EASTON, Pa. – Head volleyball coach Christian Kiselica announced the signing of five new Leopards on Monday who are slated to join the team in fall 2025.

"I am thrilled to welcome my second recruiting class to Lafayette. This group truly embodies what it means to be a Leopard—hardworking, dynamic, and deeply passionate about the game," Kiselica said. "They are dedicated students, exceptional athletes and most importantly, high-character individuals. I have no doubt that they will integrate seamlessly into our team culture and make an immediate impact on our program's continued success."

The future Leopards can be found below.

Jada Aksu | RS/OPP | Herndon, Va. | Georgetown Day | Metro Volleyball Club

The Herndon, Va. native comes to College Hill as the 2024-25 Gatorade Player of the Year (District of Columbia), after being a finalist for the award in her sophomore and junior seasons. In her senior year, Aksu was named a First Team All-DCSAA selection as well as its player of the year and tournament MVP on her way to collecting her third-consecutive state championship at Georgetown Day. The right side/opposite hitter is a four-time DCSAA All-State Team honoree, an AVCA All-American in 2024 and a four-time ISL AA All-League First Team selection. Aksu led Georgetown Day to its most wins in a single season (25) and she intends to major in Philosophy at Lafayette.



Kadi Pynchon | DS/L | Falls Church, Va. | Flint Hill | Virginia Elite

A defensive specialist/libero from Falls Church, Va., Pynchon joins Kiselica's program as a member of the AVCA's 2024 Best and Brightest. The two-year letterwinner at Flint Hill was a team captain during her senior campaign, when she was named to the ISL All-League team. The Falls Church, Va. native garnered First Team All-State status and the Washington Post selected her to its All-Met Second Team. Pynchon is a member of the Ceramics National Honor Society and she plans to study Psychology on College Hill. Her father, Bryan, competed in tennis at Emory University.



Annalyse Shimada | MB | Kanarraville, Utah | Cedar | Red Rock Heat

A two-sport athlete hailing from Kanarraville, Utah, Shimada competed in volleyball and basketball during her time at Cedar. Shimada earned three varsity letters in volleyball and four in basketball. The middle blocker served as a team captain in her senior year and was later named a First Team All-Region and a Deseret News Second Team All-State honoree. Shimada led Region 9 in blocks last season, while hitting .524 up front. The west coast native comes from an athletic family, with six of her direct relatives having competed in various sports at the collegiate level. Shimada will pursue a degree in Economics at Lafayette.



Sophia Wilson | S | Allen, Texas | Allen/Prince of Peace Christian/SFA | Madfrog National Green

Wilson makes her way to Easton as a freshman transfer from Stephen F. Austin. The Allen, Texas native competed in 18 matches for the Ladyjacks, racking up 267 assists for a 4.53 assists per game average. In high school, Wilson was a three-time First Team All-District selection in volleyball and she was named her team's MVP for three-straight seasons. The Allen, Texas native also received Setter of the Year honors for three-straight seasons and recorded 3,221 assists for a 9.6 assists per set average. Wilson was selected to her district's All-Academic team in her junior and senior seasons and she was a four-year member of the National Honor Society. Her father, Donald, played collegiate soccer at The University of Texas at Dallas.



Ella Xiong | L/DS | Auburn, Ga. | Dacula/Washington University| A5 Gwinnett

Xiong joins the Leopards after spending her freshman season at Washington University in St. Louis. The Auburn, Ga. native earned varsity letters in volleyball (3) and tennis (4) at Dacula and was a two-time team captain. Xiong finished her career at Dacula with 893 digs, 154 assists and 106 assists en route to being named the 2023 Region 8-7A Co-Player of the Year. The defensive specialist/libero is a two-time First Team All-Region and First Team All-County honoree and was named Dacula's 2023 Scholar Athlete. Xiong intends to major in Biology at Lafayette.




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