Six Newcomers Round out Carver's Class of 2025

SILOAM SPRINGS -- Head John Brown University volleyball coach Ken Carver announced the signings of six student-athletes on Monday afternoon (Aug. 4), as the Golden Eagles prepare for its 52nd season in 2025.

"I am excited to welcome this dynamic group of young women to the Golden Eagle volleyball family," said head coach Ken Carver. "With six newcomers joining our program this season, this class is tied for second as the biggest recruiting class in my time at JBU. Given the number of starting players we graduated this past spring, each of these new players will have the opportunity to step onto the court immediately and make an impact with our program."

Of last year's seniors, Carver graduated all four of his All-Conference selection, including first-teamers Savanna Riney and Julie Milligan. JBU's presence in the middle also took a hit, as Erin Mullins and Taylor Golmen – both second team selections – matriculated.

"While this type of opportunity could be intimidating and overwhelming for players making the transition from high school to collegiate-level volleyball, I feel this group of student-athletes possess the character, mindset and work ethic to rise to the challenge set before them," Carver added. "Seeing their dedication to our summer training program and the physical advancements they've made in preparation for their first year with our program — coupled with being able to work with the majority of them this summer either at camp or our open gyms — has me really excited for what this group will add to our program."

Carver and company finished the 2024 campaign at 17-15 overall (.531) and 15-7 (.682) in league play, finishing tied for third with Mid-America Christian (Okla.). Entering his 12th season, Carver will eye his eighth 20-win effort after doing it most recently in back-to-back seasons from 2022-23.

The Golden Eagles will open 2025 on its home court, welcoming four opponents – Southwestern (Kan.), Philander Smith (Ark.), Paul Quinn (Texas) and Texas A&M at Texarkana – to Siloam Springs for a two-court, nine-match weekend from Aug. 22-23.

The Blue and Gold will then spend one more weekend in pre-conference action at the Missouri Valley Viking Invitational before returning home to open Sooner Athletic play on Sept. 5 and 6 against Wayland Baptist (Texas) and Oklahoma Panhandle State, respectively.

Paige Addington remains in Siloam Springs after four seasons at Shiloh Christian School where the 5-foot-5 defensive specialist competed under head coach Nathan Bodenstein.

Addington participated in four consecutive conference championships as the Saints captured 4A conference titles from 2021-24. The Siloam Springs, Ark. native helped lead Shiloh to back-to-back 4A state runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2023 before capturing the 2024 5A State Championship. The Saints program transitioned from 4A to 5A during Addington's final season, with Shiloh Christian securing the program's first state title at the higher classification level.

Why she chose John Brown: "I chose John Brown University because it gives me the opportunity to continue playing the sport I love while being part of a Christ-centered community that supports my academic and spiritual growth."

Kate Carlson joins the Golden Eagles after completing her senior season at Plano East Senior High School. The 5-foot-9 outside hitter played under head coach Sarah Perez, and helped the Panthers capture back-to-back area championships in 6-6A Division I competition in back-to-back seasons.

The Lucas, Texas native led the offense and compiled 352 kills during her senior campaign while recording 340 digs and 53 aces. Carlson earned Division 6-6A honorable mention recognition following her swan song.

Why she chose John Brown: "Prior to my first visit with Coach Carver, I didn't know much about JBU. Since then, I've heard nothing but praise. During my initial visit I felt so welcomed, everyone was so kind and happy to be here. Having the chance to attend The Gathering on Sunday night showed the great Christian values at John Brown University. And of course, meeting with Coach Carver and the girls on the team, the professors I had the chance to visit with and everyone in the Admissions Department - I knew this was where I was meant to be."

A 2024 graduate of Statale Amedeo Modigliani, Federica Ferrari transitions to the Blue and Gold from Milano, Italy. The 5-foot-10 outside hitter competed one season at Cowley County (Kan.) before transferring to JBU.

Ferrari redshirted under head coach Steven Gream while the Tigers captured a district, Region VI and NJCAA Division II National Championship during her freshman campaign. The Tigers completed the season undefeated while competing in KJCAA conference play.

Why she chose John Brown: "I chose John Brown University because of its excellent curriculum and the people I met. Right from the start, I felt welcomed and respected. I am confident that JBU will be a place where my faith can be more deeply explored, helping me better know myself."

Following four seasons at Clinton Christian Academy, Clara Hyke makes the move to John Brown after her squad captured the 2025 MCSAA State Championship and finished third in MOKAN Conference play during her senior campaign. The 5-foot-9 outside hitter played four seasons under head coach Jessica Cotton.

The Lowry City, Mo. native earned four consecutive MCSAA All-State and MOKAN All-Conference first team selections from 2021-24 and was named Team MVP for four seasons while becoming the first Patriot to reach 1,000 career kills.

The Patriots volleyball program advanced to back-to-back state championship games, finishing as 2024 MCSAA State Runner-Up before capturing the 2025 MCSAA State Championship. Hyke also competed for the Patriots basketball program, which won MCSAA State Championships in 2024 and 2025 after finishing as 2023 State Runner-Up. The track and field program captured MCSAA Division II State Championships in 2022, 2024, and 2025.

Beyond volleyball, Hyke competed four seasons each in basketball and track and field. Under head coaches Roger Bancroft and JD Manning, she earned MCSAA All-State First Team basketball honors from 2021-25 and four consecutive Team MVP awards. In track and field under head coach Jackie McClure, she captured MCSAA State Championships in discus and shot put from 2022-25 and added three more javelin titles.

Why she chose John Brown: "I felt drawn to John Brown University because of the doors the Lord kept opening. Everything fell into place at the right time, I could feel and see the Lord working through JBU and the students, and it was a community I didn't want to miss out on."

