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Two all-state high school players from the Midwest will join Fort Wayne beginning in 2018.
Fort Wayne coach Rock Perrotte announced earlier this week that high school seniors Austin Gerwig and Kade Bontrager have committed to play for the Mastodons.
Gerwig, a 6-foot-5 outside attacker from Doylestown, Ohio, was named to the second-team all-state and first-team Ohio north region earlier this year. Along with him being a two-sport high school athlete, Gerwig made the Highest Honor Roll at his school every quarter throughout his high school career.
“We’re really excited to have Austin join us,” Perrotte said in a statement. “He has tremendous upside to his ability. He gives size and skill on the pins. He’s eager to learn and he’s got a great passion for volleyball.”
Bontrager, a 5-foot-11 libero from Wildwood, Missouri, earned first-team all-state honors and was an unanimous selection to the first-team all-conference in 2016. He also was chosen to compete at the 2016 All-American National Championships.
“Kade is an awesome kid,” Perrotte said in a statement. “He has a lot of volleyball experience and high volleyball IQ. He is a well rounded, good teammate with good ball control. We’re really looking forward to having him on our team next year.”
The Mastodons in Perrotte’s first year as the head coach finished last season in eighth place in the MIVA and qualified for the conference tournament quarterfinals. Among the starters returning for Fort Wayne in the upcoming season includes setter Michael Keegan who started a majority of the team’s matches as a freshman.