Beach Volleyball Inks Five in 2022 Signing Class

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss head coach Shawn Taylor has announced five additions for the upcoming 2023 season.

Christian Mitchell (Dallas), Morgan Perry (Baton Rouge, La.), Ella Rodriguez (Chesterton, Ind.), Ashlyn Rough (Phoenix) and Mara Schmidt (Holmen, Wisc.) look to bolster a Golden Eagle squad fresh off its Conference USA debut.

"We are excited about the addition of these five ladies," said Taylor. "It was a really tough class to recruit for on multiple factors. A couple committed at the onset of COVID but we had to hit the pause button as we waited to see how our current roster would shake out.

At the same time, we didn't want to recruit an entire class without getting to spend time with these young women and their families. Fortunately, the NCAA lifted the dead period, and we were able to get back on the road and finish out the 2022 signing class.

Each player brings something unique with them. Some are heavily experienced in beach volleyball, while others are newer to the game. Nonetheless, we feel all are outstanding people and students with a passion for the game, our program and Southern Miss."

The 2022 class consists of record-setting high school seniors from three states previously untapped by Southern Miss recruiting.

Christian Mitchell | Dallas | McKinney High School
Christian Mitchell, a native of Dallas, prepped at McKinney High School (McKinney, Texas), lettering in Indoor Volleyball in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The Lions finished 12-19 in 2020 overall as Mitchell recorded 28 sets of action as a sophomore setter.

Mitchell also played with club indoor teams for three years before moving to sand full time.

Mitchell enjoyed tremendous success at the national club level with her most successful season coming in 2019 at the AAU 14U Beach Volleyball Championships. She and her partner placed third overall out of 80 qualified teams. Most impressively, this bronze medal finish was her first time playing the California tournament.

She followed up these top performances by placing third overall in the California Beach Volleyball Association 18U Junior Championships. In the CBVA Adult division, she finished 25th overall.

In the 2020 season, she finished second in the 18U USA Volleyball North Texas bid tournament. In the same season, she went on to place fifth in two 18U showcases. The first coming in the San Antonio college showcase and the second in Gulf Shores, Ala. with both consisting of the highest level of high school talent in the country.

Notably, while participating in club play, Mitchell paired with current Golden Eagles Reagan Sandlin and Madison Cassidy.

Last winter, Mitchell was selected as a member of the USA Volleyball 19U Beach Winter Training Team. Mitchell was one of few players from across the country to be selected for training in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

By being named to this team, Mitchell was recognized as one of the top players in the nation. The team consisted of top prospects selected by the National Team Development Program's scouts. The NTDP scouting staff consists of top coaches from all states coaching both indoor and beach at all levels of the game.

Mitchell becomes both the fifth player from the Lone Star State and Dallas Metroplex, joining current Golden Eagle Reagan Sandlin as the only active Texas natives.

Mitchell verbally committed to Southern Miss on July 28, 2020.

She is the daughter of William and Jennifer Mitchell. Dad, William, played tennis at Texas State.

Morgan Perry | Baton Rouge, La. | St. Joseph's Academy
A literal indoor volleyball all-star, Morgan Perry brings more than eight years of experience to Hattiesburg. Perry has played indoor volleyball since fifth grade, lettering all four years in high school while prepping at St. Joseph's Academy (Baton Rouge).

While playing for the Redstickers, Perry was thrice named to both the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) Division I District 3 All-District Team and Baton Rouge All-Metro Team for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Perry was also a two-time captain of the Redstickers, leading the 2021 squad to the LHSAA Division I Championship before falling 2-3 to St. Mary's Dominican (New Orleans). SJA finished 2021 34-9 and 7-0 in District en route to their runner-up finish.

For her efforts on the year, Perry was selected by the Louisiana Volleyball Coaches Association (LVCA) to the LVCA All-State Team.

In addition to her career as a Redsticker, Perry also spent six years on the indoor club level playing with Red Storm (Baton Rouge).

