Finlandia Volleyball adds three recruits

HANCOCK – Finlandia women’s volleyball head coach Kristian Schuster added three more key volleyball players to the 2014 roster, Melissa Putala (Baraga, MI), Kelsey Shope (Rapid River, MI) and Kellie Maddox (Tucson, AZ).

Melissa Putala played as an outside hitter at Baraga High School where she was awarded MVP her senior year and made the first team All-Conference., She is an incredibly strong and fast player with great ability to see the court well. Putala will be majoring in Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA).

“Melissa will definitely be a contributing factor to our successes this season and will help strengthen our offense from the outside position,” said Coach Schuster. “She makes great, smart offensive plays.”
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Kelsey Shope played as an outside hitter and middle blocker for the Mid-Peninsula Wolverines. She made 1st team All Conference her senior year for volleyball along with, Mid-Pen All-Around Athlete of the Year, All-Conference Defensive Team (basketball), All-Conference 1st & 2nd team (basketball). Kelsey will also be playing basketball at Finlandia for Coach Terry Klemett. Shope will also be majoring in PTA.

“I am excited to bring in such a talented athlete who will add to our offense both on the outside and middle,” said Coach Schuster., “Kelsey is, another strong athletic player with a great court awareness and competitiveness.”

Kellie Maddox was a setter and a three-year team captain back in Arizona and will be looked upon to help run the offense and bring some leadership to the program. Maddox is a versatile player with experience at several positions. In 2013, she was named MVP of her high school team and was an All-State honorable mention selection in the state of Arizona.

“I am excited to bring in another setter who will help bring our offense to another level,” said Schuster.

(Press release is courtesy of Finlandia University Athletics)