Lady Tiger volleyball signs Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year

Cowley College volleyball head coach Steven Gream has announced the signing of Great Bend (KS) High School standout, Sydney Unruh, to the Lady Tiger program. 

Unruh, a 5-foot-3 libero/defensive specialist, prepped at Great Bend High School where she played four seasons on the varsity team. In her senior year, Unruh led her team to a to a 20-11 season, qualified for the Class 5A quarterfinal round of the state tournament (finishing eighth in the state tournament), Kansas Sub-State Champions, and took second in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championship round-robin. For her efforts she was named WAC Player of the Year, placed on the Under Armour Watch List, and was an All-WAC first-team selection with her recording a 2.78 passer rating while compiling 514 digs at 6.9 digs per set and 62 assists.  

In her junior year, Unruh led her team to a 28-7 season and took second in the WAC championship. For her efforts, she was named Nex-Tech Wireless Student Athlete of the Month and she was an All-WAC first-team selection with her recording 447 digs at 5.5 digs per set and 20 assists.  

In her sophomore year, Unruh led her team to a to a 17-16 season. For her efforts, she was named All-WAC second team with her recording 395 digs at 5.2 digs per set.  

In her four-year career, she had 1,600 digs at 5.3 digs per set, 1,700 serves passed, 91 assists and had 46 aces with a .906 serving percentage.

Coach Gream states, "Sydney is a strong and intelligent DS/Libero with much experience and exceptional ball control. She has the great ability to read the ball, has confidence to take a hard shot from any hitter, and has the skills that allow her to provide a quality pass to our setters on serve receive. We are very excited to have her as part of our program and know she will thrive and grow as she gains more experience at the college level." 

Unruh also participated in club volleyball for the Jets and Rampage volleyball clubs where she continued her training beyond her high school seasons and for college volleyball preparation. Off the volleyball court, Unruh also competed in high school basketball and softball. In basketball she was named All WAC/All Tournament second team her sophomore and junior years. In softball, she was named All-WAC second team her sophomore season. In the classroom, she was named KVA-All Academic Honorable Mention in her sophomore and junior years and she was named to the National Honor Society her senior year.  

Unruh is the daughter of Gary and Adria Unruh of Great Bend, Kansas.