Perry is a relative newcomer to beach volleyball, starting play the summer before her sophomore year. She has trained since then and has worked with Coach Joey Keener at Premier Beach Volleyball.

Perry announced her verbal commitment to Southern Miss on July 13, 2021 and signed with the Golden Eagles on December 1, 2021.

Perry joins former Golden Eagle Melanie Miller and current Golden Eagles Madison Cassidy (Baton Rouge), Kellie Garraway (Madisonville) and Taylor Pierce (Prairieville) as the fifth member of the program from Louisiana. She and Miller both prepped at St. Joseph's Academy (Baton Rouge).

She is also the third member of the program from the Baton Rouge metro area along with Cassidy and Miller.

Perry is the daughter of Ryan and Nicole Perry. She is the oldest of four children with her younger siblings being Molly (15), Preston (12) and Aubrey (7).

Ella Rodriguez | Chesterton, Ind. | Chesterton High School
A native of Chesterton, Ind., Ella Rodriguez has been playing volleyball since the third grade.

In her time prepping with the Chesterton Trojans, Rodriguez lettered three times, in 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively. In her senior schedule, she played in 66 sets and logged 90 kills for an average of 1.4 kills per set.

In her three years on the Trojans' varsity team, Rodriguez recorded 220 sets, 212 kills, 114 blocks, 248 digs, 16 aces, 54 blocks and a .101 hitting percentage.

Rodriguez' Trojans posted a 58-41 record from 2019-2021 along with a 21-21 Duneland Athletic Conference record in the same span. At Chesterton, Rodriguez was awarded numerous scholar athlete awards as well as the Volleyball Mental Attitude Award her senior year.

The Trojans' 2021 season came to an end against Crown Point in sectionals of the 4A Indiana High School Athletic Association Volleyball Tournament.

While a seasoned veteran on the court, Rodriguez is a newcomer to beach volleyball. Her first time in the sand was just last summer while she was looking to find a new love of the game she had known for so long.

During her first tournament in Pompano Beach, Fla., Rodriguez connected with Shawn Taylor, and, after inviting Coach Taylor to her next match, received an offer from the Black & Gold's head man.

Since her offer from Coach Taylor, Rodriguez has continued to hone her craft while adjusting to the different play style of beach volleyball.

Rodriguez announced her commitment on August 22, 2021 and signed her national letter of intent with the Golden Eagles on November 10, 2021.

Rodriguez is Southern Miss' first signee from the Hoosier state. She joins fellow 2022 signee Schmidt (Wisconsin) and alumnae Chloe Klusman (Ohio) as the third signee from the Rust Belt.

She is the daughter of David Rodriguez and Ryan Connaway & Natalie Danko.

Ashlyn Rough | Phoenix | Sandra Day O'Connor High School
A Valley of the Sun native, Ashlyn Rough has had tremendous experience playing beach volleyball, including earning letters during her high school career.

While prepping with the Sandra Day O'Connor Eagles and head coach Jamey Spartz, Rough and her teams enjoyed immense success in the sand. The Eagles are one of the premiere programs in the United States, ranking inside the top ten of MaxPreps' National Beach Volleyball Rankings each of the past two years.

The O'Connor program was a leader in establishing high school-level beach volleyball, starting its program in fall of 2018. In the 2021 season, the Eagles' wings were clipped by Xavier College Prep in the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) Beach Volleyball State Championship Game.

Rough and O'Connor rebounded in the 2022 season, going 15-1 and 6-0 in Division 1-Section IV play. Rough's Eagles defeated Xavier Prep in the championship game, winning the program's first AIA State Title.

O'Connor won 4-1 over Xavier Prep with Rough sweeping her opponent in two sets by scores of 21-14 and 21-15. Rough and O'Connor also snapped Xavier's 41-game win streak earlier in the season in a 5-0 sweep.

