SAINT LEO, Fla. – First year Saint Leo head volleyball coach Jason Skoch announced the signing of five newcomers who will join the Lions this Fall. The class will join a talented group of returners who helped lead the Lions to their sixth-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament last season. Aisha Ambrose, Grace Campbell, Madi Certain, Morgan Leadens and Skylar Singleton have all chosen to continue their athletic careers at Saint Leo University. The class includes a pair of transfers and three incoming freshmen.
 
"We are quite pleased with the group of student-athletes we are bringing in with such a fast turnaround," mentioned Skoch. "I got onto campus at the end of January and Abby (Moser) didn't start until the end of February and we were able to find players that will help us in 2019 and beyond. That is a challenging task with such a strong conference."
 
"The focus was to find players that could add competition to some positions and also prepare for 2020 when we will lose some great seniors after 2019. The new players also needed to be blue-collar and have strong work ethics."
 
 
Aisha Ambrose
MB / 5-10
Duluth, Ga. / Peachtree Ridge High School / University of West Georgia
 
Ambrose joins the Lions after two seasons at the University of West Georgia where she appeared in 43 career matches with 164 kills and 74 blocks. She was third on the team in blocks as both a freshman and a sophomore. She prepped at Peachtree Ridge High School where she had a hitting percentage of .302 in two years as a starter, collecting 137 kills in 104 sets played92 of her 137 kills came during her senior season in just 51 sets played. She also had 80 blocks in that two-year run, including 58 solo stops. She was named First Team All-County and also served as a team captain. She helped guide her team to the Elite Eight in Georgia as a junior and was a four-time Scholar Athlete Award recipient.
 
She also competed on the club circuit with Atlanta Extreme and GA5. Her team won the Big South Championship in 2016 and advanced to Junior Nationals in both 2016 and 2017.
 
"This was a good get late in the spring," said Skoch. "She has had two years of experience in this region. I like middle blockers with lateral speed and she has that. She is quick off the ground and has a good arm with pop. We needed more depth at the middle blocker position so Aisha was one of two we brought in to help make this position a strength for next season. We think she has a chance to take off once she learns our system."
 

Grace Campbell
MB / 6-1
Nashville, Tenn. / Christ Presbyterian Academy / Wofford College
 
Campbell makes her way to Saint leo after two seasons at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. Campbell appeared in one match for the Terriers as a freshman while recording two kills against South Carolina State. She also had a pair of blocks in the contest. She missed the entire 2018 season and looks to make an impact at Saint Leo in 2019. Prior to Wofford, she prepped at Christ Presbyterian Academy and was a team-time All-District honoree and was twice named to the District All-Tournament Team. She was also a Region All-Tournament Team member and earned Second Team All-Midstate as a senior before making her way onto the All-State Team.  
 
She competed for Club West Volleyball out of Nashville on the club circuit and went to Nationals twice. Her team also appeared at the Best of the AAU in 2016.
 
"Grace is another great transfer fit for what we are wanting with this class," said Skoch. "She knows how to handle her business and is solution-driven. She has already shown through the recruiting process that she is willing to adapt and do what is necessary to develop and help the team produce. She has a strong frame and attacking presence and her IQ will be her strength and push our team in the middle blocker and right-side hitter positions."
 

Madi Certain
OH / 6-0
Austin, Texas / Dripping Springs High School
 
Certain will join the Lions as a freshman this Fall after prepping at Dripping Springs High School. She was a First Team All-District selection as a senior after earning All-District Honorable Mention as a junior. She was also a two-time Academic All-District selection. She was a State Tournament starter for DSHS and served as the varsity team captain.   
 
She competed for Austin performance and Austin Skyline on the club circuit and appeared at Nationals in 2018 while serving as a team captain.  
 
"We were looking for someone that can help us offensively in this conference while, at the same time, have the ability to be developed into a six-rotation player," said Skoch. "We feel we got that with Madi. She has a natural platform and lift off the ground when she jumps, with a good arm swing as well. She is surrounded by great volleyball and played for great high school and club programs that I know well. Mentally, she understands expectations."
 

Morgan Leadens
DS / 5-4
Castle Rock, Colo. / Castle View High School
 
Leadens comes to Saint Leo after four years at Castle View High School where she was a three-year captain and selected to the All-State Games. She helped lead CVHS to a Colorado State Championship and led the entire state in digs. She was a two-time Sabercat Award winner which is given for a student-athlete's work ethic.  She also earned Academic All-State honors twice, was a First Team All-Continental selection and was a Max Prep Player of the Match on five different occasions.   
 
She also competed for Rocky Select on the club level. She helped the program qualify for nationals on the 18s team as a 16-year-old. She served as a team captain for two years and helped the program finish third in Omaha.
 
"Morgan's fighting spirit and ability to take coaching and make adjustments will help us improve the ball control this team needs," said coach Skoch. "We feel she will catch on fast to our coaching and will help push our talented returning defensive specialists. Morgan wants to be challenged and we feel her fighting spirit will help raise the level of training in our gym."
 

Skylar Singleton
S / 5-9
Louisville, Ky. / Sacred Heart Academy
 
Singleton joins the Lions after a strong prep career at Sacred Heart Academy where she helped capture the 2016 Kentucky State Championship. She was a two-time Academic All-State selection as a junior and senior. She served as the team captain and helped SHA earn the 2018 KVCA Team Academic Award. She was also honored as the Most Improved Freshman after her first year with the program.    
 
She also competed for both KIVA (Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Association) and MAVA (Mid America Volleyball Association) on the club level. She served as team caption for several of her club teams and was named a Top-44 Athlete at the 2019 AAU Nationals.
 
"We were very lean at the setter position and Skylar fills the competitive mindset we wanted to fill that position with," said Skoch. "Her foot speed will help widen our defensive coverage area and track down a lot of passes to set. Feisty is a great way to describe her and that will pay off dividends for her and the team at the setter position. Skylar is another recruit that comes from a great volleyball hot bed, so she knows what strong volleyball is like and how to compete for a position. She has good hands that will help us speed up the offense as well. We now have three talented setters that will make scrimmaging fun and all our hitters will be able to develop at a faster rate."
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo volleyball, be sure to visit SaintLeoLions.com.  Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.