SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State's volleyball program and head coach Steven McRoberts received commitments from seven high school standouts Wednesday, including four from southwest Missouri. All seven will join the Bears as freshmen for the 2025 season.
 
"We are very excited about this group as a whole. They will immediately make our gym more competitive at every position." McRoberts said of his latest recruiting class. "One word that keeps coming to mind when I describe this group is 'athletic'. We have put together back-to-back recruiting classes that will elevate this program."
 
Missouri State's newest commitments include:
Karissa Chase • 6-0 • RS • Carl Junction, Mo. • Carl Junction High/MVP and CSDP
Madison Crum • 5-10 • OH • Greenbrier, Ark. • Greenbrier High/501 Volley
Hannah Gardner • 5-11 • S • Springfield, Mo. • Kickapoo High/KC Power/CSDP
Macy Humble • 5-7 • DS • Ozark, Mo. • Ozark High/CSDP
Chloe Judd • 6-1 • MB • Nixa, Mo. • Nixa High/417 Juniors
Peyton McKee • 6-0 • OH • Montgomery, Texas • Lake Creek High/TAV Houston
Jenna Walters • 6-0 • RS • Palm Bay, Fla. • Bayside High/Cape Coast Volleyball Club
 
Karissa Chase • 6-0 • RS • Carl Junction, Mo. • Carl Junction High/MVP/CSDP
A four-year starter for the Carl Junction Bulldogs, Chase is rated as one of the top 10 players at her position in the state of Missouri by Prep Dig. Over four seasons, Chase piled up 1,079 kills, 84 aces, 160 blocks and 338 digs while earning academic all-state honors each year in addition to academic All-America honors as a sophomore. Chase is a three-time first-team all-district selection and was named Ozark Mountain Conference Player of the Year as a senior after hitting .297 with 393 kills, 45 aces, 39 blocks and 211 digs. She was also an AVCA All-Region selection in 2024.
 
Coach McRoberts on Chase:
"Karissa has a strong presence on the right side and I have really seen her grow in her confidence as a player over the past year. We love that she's coming early in January."
 
 
Madison Crum • 5-10 • OH • Greenbrier, Ark. • Greenbrier High/501 Volley
Crum started four seasons for Greenbrier High and left with school records for career kills (1,455) and digs (883) and set the season kills record with 560 her senior season. A three-time Class 5A all-state pick, Crum helped the Panthers to a state semifinal appearance as a freshman and runner-up finish her senior year. She had 505 kills as a junior and set the state record with 41 in a match. She exceeded that number with the record 560 her senior season, adding 304 digs, 64 aces and 26 blocks.
 
Coach McRoberts on Crum:
"Madison is a solid six-rotation outside hitter that will help us with our depth in that position. She has a strong arm and will grow a lot as a freshman."
 
 
Hannah Gardner • 5-11 • S • Springfield, Mo. • Kickapoo High/KC Power/CSDP
Gardner is the daughter of two former MSU student-athletes and will be a second-generation volleyball Bear. Her mother, Amy (Ziegler) Gardner played for Linda Dollar from 1988-90 and served as an assistant coach in 1992 and 1993. Her father, Doug, played football for the Bears from 1984-88 and spent the next five seasons on the coaching staff. Gardner continues a long line of Kickapoo High products to join the Bears and earned AVCA All-Region honors as a senior after picking up Class 5 All-State accolades her junior year. She helped the VolleyChiefs to a pair of conference and district titles during her career, as well as two top four finishes at the state tournament.
 
Coach McRoberts on Gardner:
"Hannah helped her team be right in the mix for state championships as a sophomore and junior. She has all the tools to be a great collegiate setter."
 
 
Macy Humble • 5-7 • DS • Ozark, Mo. • Ozark High/CSDP
Humble started three seasons for head coach and former Bear Adeana Brewer at Ozark High. She accumulated 863 total digs during her career and helped the Tigers to a combined 67-10 record her final two seasons, including unbeaten runs through the Central Ozark Conference both years. Humble was named the Community Sports Development Program Player of the Year as a sophomore, then added all-conference and all-district honors her junior and senior campaigns. As a junior, Humble had 392 digs (4.1/set) and 37 aces, then added 377 digs (4.1/set) and 38 aces for a state runner-up club her senior season. She also received the Best and Brightest Award from the AVCA.
 
Coach McRoberts on Humble:
"After helping her high school team reach the state finals, I know that Macy will come in ready to compete with our other defensive specialists. She does a great job in both serve receive and defense."
 
 
Chloe Judd • 6-1 • MB • Nixa, Mo. • Nixa High/417 Juniors
Judd is the most prolific blocker in Nixa High history, finishing her career with multiple school records in that category. Judd owns Nixa records for solo blocks in a season (65) and career (160), total blocks in a season (89) and career (237), and blocking average in a season (0.87/set) and career (0.76/set). In her first season as a starter, Judd had 175 kills on .250 hitting with 67 blocks to earn honorable mention all-district honors as a sophomore. In her junior year, Judd hit .336 with 259 kills, 39 aces and 81 blocks, setting Nixa's season blocking and average record in addition to the single-match hitting percentage at .583 with 16 kills. Judd broke her own season blocking records as a senior with 89 total for a 0.87 average and had 293 kills on .369 hitting. She was also an AVCA All-Region pick and received the Best and Brightest Award from that organization.
 
Coach McRoberts on Judd:
"Chloe works very hard blocking and in transition to make herself available offensively. She will be in the mix right away."
 
 
Peyton McKee • 6-0 • OH • Montgomery, Texas • Lake Creek High/TAV Houston
McKee started three seasons for the Lake Creek Lions and earned AVCA All-Region honors her senior season. McKee hit .389 as a senior, .316 as a junior and .276 as a freshman, helping the Lions to a third-place state finish her sophomore year and fourth-place state finish as a junior.
 
Coach McRoberts on McKee:
"Peyton is a six-rotation outside hitter with a high volleyball IQ. She has the ability to score a lot with her many shots. She will also grow a lot as a freshman."
 
 
Jenna Walters • 6-0 • RS • Palm Bay, Fla. • Bayside High/Cape Coast Volleyball Club
Walters left Bayside High as the school's career digs leader with 514 and ranked second with 743 kills. She twice helped the Bears set their program season wins record, including a round of 16 appearance at the state tournament her junior year. Walters was named her team's best all-around player her final two seasons, earning all-Cape Coast Conference honors as a junior with 210 kills, 177 digs and 47 aces. She added 264 kills and 253 digs her senior year as an all-state and AVCA All-Region pick. Walters comes from an athletic family – both parents were college athletes and both older brothers played baseball a Miami (Fla.), with Andrew making his MLB debut with the Cleveland Guardians this past September.
 
Coach McRoberts on Walters:
"Another right side attacker, Jenna got on our radar late in the process and we are lucky to have her at MSU. A big jumper with a live arm, she is also coming early in January."