At the conclusion of the 2022 season, Rough's Sandra Day O'Connor squad stood atop the AIA Rankings and claimed the sixth overall spot in the MaxPreps National Rankings.

Rough's successes were not just limited to the AIA slate. Rough has spent many seasons with Stealth Beach Volleyball Club with her first major victory coming at the Scottsdale Beach Fest where she and her partner placed second.

She also played in Beach Volleyball National Events' (Santa Monica, Calif.) Kauai Bikini National Championships and International College Showcase, earning a bid in the 16U division and a double bid in 18U.

Rough also appeared at the Queens of Beach Tournament Series in Long Beach, Calif., posting multiple top finishes against premiere competition.

She also finished top five in AVP America Grandprix 16U Standings in 2020.

Rough is Southern Miss' first signing from Arizona and third west of the Rockies. Former Golden Eagle Kaile Tuisamatatele (Hawaii) and current Golden Eagle Kaylie Beck (California) make up the remaining two.

She is the daughter of Corey and Bridget Rough.

Mara Schmidt | Holmen, Wisc. | Holmen High School
Mara Schmidt, a native of the Badger State, comes to Hattiesburg from Holmen High School (Holmen, Wics.).

Schmidt lettered three years with the Vikings' Indoor Volleyball team. The Vikings posted a 59-18 record (22-9 in Mississippi Valley Conference) from 2019-21 with Schmidt playing in 180 sets over the same span.

Holmen qualified for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Division I Tournament each season.

The program and Schmidt's highwater mark came in the 2021 season, with the team finishing 29-3, 12-0 Mississippi Valley, and Schmidt posting career highs in most statistical categories.

The Vikings fell in the Elite Eight of the WIAA Tournament to Appleton North, their best finish of record in the tournament and first time in the WIAA State Finals. The 2021 record is the Vikings' best since 2018 when the team finished 30-3 (11-1 Mississippi Valley).

Schmidt recorded 85 sets and 270 kills with a 35% kill percentage (771 attempts). Her 270 kills led the team in the 2021 season. Schmidt also posted a career high in solo blocks with 14. Along with nine additional assists, her total blocks on the year were the second most of her career.

Schmidt shattered her previous record of 39 digs with 117 total in the 2021 season.

She left Holmen with 468 career kills, 61 total blocks, 186 digs and a .185 hitting percentage.

For her efforts in the 2021 season, Schmidt collected a myriad of accolades on both the regional and state level.

She was honorably mentioned on the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association All-State team as well as being named to the Mississippi Valley Conference All-Conference Team and La Crosse Tribune All-Area Team.

She received Holmen's Offensive MVP Award, Resilience Award and Scholar Athlete Award.

Schmidt picked up beach volleyball in June of 2020 and, in less than a month, qualified for AVP America Juniors Beach Nationals and the East Coast Championships. She placed fifth at the AVP America Juniors Beach Nationals on her way to winning the inaugural Prep Dig Midwest Border Star Award, an award created to honor the top indoor or beach player in the Minnesota/Wisconsin border region.

She won multiple tournaments in the Midwest with AVP and finished her time on the club circuit as a top-rated athlete in AVP and BVNE. She also spends her free time helping to introduce the game of beach volleyball to her community by mentoring young athletes.

Schmidt makes up the third portion of the trio of Golden Eagles from the Rust Belt along with Ella Rodriguez (Indiana) and Chloe Klusman (Ohio). She is the first graduate of Holmen HS to commit to play Beach Volleyball at a Division I school.

– Twitter: @SouthernMissBVB | SouthernMiss.com | Instagram: @southernmissbvb –

University of Southern Mississippi Athletics

Beach Volleyball Inks Five in 2022 Signing Class

Related News

Players Mentioned

Kaylie Beck

Madison Cassidy

Madison Cassidy

Kellie Garraway

Kellie Garraway

Melanie Miller

Melanie Miller

Taylor Pierce

Taylor Pierce

Reagan Sandlin

Related Videos