FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (March 23, 2021) – Northern Arizona head volleyball coach
Ken Murphy announced his signing class of 2021 on Tuesday with three highly accomplished prep players heading to Flagstaff in the fall. Joining the Lumberjack volleyball program are Jordan Cherniss (Colton, Calif./Redlands East Valley High School), Kacee Moore (Farmington, N.M./Piedra Vista High School) and Sophia Wadsworth (Scottsdale, Ariz./Scottsdale Christian Academy).
"Our program has a lot of momentum right now, and you see a really young team who is just going to continue to get better," Murphy said. "These three players add into that mix right away and help us move towards the really high goals we have in our program. They check all the boxes; they have great character and they're great athletes with high-skill."
Cherniss is slated to compete in the back row at NAU after three years as an outside hitter at Redlands East Valley High School. Standing at 5-11, Cherniss averaged 2.2 kills per set throughout her career, while also totaling 82 career aces. During her junior season, Cherniss averaged a career-best 3.5 digs per set.
Cherniss garnered Citrus Belt League Second Team honors as a sophomore and junior after earning honorable mention as a freshman. In 2018, she helped Redlands East Valley to a league championship.
Having missed most of her junior season with an injury, Moore has been on a tear to start her delayed senior season at Piedra Vista High School. Moore, a 6-2 outside hitter, has led Piedra Vista to an 8-0 start to their spring 2021 season and is currently averaging 4.3 kills per set and hitting .379. Moore is also averaging 2.7 digs per set, at the moment, to go along with 15 aces and 12 blocks.
As a sophomore in 2018, Moore earned All-District 2-5A First Team honors after averaging 4.2 kills on .357 hitting. She has connections to NAU as former club teammates of current Lumberjack freshmen
Jordan Elder and
Millie O'Ketter on Four Corners Volleyball Club.
Wadsworth is the reigning Arizona 2A Conference and 2A Metro Region Player of the Year out of Scottsdale Christian Academy. Also a middle blocker in high school, Wadsworth is projected as a right side upon arrival at NAU.
The 5-11 hitter is a four-time 2A All-Region honoree and was one of the driving forces on four 2A state championship teams at Scottsdale Christian Academy. Averaging 2.2 kills and 0.8 blocks while hitting .360 over her four years, Wadsworth helped her team win 117 games. As a senior last fall, Wadsworth hit .389 and averaged 3.1 kills per set.
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