2013 HUSKERS
Melanie Keil
#21
6-0 • Freshman • Middle Blocker • Berlin, Germany (VCO Berlin) 2013: Outlook
Melanie Keil (pronounced KYLE) joins the Huskers from Berlin, Germany where she competed with the club team VCO Berlin • Has valuable international experience and will look to provide depth at the middle blocker position • Played for the U18 and U19 German National Team • Has the athleticism and experience to see playing time at NU. “Melanie has a lot of experience internationally,” Head Coach John Cook said. “She doesn’t have any experience in the U.S., she will have to go through an adjustment to college volleyball in the U.S. and playing at Nebraska. She is a strong, very experienced middle blocker. I also think she is kind of a wildcard if she will be on the court or a back up role. She certainly has the athleticism and experience to play, it just depends on how fast she can adapt to Nebraska and college volleyball.”
member of the 2010 World High School Championship team • Her club team finished second in the German Championships in 2009 and 2012, while finishing third in 2010 and sixth in 2011.
About Melanie
Full Name: Melanie Keil Parents: Juergen and Nancy Keil Place of Birth: Wolfenbuettel, Germany Major: Food Science and Technology
High School
Keil has played for the U18 and U19 German National Team, competing in 70 national team games • Earned best player honors for the 6 Nations Tournament in Belgium, as her team went on to finish first in 2010, also finishing first in the 8 Nations Tournament Team in 2011 • Competed at the European Championships in Ankara, Turkey, finishing fourth in 2011 and coming in fifth in 2012 • Was also a
Kira Larson
Honors & Awards
• Member of the U18 and U19 German National Team • European Championships Participant • World High School Championships Participant
#15
6-3 • Freshman • Middle Blocker • Fargo, North Dakota (Fargo North) 2013: Outlook
Kira (pronounced KEER-uh) Larson joins the Huskers as a talented middle blocker from Fargo North High School in Fargo, North Dakota • Rated as one of the top players in the 2013 recruiting class • Earned Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 honors in 2012 and was named the 2012 North Dakota high school volleyball Gatorade Player of the Year • Was a multi-sport athlete at Fargo North High School • Will look to add depth to the Huskers’ middle blocker squad. “Kira is somebody who is a great athlete,” Head Coach John Cook said. “She was a multi-sport athlete and we love that at Nebraska. We love her athleticism. She is a great off one leg attacker. We’ll be patient with her this year and we’ll see how she develops.”
High School
Larson ranked as the No. 23 player in the country by Prepvolleyball.com and was selected as a Senior Ace • Larson posted 558 kills, 108 aces, 137 blocks and 394 digs as a senior leader on the Fargo North squad, taking them to the Class A conference semifinals • Was named the USA Today North Dakota Volleyball Player of the Year • Earned Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 honors in 2012 • Named the 2012 North Dakota high school volleyball Gatorade Player of the Year • Named a 2012-13 AVCA Under Armour Second-Team All-American • As a junior, she recorded
554 kills, 123 blocks, 247 digs and 81 aces • Larson was also tabbed as a first-team all-conference and all-state selection and helped the Spartans to another solid season in 2012 • In addition, she was selected for the 2012 U.S. Women’s Junior A2 Volleyball Program roster • She also earned honorable-mention All-America accolades in 2011 from Prepvolleyball.com • A multi-sport athlete, Larson is also a state record holder and a four-time state champion in the high jump and was part of a state championship basketball team.
About Kira
Full Name: Kira Larson Parents: Don and Desire’e Larson Place of Birth: Fargo, N.D. Major: Undecided
Honors & Awards • • • •
Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 PrepVolleyball.com Senior Aces 2012 North Dakota Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year AVCA Under Armour All-American
27 | 2013 NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL