SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State volleyball coach Melissa Stokes announced the addition of six players Thursday, as high school seniors Aubrey Cheffey, Laynie Dake, Julia Hanson, Gerri Idos, Daniele Messa and Paige Perry will join the program for the 2016 season.

Aubrey Cheffey • 6-2 • OH • Nixa, Mo. • Nixa High
A four-year starting outside hitter for nearby Nixa High, Cheffey (pronounced Sheff-ee) was an AVCA Under Armour All-America honorable mention pick as a senior after helping the Eagles to a 29-3-1 record and Central Ozark Conference championship. Nixa's leader for career kills, Cheffey earned first-team all-state honors as both a junior and senior, and was an academic all-state pick each of her four seasons. She was also a four-time all-conference and all-district selection and a three-time all-region honoree. Cheffey also played for the national runner-up Springfield Juniors 15 Blue team during her club career. Her father, Kevin, played basketball at MSU during the 1986-87 season.

Stokes on Cheffey:
"Aubrey is no doubt a player for Bears fans to get excited about. It has been fun to watch her grow and mature as a player over the years. She has played every front row position and can score from anywhere along the net. Her versatility will allow our offense to reach even greater heights in 2016 and beyond. Aubrey has also shown the ability to pass as well as attack out of the back row. Even better yet, her size and skill will also immediately make a defensive impact at the net."


Laynie Dake • 6-2 • MB • Mt. Vernon, Mo. • Mt. Vernon High
Dake played in every set of her Mt. Vernon career and owns the school's career records for kills (1,190), blocks (213), hitting percentage (.389) and kill percentage (.517). The Mountaineers improved each of her four seasons, culminating in a 28-5 record her senior year as she earned first-team all-conference, all-region and all-district honors. Dake earned honorable mention all-state recognition her junior season, finishing with 428 kills and a .394 hitting percentage. She was an academic all-state pick each of her first three prep seasons, adding first-team all-conference nods as a sophomore and junior. Her father, Chuck, played football at Missouri Southern and still ranks among the school's leaders in career sacks, while her mother, Candy, played volleyball at Drury.

Stokes on Dake:
"Laynie definitely brings a wow factor to our gym. She is a very physical player and very easy off the floor. Her progress in the last two years has been amazing. Laynie has worked very hard to take her game to the next level. Her ability to block is impressive. She has great lateral speed and can play the game high above the net which will allow her to make an immediate impact in our gym."


Julia Hanson • 6-0 • OH/DS • Fort Atkinson, Wis. • Fort Atkinson High
Hanson was a multi-position standout at Fort Atkinson High, spending most of her time as a six-rotation player with a bit of libero mixed in during her career. Hanson averaged 4.47 kills, 4.41 digs and 1.44 blocks per set as a senior, earning first-team all-conference honors her final two seasons. She also threw the discus and shot put for Fort Atkinson's track and field squad. Her father, Theo, played football at Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and both he and her mother Michelle have coached high school sports including football, track and field, basketball and volleyball.

Stokes on Hanson:
"We had the opportunity to meet Julia through assistant coach Jake Barreau. Julia was everything that Jake had described. She is passionate and very energetic not just about volleyball, but life in general. Julia can contribute in a lot of different ways on the court, but most importantly is her attitude on defense. It is contagious and I am excited to get her in the gym and start working with her."


Gerri Idos • 5-1 • DS/L • Springfield, Mo. • Kickapoo
The latest in a long line of Kickapoo High alums to continue their careers at Missouri State, Idos (pronounced EE-dose) accumulated more than 900 career digs for the Chiefs while helping KHS to three conference titles and one runner-up finish. She had 345 digs and a 5.9 per set average as a senior to earn second-team all-region and all-district honors. She was also the Community Olympic Development Program Athlete of the Year in 2015. Idos lifted 333 digs as a junior for a first-team all-conference nod, and was an academic all-state selection following her freshman through junior seasons.

Stokes on Idos:
"Gerri is the epitome of the phrase 'great things come in small packages'. She will be the smallest player we have ever had on our roster. But don't kid yourself, she plays huge because she has a big heart. I have grown up in Springfield with Gerri through camps and clinics and I told her when she was very young that she would be playing defense for the Bears one day. To have that day finally here is very exciting for me personally as a coach. Today is definitely a great day to be a BEAR!"


Daniele Messa • 5-7 • S • Bartlett, Ill. • St. Francis High
Messa owns the most starts at setter in St. Francis High history, leading the Spartans to a combined 107-10 record over her final three seasons. St. Francis won Illinois Class 3A state titles each of her first three seasons, and is currently in the semifinal round of the 4A tournament in 2015, all while spending time in the top 10 of the national high school rankings. Messa set Class 3A state tournament records for assists in a semifinal match (39) and championship match (28) in 2014. She was also a first-team all-state pick as a junior according to the News-Gazette, and was a second-team all-area pick by the Kane County Chronicle.

Stokes on Messa:
"Daniele has a very high volleyball IQ, which is very important in the setting position. She has trained and played at the highest level and has excelled at every turn. She had led her high school team to three state championships and will be competing for their fourth straight title this weekend. This tells me she knows how to get her attackers to score and she knows how to win. Our setting department will be in very good hands with the addition of Daniele."


Paige Perry • 5-9 • OH/DS • Ozark, Mo. • Ozark High
Perry was a four-year starter at multiple positions for former Bear Adeana (McAfee) Brewer at Ozark High, helping the Tigers to four consecutive seasons of at least 30 victories and state tournament semifinal appearances. She earned Academic All-America honors four times, as well as a first-team all-state nod as a senior and second-team selection following her junior season. Perry was recognized on PrepVolleyball.com's Defensive Dandies fourth team following her senior season, ranking her among the top 50 defensive specialists nationally.

Stokes on Perry:
"Anyone who has seen Paige play knows why we are excited to have her joining our team. Paige is very fast, explosive and just a dynamic player. She can do it all on the court and does it well. Whether it is serving, passing, playing defense or finding ways to score, Paige does it to the best of her ability. Having a player with her skill and 'team before I' attitude will make us better in the gym every day."