(Editor's note: Montana State athletics release)
BOZEMAN -- Avery Turnage, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker and outside hitter from Idaho Falls, Idaho, has been added to the Montana State volleyball roster for the 2020 season, announced Bobcat head coach Daniel Jones on Tuesday morning.
Turnage recently led Thunder Ridge High School to the Idaho 5A state title. The Titans also captured the 5A District 5-6 championship as Turnage garnered player of the year accolades, as well as first-team all-conference kudos. As a senior, she racked up 693 kills, 261 digs, 152 aces and 97 blocks leading her squad to a 34-14 overall mark.
“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Avery to the incoming class of 2020,” Jones said. “We have been watching Avery for the past two years, seeing her growth in that time has confirmed to me that she is the right fit for Bobcat volleyball.
“Avery brings a versatility that will have an immediate impact on our gym as she is a true option as a middle blocker, outside hitter or a right-side hitter,” Jones added. “The work her high school coach Keisha Fisher, who was an all-time great at the University of Utah when I was there, has done with Avery speaks volumes about her coachability and her willingness to work, learn and grow. I truly think Avery has a lot of potential yet to be realized.”
A four-year letter winner at Thunder Ridge, Turnage was a three-time High Country all-conference second-team pick. She was a 2017 honorable mention all-state selection, as well. Turnage also participated in the USA Volleyball High Performance Women’s Junior A1 National Training Program in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
“What she did this year in helping Thunder Ridge win the Idaho 5A state championship in only the second year of the program was nothing short of spectacular,” Jones said. “I have spoken to number of the best high school coaches in Idaho who have told me Avery was almost impossible to stop.
“With the addition of Avery, our roster for 2020 is now complete,” Jones added. “We can’t wait to get this team together and start training and continue to build on the legacy we established in 2019.”
