The Drake University volleyball team's incoming recruiting class has been recognized as one of the best in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com, the organization announced in its annual recruiting class rankings.
 
The Bulldogs' incoming class earned honorable mention honors based on the strength of the program's five recruits that signed in November.
 
"I am really proud of the recognition that our program has received this year from Prep Volleyball for our 2017 recruiting class," said Drake head coach Darrin McBroom. "Associate head coach Leslie Cloud worked very diligently to bring in this class and it is great to see her efforts publicly recognized."
 
The Bulldogs signees include Natalie Fry, a middle blocker from Allen, Texas, Gillian Gergen, a middle blocker from Janesville, Iowa, Hannah McCarthy, an outside hitter from Overland Park, Kan., and Emily Plock, a right side from nearby Altoona, Iowa. Click here to read more on the Bulldogs' fall signees.
 
In addition to those recruits, McBroom and staff also added Julia Huiskamp (Davenport, Iowa), Alexa Aldrich-Ingram (Iowa City, Iowa), Kylee Macke (Ankeny Iowa) and Madi Ford (Coralville, Iowa) to the roster in the spring. Read more on the Bulldogs' spring additions here.
 
"This honor does not even take into account the full recruiting class of eight with the addition of our spring commitments, all of which hold significant honors, and might have pushed the class' ranking even higher," McBroom said.

Drake was one of just two Missouri Valley Conference programs to earn recognition from PrepVolleyball.com.
 
The eight freshman will be bolstered by the addition of transfer Cathryn Cheek to the roster this season. Cheek joins the Bulldogs following two seasons at the University of Oklahoma. Read more on Cheek's addition to the roster here.
 
The 2017 Bulldogs open their season August 25 with the first of four games at the Cal State Fullerton Titan Classic.