With three seasons at Lincoln Christian School under head coach Brooke Blocker, Taylor Kosmicki arrives at JBU after competing for three seasons for the Lions.

The 5-foot-6 setter set a program record during the 2024 season with 50 assists in a single match and was was nominated for Coach's Player of the Year recognition after her senior season.

Why she chose John Brown: "I was met with so much love and support as soon as I arrived on campus for a visit. The staff members encouraged me to seek the Lord's guidance in deciding whether John Brown University was the right school for me. God opened up an incredible opportunity for me to play volleyball at JBU while also receiving a strong, Christ-centered education."

Reese Montgomery comes to the Golden Eagles from Mena High School after four seasons under head coach Heather Goss, where the 5-foot-10 middle blocker earned three consecutive All-State selections from 2023-25.

The Mena, Ark. native also landed All-State Tournament recognition in back-to-back campaigns while earning a spot on four consecutive All-Conference honors lists. Montgomery averaged 18 kills per game during her senior campaign while earning SB Live Top 25 Middle Blocker recognition in 2025.

While at Mena, Montgomery helped the Bearcats to four consecutive conference championships and leading the team to a regional runner-up finish as a senior.

Like Hyke, Montgomery competed in multiple sports, also earning three consecutive All-Conference selections under head coach Landon Dover. She also participated in two seasons of soccer under head coach Chad Arnold, commanding All-Conference honors in her final season.

Why she chose John Brown: "I felt at peace on campus and with the team. I truly believe there is a place for me at John Brown University, and I am excited for the upcoming season."

What Coach Carver Says »

On Addington: "Paige brings high-level, championship experience to our program, having won titles at Shiloh Christian and the Ozark Juniors volleyball program during her high school career. We've been blessed to have had the opportunity to train and develop some of the best defensive specialists in program history while I've been at JBU, and Paige has the talent and abilities to be the next one to add her name to that group of players. I love the speed of the game she plays at and the competitive attitude she brings onto the court. She is a very effective and aggressive server capable of stressing opponents' serve receive with her jump float and jump topspin serves. Paige reads and reacts extremely well on defense and isn't afraid to sacrifice her body to keep a ball in play. Along with returning players, Mia Baedke and Mallory Jury, Paige is going to bolster and help elevate our serve reception and back row defense this upcoming season."

On Carlson: "Kate is the latest addition in a long line of players we have been able to recruit out of Texas. Kate brings a lot of versatility to our program in terms of positions she is capable of playing. We are anticipating her playing mostly as one of our pin hitters. Kate reminds me a lot of Savanna Riney in terms of her size and athleticism. She is an explosive player who plays bigger than her 5-foot-9 height and has the mentality we look for in an outside hitter — she is looking to take an aggressive swing with each attack opportunity. Beyond being an effective and efficient attacker, Kate is another player who brings an aggressive serve to our team that's capable of producing long runs of points for our team."

On Ferrari: "Federica is the first international student-athlete I've had the opportunity to bring to our program. Fede is coming to our program from Cowley County Community College, which won back-to-back national championships at the NJCAA Division II level the past two seasons. Fede brings a high-level volleyball IQ that is common among international players due to playing under international rules. In watching her play, I was impressed by how well she reacted to opposing defenses and altered her shots to either earn a kill or stress the defense. She is another player who brings an aggressive and effective serve to our team. Similar to a lot of her teammates, Fede brings experience as a multi-positional player. We are anticipating Fede playing mostly as one of our pin hitters. As I've continued to get to know Fede, she is a coachable young lady who is consistently seeking feedback in order to improve her performance and is an on-court encourager to her teammates. I look forward to the international perspective Fede will bring to our team this season."

On Hyke: "Clara is the first student-athlete to come out of Clinton Christian Academy and continue playing sports at the collegiate level. Clara has been a trailblazer throughout her entire high school career, earning All-State honors in three different sports all four years of her high school career. I love the work ethic and desire to compete that Clara brings to our team. Clara has been a leader for her CCA throughout her career and as such holds high standards for herself while inspiring her teammates to new heights. She has an inviting and energetic personality and presence about her that makes her teammates feel right at home around her. Clara brings experience at both the outside and middle hitter positions, and we'll look to see where her talents and abilities best fit with our team's needs this fall."

On Kosmicki: "Taylor is the first commitment we've been able to land from the volleyball-rich state of Nebraska since I've been at JBU. Taylor brings experience as a setter in both a 5-1 and 6-2 offensive system. We'll look to pair her with Tessa Burton and have the two of them run our offense this coming season. As a setter, Taylor is very smart in her set selection and effective and consistent in delivering a ball which allows her teammates to score points. As a senior at Lincoln Christian, she broke the single match record for assists which had stood for almost 20 years. One of the many things Taylor excels at on the court is her level of hustle. Her back row defense is played all-out, and she's fast to transition to set, allowing her to be in the best position to deliver the ball to her teammates. I'm looking forward to having both Tessa and Taylor run our offense this coming season and take it to the next level."

On Montgomery: "Reese is our other commitment from Arkansas and only the second player I've had from Mena. Reese brings a lot of excitement, energy and joy onto the court with her. I don't think I have ever seen her without a smile on her face when watching her play. Reese is the prototypical middle hitter we look to bring to our program who is capable of attacking from pin to pin. While not small by any means at 5-foot-10, her athleticism allows her to play much bigger and more dynamically than her height. While definitely a strong offensive presence, Reese's true strength is as a blocker. She reads opposing attackers very well and does an outstanding job of timing her blocking to touch and block or terminate a lot of attacks. Reese will be stepping into some big shoes to fill with the graduation of Taylor Golmen and Erin Mullins from this past year's squad. I anticipate her developing into the same caliber of player as those two were for our program."

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