee at Florida State planning to begin her academic career in Jan. 2021. Koenig is a Top 25 outsider hitter nationally out of Bishop McLaughlin High School who is a 2020 Honorable Mention Under Armour All-American.
Koenig has dominated the Central Florida circuit, winning tournament MVP in eight of nine tournaments played in her high school career which includes the most recent National Nike Tournament of Champions. On all four years at the varsity level, she led her squad in kills, single-season aces and single-season blocks. She has around 1,200 career kills and once delivered 25 kills in a match.
“I chose Florida State because of the coaching staff that made me feel instantly welcomed, the school’s history of success in both academics and athletics, and the beautiful campus that I could picture one day becoming my home,” Koenig said.
Khori Louis continues to rise up the rankings as the 96th overall player in the country and the 23rd-rated middle blocker. The Florida High School product received scholarship offers from nearly every major program, with her 10-foot, 8-inch jump touch ability being one of her many exceptional abilities on the court. She will enroll at Florida State in Jan. 2021.
Louis committed to FSU when she was an eighth grader, and in her two years at Florida High she racked up 482 kills and 180 blocks. She is a three-time All-Big Bend selection and an Honorable Mention Under Armour All-American. She has excelled in her hitting game this season, displaying a hitting percentage of .470.
“I chose Florida State because it made me feel at home,” Louis added. “The team is very family oriented and all around, you get good energy from the coaches and players. It’s also my hometown, therefore I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else.”
Pitchford is rated as one of the Top 30 setters in the country who should fit very well in FSU’s 6-2 offense. She will also be an early enrollee in Jan. 2021. Pitchford’s experience with A5 and her dominance at Alpharetta High School sets her up very well for a strong collegiate career.
Pitchford is coming off a big win Georgia State Championship win over perennial favorite Walton High School. Over the course of her high school career at both St. Pius X Catholic High and Alpharetta High, she mustered over 2,000 assists, 500 kills, 600 digs and 175 aces. She is a three-time Georgia High School Association all-state selection, and was selected as a 2020 Under Armour Honorable Mention All-American.
“I picked FSU because I was looking for a good environment for both volleyball and academics,” Pitchford said. “FSU is a great volleyball program, and there are a lot of options for majors. When I visited the campus, I loved it and knew it was the place I wanted to be.”
Florida State Volleyball will continue its 2020-21 season in the spring, which is considered the championship season under the revised guidelines set forth by the NCAA due to COVID-19. A spring schedule will be announced at a later date.