Follow
Multiple players who earned all-state recognition while in high school are among the latest recruits to commit to Ball State.
Ball State announced Friday that high school seniors Ben Chinnici, Will Hippe, Colin Ensalaco, Quinn Isaacson and Ryan Dorgan all committed to play for the Cardinals beginning in 2018.
“Our staff set goals and priorities for this recruiting class over the summer,” coach Joel Walton said in a statement. “We were able to sign all the top prospects that we had been looking at.”
Chinnici, from Quakertown, Pennsylvania, was a first-team all-state selection as both a sophomore and junior. As a junior last season, he was named the most valuable player and set his high school’s single-match record for both aces and kills.
Isaacson, from Downers Grove, Illinois, played libero last season and was named to the all-conference and all-area teams, while earning an all-state honorable mention. During this off-season, Issacson transition from libero to setter and signed with Ball State as a setter.
Hippe, a middle attacker from Lake St. Louis, Missouri, was an all-state honorable mention last season. In addition, Hippe did not start playing volleyball until he entered high school.
Ensalaco, a libero from Orland Park, Illinois, earned most valuable player, all-conference and second-team all-area honors last season. He also helped lead his high school team back-to-back conference and regional titles during the last two seasons.
Dorgan, an outside attacker from Spencerport, New York, played club volleyball this summer for coach Matt Sutherland, a former Ball State player. In addition, Dorgan helped his high school team win a state championship last year.
“We feel very good about combining these five players into one recruiting class and we see a bright future for Ball State men’s volleyball,” Walton said.
Ball State was ranked in the top 10 of the national coaches poll and medal poll throughout last season and finished in third place in the MIVA. The Cardinals also were ranked No. 15 in the preseason national coaches poll that was released Thursday.