DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University volleyball team is in the midst of its most successful season in a generation and continues to build momentum with the addition of three student-athletes for the 2018 season, head coach Darrin McBroom announced Thursday, Nov. 9.
 
Set to join the resurgent Bulldogs are two Iowans, Riley Dolphin (Urbandale, Iowa) and Caitlyn Smith (Marion, Iowa), as well as Minnesotan Danielle Pioske (Waconia, Minn.). The signing class fills diverse needs for the Bulldogs with Dolphin as one of Central Iowa's top hitters/blocks, Pioske as a defensive specialist and Smith as a record-shattering setter.
 
"I am so excited for this class and they will be the next step in the evolution of this program," McBroom said. "They are the perfect fit for where this program is headed and I cannot wait to see them contribute."
 
Riley Dolphin, who stands tall at 6-2, will have the shortest geographic transition to Drake as she recently finished her senior season at nearby Des Moines Roosevelt High School. In leading the Roughriders, she was named first team All-Central Iowa Metropolitan League (CIML) and a member of the Des Moines Register CIML Elite Team.
 
"Riley a local Des Moines athlete who has had a standout prep career in the area and we are looking forward to seeing her take her game to the next level," McBroom said. "She is just so much fun to watch as you can tell she loves and has a passion for the game. She was outstanding at our camp last year and has been instrumental to the great success that Roosevelt High has had in recent years."
 
Dolphin recorded 383 kills and hit .425 to help the Roughriders to a CIML Metro conference championship and an undefeated record in CIML Metro play. Dolphin also earned first-team CIML honors her sophomore season and second team accolades as a freshman. During the club season, she is a member of the Iowa Rockets program.
 
Caitlyn Smith is a 5-10 setter who will join the Bulldogs after earning four letters, four all-conference honors and at least two all-state honors. This past season she set Marion High School's all-time career assists record with 3,221 assists and her 994 assists as a senior were the second most in the state of Iowa in Class 4A. To date, she has earned first team All-Conference, first team All-Metro and was selected to the IGCA All-Star Classic for helping her team to a conference title and the second round of the regional playoffs. 
 
"Caitlyn is an accomplished skill player with great finesse and court sense that is going to help her to be an accomplished setter at this level," McBroom added. "When you watch her play, you come away very impressed and it is fun to what her play. I am thankful that she decided to choose Drake and we can't wait to get her in the gym!"
 
As a junior, Smith earned first team All-State honors in addition to all-metro and all-conference honors after a season in which her 1,053 assists ranked first in the state in Class 4A and in the top six across all classes. Her 9.40 assists per set were the highest mark in school history and the second highest in Class 4A that season. In addition to an appearance at the State Championship, she led the team to a conference title and regional championship. As a sophomore, she was an honorable mention all-state pick with 990 assists and a 9.34 assists per sets average that ranked second in Class 4A. Smith has also been a three-time all-conference selection in basketball and her Marion team was runner-up at the 2017 State Championship and a state qualifier in 2016. 
 
Smith has been a member of the Iowa Rockets program as well that was a four-time national qualifier and national runner-up.
 
Passing the ball to Smith in future years will be defensive specialist Danielle Pioske who has racked up more than 1,000 career digs for Waconia High School. This past season, she was an all-conference selection for the third time in leading the team to a second-straight conference title.  During the club season, Pioske was a member of the Mizuno Northern Lights program what was the 2015 Premiere Division National Champions and the 2017 American Division National Champions. 
 
"Danielle is a player that just exudes passion and teammates want to play with as her enthusiasm is contagious," said McBroom. "She had a great camp with us last summer and we know that she will be a strong addition to our program.  She is a great communicator and a fierce competitor. Those are two areas we are always trying to improve upon."
 
Pioske was a PrepVolleyball Defensive Dandy as a senior and has also gained international experience, playing previously in Amsterdam and will compete in Italy this spring as a member of Northern Lights.
 
The three signees join a Drake program that has won 23 matches to date, two shy of the most by the program since 1982, and is in third place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings heading into the final two weeks of conference action.