SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State head volleyball coach Melissa Stokes announced the addition junior college transfer Mary O'Brien of Peoria, Ill., to the 2019 roster on Thursday.

O'Brien, who spent her first two college seasons at Illinois Central College in her hometown after attending Notre Dame High, is a 6-foot outside hitter who earned honorable mention All-America honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association in 2018.

"Mary will bring a lot of experience and maturity on and off the court," commented Stokes on the newest member of the MSU roster. "She is a very disciplined and hard working student-athlete. Mary loves to train and no doubt she will make a positive impact on everyone involved with Missouri State volleyball."

O'Brien ranked 21st nationally with 455 kills at ICC last fall, hitting .256 with 546 digs and 18 double-doubles in 41 matches. She had 372 kills as a freshman, hitting .254 in 128 sets. She was an all-region selection both years in junior college, ending her career with 827 kills, 656 digs and 160 blocks. A four-year starter in high school, O'Brien hit .354 with 403 kills as a senior, and earned first-team all-conference honors in her final two seasons.

Missouri State posted the program's 20th consecutive winning record, both overall and in the Missouri Valley Conference, in 2018, and returns 77 percent of total kills, 84 percent of assists, 66 percent of aces, 59 percent of the digs and 76 percent of the blocking from that squad.