A loaded UH Hilo volleyball team just got a little bit better with the addition of an athletic outside hitter from a top program.

Nicole Schmitz joins the Vulcan squad after playing parts of two seasons at the University of Jamestown, one of the top NAIA programs in the country. The Jimmies were ranked No. 1 in the nation this past spring and reached the semifinals of the NAIA tournament.

"We are excited to have Nicole join us this Fall," said Vulcan head coach Chris Leonard. "She's an explosive outside hitter that comes to us from one of the top NAIA programs in the country."

Schmitz, 5-foot-10 and originally from Oakes, North Dakota, was a two-sport athlete at Oakes High School. She had 1,000 kills on the volleyball court and and 1,000 points on the basketball court. She was the North Dakota Class B High School Volleyball Player of the Year in 2019.

At Jamestown, she had 150 kills before COVID ended her freshman season, and had 191 last spring despite missing 12 matches with an illness. The Jimmies went 30-2 this past season. 

Schmitz will be one of four new Vulcans to a team that lost only one player from their 2021 spring team that went 14-2 and won the Hawai`i Pod. The 2019 Vulcans went 23-8 and advanced to the NCAA tournament. The only graduate off the spring team was outside hitter Taira Kaawaloa. 

Schmitz joins fellow newcomers 6-3 middle blocker Sydney Gott from Feather River College (CCCAA state champs) and Kealakehe High School standouts Aulike Kaiawe and Madalyn Blandford. 

"Nicole will fit in very nicely to our program," Leonard added. "She's got a great arm, her athleticism is outstanding and her demeanor on and off the court will be a great addition to the Vulcan `ohana."

The Vulcans will begin training camp on August 16 in preparation for the 2021 season.